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47-456: The amateur theatre companies of Det Dramatiske Selskap founded the first theatres and gave the first regular performances in Norwegian cities. Previously, Norway was visited by travelling foreign troupes which performed in temporary structures. However, the theatres run by the amateur troupes of Det Dramatiske Selskap were not public theatres, but private. An amateur theatre performed in the city

94-506: A major role in the recognition of the impact the AIDS epidemic on the world of theater, co-founding Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS . In 2021, Actor's Equity introduced an "Open Access" membership policy, whereby "any theatre worker who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity's geographical jurisdiction" may join the union. This opened eligibility to

141-568: A member of one of Equity's sister performing arts unions, the "Four A's": SAG-AFTRA , AGMA , AGVA or GIAA . Such applicants must have been a member of said sister union for at least one year, be a member in good standing of that union, have worked as a performer under the union's jurisdiction on a principal or "under-five" contract or at least three days of extra ("background") work, and must have completed non-union theatrical work. The AEA has several different types of contract, with different rules associated with them. Each contract type deals with

188-623: A more organized equality strike. Starting on June 5, 1929, Gillmore attended several meetings in New York with the heads of Broadway. After the meeting, he notified the AEA that appearances in sound and talking motion pictures had been suspended until the outcome of the meetings with the international Studio Crafts Union. Due to the negotiations and the suspension of contracts through the AEA, studios were desperate for actors to speed up production, which had dropped significantly. The New York Times wrote, "It

235-602: A similar number of theatre companies. The AETF hold All-England Finals, the winners of which go forward to represent England at the National Festival of Community Theatre along with representatives from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Please see " Major Festivals " below. As of January 2005, the Arts Council England was not providing any funding towards infrastructure organisations for amateur and community theatre, other than youth theatre through its support for

282-453: A specific type of theater venue or production type. These include, but are not limited to: Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST), Guest Artist, Letters of Agreement (LoA), League of Resident Theatres (LoRT) Small Professional Theatres (SPT), and Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA). AEA actors and stage managers are not allowed to work in non-Equity houses or on any productions in which an Equity Agreement has not been signed anywhere within

329-655: A springboard for the development of new performing talent with a number of professional actors having their first stage experiences in amateur theatre such as Liam Neeson (Slemish Players in Ballymena), Jamie Dornan (Holywood Players in Ballymoney), James Nesbitt (Ulster Youth Theatre) and Nathan Wright (in Dudley). A survey carried in 2002 by the major UK umbrella organisation for amateur theatre, National Operatic and Dramatic Association ("NODA"), noted that "Public support in

376-443: A studio would put out worldwide. On July 20, 1929, the AEA gained its first victory, which gave producers and actors a leg to stand on in their battle for equality. Over 30 days (up to August 20, 1929), Gillmore fought to give the AEA the ability to represent all actors, producers, radio personality, vaudeville performers, and agents in the country. This would also give all power and representation to one organization in order to create

423-424: Is anyone who does not accept, or is not offered, money for their services. One interpretation of this is: "One lacking the skill of a professional, as in an art". Another is: "A person who engages in an art, science, study, or athletic activity as a pastime rather than as a profession". An amateur actor is unlikely to be a member of an actors' union as most countries' trades unions have strict policies in place. In

470-594: Is made up of three representatives from each member festival, as well as the Churches Drama League and Young Farmer Clubs. Founded in 1949 it aims "to foster and encourage amateur drama through the holding of Festivals of Drama, the fostering of relations and co-operation between Ulster Drama Festivals, and the fostering of relations with similar organisations in Northern Ireland and other regions ..." There are many local festivals of amateur theatre within

517-599: Is really an institution that exists in order to give significance to 'amateur dramatics' a frivolous kind of amusement with no pretention to art" or "as a base for starring the most popular and politically astute members" Nevertheless, many professional actors established their craft on the amateur stage. After 1988, in the UK, membership in the actors' Equity union can no longer be made compulsory, and professional performers may perform with any amateur company. Some amateur companies engage professional directors. These changes are blurring

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564-682: Is recorded in 1765. Founded in Oslo in 1780, it gave the first regular theatre performances in Norway. On 24 October 1780, they performed The coffeehouse or the Scottish woman by Voltaire translated by Ditlevine Feddersen starring Henriette Mathiesen (Lindane) and Envold Falsen (Frelon). They performed first in Gevæxthuset , a concert house from the 1760s by Grændsehaven and, from 1802, in Dramatiken , beside

