When speaking about community theatre, it is important to know what they are, as they are usually amateur theatrical productions of children's theatre, musical theatre and dance theatre. Performers are usually from the local district and are unpaid, although sometimes professionals get involved as well. These theatres are a community's way of getting citizens together for a little cultural experience.

While it was not true in early years of theatre, now most theatres around the world are, in actuality, community theatres. What actually makes a community theatre is the fact that a theatre is run by a community, with community interests in mind. This type of theatre first originated in Europe around the 1880s. These theatres were started so that more of the public could enjoy theatrical shows without having to pay a lot of money. The early 1900s brought the idea of "little theatre" to the United States, where most theatre was being done as traveling productions.

This kind of theatre company became popular because of the anti-Broadway movement that was going on at that time. Nearly all theatre companies had to be part of "the Syndicate," which was a few people who owned a theatre company that basically owned all of the theatres under them, and were using them as a way to get rich. The Syndicate made it extremely difficult to run any theatre outside of it. This brought about the fight against the commercialization of arts theatre, and that is how community theatres became popular in the United States.

In the early years, community theatres were even funded by the government, but when shows became too political, government funding was stopped. Community theatres of today are a little different than the old "little theatres," as most simply want to infuse a little culture into the lives of the local citizens. In many cases, these theatres are run by colleges and their theatre departments. These productions are often free of charge, or charge very little money to pay for costumes and other incidental expenses.

Many also encourage the participation of children and other young people to let them develop theatrical skills, as well as to keep them busy so that they do not choose to get into trouble. Theatre is seen as a wholesome activity for young people to be involved with, and the fact that a production takes a lot of hard work and dedication is good as well.

The history of community theatre is interesting to know about. It is always exciting to see the origins of certain activities. It is apparent that community theatres are a great addition to other community programs and activities. Community theatres are definitely a great way to keep kids and adult members occupied in a fun way. With the chance to develop skills and talent, auditioning for a national theatre may not be far off for some.

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