27th March: World Theater Day
World Theater Day was created by the ITI and was celebrated for the first time on 27 March 1962, the date of the opening of the “Theater of Nations” season in Paris. Ever since, each year on that date, World Theater Day is celebrated on a global scale.
‘The creative urge of writers, designers, dancers, singers, actors, musicians, and directors will never be stifled and in the very near future with new energy and a new understanding of the world that we all share are flourishing again. This has been such a very difficult time for live performance and many artistes, technicians and craftsmen and women have struggled in a profession that is already fraught with insecurity,’ wrote Helen Mirren, adding, ‘Maybe that always present insecurity has made them more able to survive this pandemic with wit and courage.
Their imagination has already translated itself, in these new circumstances, into inventive, entertaining, and moving ways to communicate, thanks of course in large part to the internet. Human beings have told each other stories for as long as they have been on the planet. The beautiful culture of theatre will live for as long as we stay here. The creative urge of writers, designers, dancers, singers, actors, musicians, directors, will never be suffocated and in the very near future will flourish again with new energy and a new understanding of the world we all share. I can’t wait!’
World Theatre Day 2021 will be celebrated online on March 27 due to the rise in the COVID-19 infection rate.
- Go see a play and take a friend
- Offer backstage tours of your theatre to the community.
- Collaborate with other theatres to offer free tickets
- Host a World Theatre Day reception after a show.
- Gather a group to write and stage a play in 24 or 48 hours
- Pay tribute to a playwright.
- Organize a theatre festival.
- Write, videotape, record, or blog about why you love theatre.
- Announce World Theatre Day on Facebook.