What Makes Good Theater

N.B.: I'm still getting the hang of blogging, so please excuse me if I break any cardinal rules of blogs in the process of this post! :)

What makes good theater? Although everyone certainly has their own ideas, I think there are certain objective criteria that may be applied. (The following are not in necessary order of importance.) First, does the story, plot, or characters convey some kind of truth? Whether it be truth about life, love, or anything in the world, I think a play should have some point other than sheer entertainment without substance. As an art form, a play is the medium through which a writer (and later the actors) conveys something to his or her audience, and without that something, the play is empty and meaningless. Next, I think believable acting is very important--the audience has to believe that the actor is the character to make the play work. Along with this goes realistic interaction between the actors. A good script is also important, but with exceptions-- sometimes an ad-lib by one of the actors turns out to be the best line in the play.