Overview

When you enter a theatre, you must recognize that there are certain theatre conventions to know and specific audience etiquette to practice. When the house lights blink, it is time to find your seat because the performance will begin in approximately five minutes. Before the play actually commences, the lights will slowly dim to blackness to give you time to settle down and cease conversations. Generally, plays have intermissions, or breaks between acts. At the end of a performance, the audience applauds; the pinnacle of applause is a standing ovation. When you go to a show, arrive on time and do not talk, eat or drink, take pictures, or do anything else that will disturb your fellow audience members or the actors.

Today, we have a great deal of mass media. It is important to learn to evaluate different media. Three lenses you can use to do this are audience viewpoint, actor viewpoint, and production techniques. Obviously, film, television, and live theatre vary greatly in what they present and how they present it. The keys to becoming a media savvy individual are gaining aesthetic appreciation and learning to discriminate.