611-585: Is the major umbrella association for community theatre in the United States. According to their website: "AACT is a nonprofit corporation that serves both individuals and organizations by providing expertise, assistance and support so that community theatres can provide the best possible theatrical experience for participants and audience alike." Among other activities the AACT sponsors a national theatre festival in odd-numbered years. The Independent Theatre Association

658-511: Is the peak body for amateur or Community drama in Western Australia . Australian amateur theatre is dependent on volunteer effort and very few amateur theatres pay salaries, although some employ cleaners. Amateur acting experience is highly sought as an entry point for aspiring professionals. The annual Finley awards celebrate the achievements of theatres in several categories. A Workers' Education Dramatic Society and student counterpart

705-713: The American Federation of Labor as an attempt to create a minimum wage for actors being exploited. It was not until January 13, 1913, that the Union Charter failed. It later reemerged as the Actors Equity Association, with more than 111 actors and Francis Wilson as its founding board president. At a meeting held at the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel in New York City, on May 26, 1913, Actors' Equity

752-537: The American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). The AEA works to negotiate quality living conditions, livable wages, and benefits for performers and stage managers. A theater or production that is not produced and performed by AEA members may be called "non-Equity". Leading up to the Actors' and Producers' strike of 1929, Hollywood and California in general had a series of workers' equality battles that directly influenced

799-696: The Centralteatret They replaced the temporary theatre staged by Martin Nürenbach in the city 1771–1772, and was in turn replaced by the theatre of Johan Peter Strömberg in 1827, the Christiania Offentlige Theater , which was the origin of the first Norwegian national theatre, Christiania Theatre . Founded in 1787 by Henrik Arnold Thaulow , Nicolai Emanuel de Thygeson , and Nicolai Wergeland (father of Henrik Wergeland and Camilla Collett ). Their first theatre burned down in 1892, and

846-515: The Hollywood blacklist , the AEA refused to participate. Although its constitution guaranteed its members the right to refuse to work alongside Communists , or a member of a Communist front organization, the AEA did not ban any members. At a 1997 ceremony commemorating the blacklist's 50th anniversary, Richard Masur , then president of the Screen Actors Guild, apologized for its participation in

893-523: The National Drama Festivals Association ("NDFA") caters for some 500 groups participating in around 100 local drama festivals. (See " Major Festivals " below) There are regional bodies throughout the UK. England The All-England Theatre Festival ("AETF") caters for amateur theatre groups which participate in local drama festivals, and is also concerned with a similar number of festivals of one-act and full-length plays, involving

940-536: The Scottish Arts Council in 2004-05. Wales The Drama Association of Wales ("DAW"), founded in 1934, exists to increase opportunities for people in the community to be creatively involved in drama. This is supported through the provision of training, new writing initiatives and access to an extensive specialist lending library containing plays, playsets and technical theatre books. Northern Ireland The Association of Ulster Drama Festivals ("AUDF") and

987-490: The Nation : in each of the 14 cities visited by the touring show, the company recruited local members of amateur companies to play the parts of Nick Bottom and the other Mechanicals. People throughout Great Britain participate in amateur theatre as performers, crew or audience members and many children first experience live theatre during local amateur performances of the annual Christmas pantomime . Amateur theatre can sometimes be

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1034-685: The National Association of Youth Theatre. Other associations include Avon Association of Drama, Woking Drama Association , Somerset Fellowship of Drama, Spalding Amateur Dramatic And Operatic Society and the Greater Manchester Drama Federation ("GMDF") which holds annual festivals with 60+ active members. Scotland The Scottish Community Drama Association ("SCDA"), founded in 1926, works to promote all aspects of community drama in Scotland. SCDA received funding of £50,000 from

1081-493: The New Zealand Drama Council (established in 1945). Actors%27 Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association ( AEA ), commonly called Actors' Equity or simply Equity , is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a book or through-storyline ( vaudeville , cabarets , circuses ) may be represented by

1128-493: The UK and two major national and one international festival: There a number of UK wide competitions that are organised by different bodies: In the United States, amateur theatre is generally known as community theatre . In 2009 there were 923 member organizations of the American Association of Community Theatre. Membership in this organisation is voluntary, making the actual number of community theatre organisations in

