Theatre or Theater? Or does it matter?
Up until I arrived at theatre school (Illinois State University, Redbirds Flyin’ high) I spelled theatre with an ‘er’ (not theatre with and ‘re’.) I don’t think I asked why and there was no specific moment when I can remember changing my mind about it. But I think associating the spelling change with becoming a serious student of the craft is telling. Perhaps because I was impressionable in the way that you are in college. You start smoking in college(regrettable) and eating different foods(hummus) doings things without asking permission (leaving class to use the bathroom.) and spelling things differently? I used to be on the grant writing team for this great theatre company and I thought about it again from time to time. When we discussed changes we made to the space we used theater with and ‘er’ but other times we used theatre, ‘re’. Why do we spell it with an ‘re’? Why do you spell it that way? Do you spell it that way? Do you think we should change it? Read more below.
See you at the space this weekend!
Anita Deely
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if it was up to me, i would go with the American version of the word. because we are in, you know, America. alas, we already have tons of letterhead and business cards printed this way, and that $hit is expensive!
To me…theatre is the art and theater is the place where you make the art. One is the building and one is the medium.
[...] there are folks like me. And apparently a few others, who think there’s a general usage rule or difference. In fact, there’s one article [...]
From the first linked article “People just like to find something to fight about…” is a nice tie in to the season theme!
I would tend to agree with Aly’s comment above. One is the place, the other the medium. I have nothing to back this up though.
Redbird’s Flyin’ High!
I’m with Aly too. That’s how I was taught it. It still feels kind of natural that way even if it’s generally pretty silly if you think about it.
Not sure if links are allowed… but here’s an interesting look at it…
http://www.google.com/trends?q=+theatre%2C++theater