Genres of Theatre

There are many different genres of theatre available for us to watch. The choices are endless with performance theatres giving us the opportunity to experience all forms of entertainment that the performing arts have to offer.

Whether you want to visit a musical theatre to witness a story told through song, dance and speech or an opera theatre to listen to a story being sung, the choices are unlimited.
There are simply too many genres of theatre to name them all but the main ones that people go to theatres o see are listed below:

Musical theatre: Is a theatre where you will hear and see a story told through the performance of singing, speech and dance.
Some of the major musical productions that people have been going to see in recent times include productions such as Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. These two Andrew Lloyd Webber productions have played all over the world with more than 80 million paying customers rushing for tickets to watch these shows again and again.
Opera: Is a genre of theatre where a story is told through singing. Some of the best known Opera singers today include Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, Spanish tenors Plcido Domingo and Jos Carreras. This trio make up the Three Tenors who are responsible for producing the best selling classical album, 'In Concert' by The Three Tenors.
Pantomime: A musical drama that includes dance, mime, puppetry, slapstick, and melodrama for a comic experience designed for children.

Comedy: Is a genre of theatre that performers generally tell stories through speech. A comedy play can involve speech, dance and song with a story told that conveys a happy ending after a tragic or catastrophic event.
Most of us enjoy a good comedy show and the Umbilical Brothers are an Australian comedy duo that have not only had considerable success in Australia during the last decade performing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Opera House and the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Romantic comedy: Is a genre of theatre involving a love plot that focuses on two would be lovers that have difficulty in finding one another. Most people enjoy a good romantic comedy with more than one Broadway show turning into successful television series.
Black comedy: Is a genre of theatre that uses a humorous or satirical manner to test the boundaries of good taste, terrible and morbid things are said that can easily offend in other circumstances. Actors like the late Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy have used black comedy to great effect with their gags about black men one way to promote the kick out racism message to the general public without having to say it.
Tragicomedy: Is a genre of theatre that literally has a tragic tale to tell with a humourous ending.
Physical theatre: Is a genre of theatre that uses expression movement, dance, mime, puppetry, and gesture as its primary means of communication during the play.

http://www.theatres.com.au/theatre-genres/