Theatre is a synthetic art, it combines drama, painting, music, dance, sometimes cinema, sculpture and other arts. This determines the collective nature of the theater: the performance combines the creative efforts of people of different professions.
The central figure of stage art is an actor. He embodies the idea of the playwright and director. The success of the theatrical production depends on the convincing performance of the actor. Acting requires special qualities, such as observation, attention, imagination, memory, facial expressions, plasticity, good diction and much more.
In ancient times, the actor and playwright (author of the text) were often combined in one person, but in the ancient world the playwright became independent. Until the XX century, the playwright also served as a director, helping the actors to work on the performance.
The profession of director emerged in the late XIX – early XX century, earlier the work of the troupe was headed by the playwright or leading actors. The director, staging a work of art on stage, seeks to convey to the audience his idea, organizes the work of all participants in the production.
A great role in the implementation of the production is played by the theatrical set designer, this profession has nowadays evolved into the profession of scenographer, who is engaged in the design of the stage space, finds the necessary light and color solutions in accordance with the content of the production.
The role of a theatrical composer is also very important, because music is one of the most important means of expression in a performance. It helps to reveal the content of the play, deepens the characteristics of the characters, enhances the impact of the work on the audience. Theatrical music has its own peculiarities, it is necessary to merge it with the dramatic action, to match it exactly in time. Very often the music in the play “negotiates” the thoughts and feelings of the characters, revealing new features of the images.
The work of conductor, choirmaster and musicians is also connected with music. Dances in the play are staged under the direction of a choreographer. There are also many services in the theater, which are indispensable in the organization of the performance. These are make-up artists, costume designers, props, lighting and sound engineers, puppet theater artists and sculptors, sewing shops. The director is assisted by assistants. The theater employs a head of the production department, stage operators, stage workers, firefighters, and ticket collectors.