1175-477: The UK for amateur theatre is patchy", but found that the annual turnover of affiliated groups was £34 million from 25,760 performances with 437,800 participants, 29% of whom were under 21; attendances were 7,315,840. An earlier, limited survey in England in 1991 revealed that only 19% of amateur drama groups were affiliated to a national "umbrella" organisation, suggesting that NODA's later survey may not reflect

1222-622: The USA uncertain. While the performers in community theatre are typically non-professional, there is a provision of the Actors' Equity Association which allows up to two paid professional actors to appear as guest performers in a community theatre production. Community theatre organisations are eligible for non-profit status under article 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. The American Association of Community Theatre

1269-599: The United States, the Actors' Equity Association serves a similar purpose: to protect the professional industry and its artists. While the majority of professional stage performers have developed their skills and studied their craft at recognised training institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London), Juilliard School (New York) or National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney), amateurs are not usually professionally trained. Amateur theatre (amateur dramatics) can be defined as "theatre performances in which

1316-407: The amateur societies "support the culture of music and the drama. They are now accepted as useful training schools for the legitimate stage, and from the volunteer ranks have sprung many present-day favourites." Amateurs continue to argue that they perform a community service, while even in the 1960s, there was still, "particularly in professional quarters, a deep-rooted suspicion that amateur theatre

1363-550: The ban, saying: "Only our sister union, Actors' Equity Association, had the courage to stand behind its members and help them continue their creative lives in the theater. For that, we honor Actors' Equity tonight." In the 1960s, the AEA played a role in gaining public funding for the arts, including the founding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The AEA fought the destruction of historic Broadway theaters . It played

1410-532: The distinction between amateur and professional theatre. Amateur theatre is sometimes referred to in the UK as "non-commercial theatre". In recent times the distinction between 'amateur' and 'professional' has been blurred further, with professional companies encouraging community involvement in their productions through using local amateur companies. An example of this is the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2016 tour of A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Play for

1457-399: The film industry. The films The Passaic Textile Strike (1926), The Miners' Strike (1928) and The Gastonia Textile Strike (1929) gave audience and producers insight into the effect and accomplishments of labor unions and striking. These films were set apart by being current documentaries, not merely melodramas produced for glamor. In 1896, the first Actors Union Charter was recognized by

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1504-562: The first travelling professional Danish theatre troupe, and, in 1850, it came to Den Nationale Scene , the first public theatre in Bergen. The building was burnt after the bombardment of 15 June 1940. The Dramatic company of Arendal was founded in 1796 and performed in Comediehuset of Arendal , a building that it owns. They are still active. Founded in 1801. Founded in 1802 and performed in their own theatre building from 1816. In 1861, they gave

1551-469: The loss of their jobs. The theater strikes combined with freelance contracts fueled the need for actors and stagehands to strike for better working conditions and pay. Frank Gillmore , the head and treasurer of the Actor's Equity Association, understood that he would need multiple unions across the country to make a change not only in proper representation and pay, but in actors' ability to negotiate any contract

1598-488: The movie stage under better conditions, but this was the least of its problems. In late December, groups of theater owners and non-represented producers filed lawsuits to claim damages from the AEA's contract holdout. "The plaintiffs not only seek a temporary injunction against the defendants, pending trial on an order to show cause why a permanent injunction should not be granted, but also ask damages of $ 100,000." The AEA allowed small numbers of contracts to be negotiated over

1645-557: The next few years. In 1933, the Screen Actors Guild was created and took the AEA's place as the main representative for movie actors and producers. This allowed the AEA to focus on live productions, such as theatrical performances, while the Screen Actors Guild focused on movie production and non-scripted live performances, such as minstrel, vaudeville, and live radio shows. In the 1940s, the AEA stood against segregation . When actors were losing jobs through 1950s McCarthyism and

1692-527: The people involved are not paid but take part for their own enjoyment". Locally organised theatrical events provide a source of entertainment for the community, and can be a fun and exciting hobby, with strong bonds of friendship formed through participation. Many amateur theatre groups reject the "amateur" label and its negative association with "amateurish", preferring to style themselves "dramatic societies", "theatre groups" or just "players". Scottish theatre-maker and writer Andrew Mckinnon in 2006 observed that

1739-463: The second was torn down in 1966. It is now counted as the first amateur theatre in Norway, and is located at Agder Theater . Established in 1794 alongside Det Harmoniske Selskab (founded in 1765), it soon became more independent of it and popular. From 1800 it had its own theatre building, Komediehuset på Engen , until 1828; this theatre was later to be the first public theatre in Bergen, when it, after Det Dramatiske Selskap had left in 1828, became

1786-472: The social activity as well as for aesthetic values. Productions may take place in venues ranging from the open air, community centres, or schools to independent or major professional theatres. Amateur theatre is distinct from the professional or community theatre because performers are usually not paid. Amateur actors are not typically members of actors' unions. Opinions vary on how to define "amateur" in relation to theatre. Technically speaking, an "amateur"

1833-743: The true level of grass roots community involvement with amateur theatre. In 2012 there were more than 2,500 amateur theatre groups putting on around 30,000 productions a year. Of the major bodies representing amateur theatre nationally, the National Operatic and Dramatic Association ("NODA") was founded in 1899 and in 2005 reported a membership of over 2,400 amateur theatre companies and 3,000 individuals staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes in venues ranging from professional theatres to village halls. The Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain ("LTG") represents over 100 independent amateur theatres with auditoria from 64 to 450 seats, while

1880-505: The union to theatre workers who had not previously worked for Equity employers. Theatre workers need to provide a copy of their contract and proof of pay. This policy was made permanent in 2023, superseding previous methods for earning eligibility to join Equity such as the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) program. Asides from Open Access, theatre workers may join Equity by being employed under an Equity contract, or by being

1927-546: The use of their theatre house to the first permanent theatre of the city, the Throndhjems Theater . Founded in 1810. Founded in 1819. Founded in 1823. Founded in 1825. Founded in 1830. Founded in 1832. Founded in 1839. Amateur theatre Amateur theatre , also known as amateur dramatics , is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for

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1974-468: The word 'amateur' has a negative connotation. Many amateur groups are therefore re-branding themselves as 'community' groups. François Cellier and Cunningham Bridgeman wrote, in 1914, that prior to the late 19th century, amateur actors were treated with contempt by professionals. After the formation of amateur Gilbert and Sullivan companies licensed to perform the Savoy operas , professionals recognised that

2021-726: Was active in Brisbane between 1930 and 1962. See also: List of amateur theatres in Australia. There are many amateur theatre societies in New Zealand where it is often referred to as community theatre. The umbrella organization is called Theatre New Zealand (formally the New Zealand Theatre Federation) and was formed in 1970 out of a merger of the New Zealand branch of the British Drama League (established in 1932) and

2068-508: Was founded by 112 professional theater actors, who established its constitution and elected Francis Wilson as president. Leading up to the association's establishment, a handful of influential actors—known as The Players—held secret organizational meetings at Edwin Booth's The Players at its Gramercy Park mansion. A bronze plaque commemorates the room in which The Players met to establish Actors' Equity. Members included Frank Gillmore , who from

2115-586: Was founded during the strike. Equity represented directors and choreographers until 1959, when they broke away and formed their own union . The Actors Equality Strike was a series of walkouts that started in 1927 in local theaters in Los Angeles and quickly grew to the motion picture stage. During the nationwide walkouts, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences started issuing contracts to freelance film actors, which led Hollywood's actors and actresses to fear

2162-462: Was pointed out that while the Equality regulations were in effect, about 2000 motion picture contracts, involving salaries said to amount to $ 500,000 were offered to actors in New York." Any actor who entered into a contract not approved by the AEA would be banished from the union and have to reapply for admission after negotiations were finished. By December 1929, the AEA was negotiating terms to reset

2209-597: Was the executive secretary of Actors' Equity from 1918 to 1929 and president from 1929 to 1937. Actors' Equity joined the American Federation of Labor in 1919, and called a strike seeking recognition as a labor union. The strike ended the dominance of the Producing Managers' Association , including theater owners and producers like Abe Erlanger and his partner, Mark Klaw . The strike increased membership from under 3,000 to approximately 14,000. The Chorus Equity Association , which merged with Actors' Equity in 1955,

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