Top 235 Theatre Research Paper Topics for Students

The theater is always captivating because of the different genres and topics of study. The theater has roots that date back centuries and is a part of the entertainment scene worldwide. For people who love theater, writing about it for research papers must be enjoyable because they get to write more deeply on their favorite subject matter–theater. Theatre Research paper topics can center around anything imaginable but typically cover those with creative art in executing plays for radio, TTV or auditorium audiences. It could explore any aspect of life, from Shakespearean dramas detailing warring European monarchies to experimental modernist drama exploring sexuality issues between men and women.
Teachers expect students to pick a good area for their theatre paper, but they can also provide them with ideas when they make that decision themselves. Writing research papers helps many different types of people in ways like improving literacy skills and helping you find new information. Some think research papers are too demanding because they require extensive time and detail.
However, the advantages to writing a paper outweigh the negatives by far with things such as helping learners get better grades, expanding their knowledge base past what’s taught in school, impressing teachers/professors grading assignments, and knowing how long it is going to take them for future projects.
You can approach theatre research paper topics from many different angles. One could write a history of theatre, tracing its origins to the Greeks and naming the various periods since then. In this context, you might study the works of playwrights such as William Shakespeare or Sam Shepard. Another approach that you could use for theatre research paper topics would be a study of the meaning or message being delivered by a particular play or scene. This topic would provide an opportunity to examine a given play’s theme and see its relevance in modern society if any. A third possible choice is a study on the influence of culture on theatre.
Overall, an individual’s best interest would be covered when completing this assignment. Topics are the foundation for writing good, engaging theatre research papers. However, getting appropriate subject ideas can be difficult and often obscure to those trying to write a paper. Fortunately, you can easily get creative with your topic! Here are some theatre Research Paper Topics that will make you stand out from the rest:

Theatre Research Paper Examples

1. Artaud’s theatre influence
2. Costumes use by actors and actresses to exemplify history on the theatre stage.
3. Theater reserved for the irrational
4. O’Neill Eugene and Players from Provincetown
5. David Belasco, Producer of Theatre
6. Theatre in an era where home entertainment dominates
7. My preliminary Impression of Acting
8. Describe and explain science occasions in European theatre presentations
9. Influence of religion on theatre development
10. Theatre in a Shakespeare era
11. Piscator Erwin and scenery projection
12. The Music Function in Theatre
13. The theatre that lives
14. The 3D entry and how it has impacted the experience of going to theatre halls
15. Theatre is used as a tool to impact politics.
16. The differences and similarities between Chinese and American operas
17. The propagandist methods used to spread dictatorship
18. Where war plays a role in driving nationalism
19. The impact of the second world war on arts social development
20. When theatre grows into a blasphemous entity
21. Technology infusion in theatre
22. The role children play in European performances on the theatre stage
23. Theatre role as a lesson in philosophy
24. Community theatre commercialization
25. The elements that are the most influential in the Elizabethan theatre and culture era
26. European society’s gender bias
27. Puppetry influence on cartoons these days
28. Who was the most guilty for blame in the demise of Smith Eva?
29. Foreman Richard and the hysterical theatre/Ontological theatre
30. Wealth and morality in renowned European plays
31. Theatre’s position as the source of Europe’s liberalism
32. Theatre’s role as an emblem of nationalism. Theatre’s place in the history of European
33. Theatre’s role as a tool in social commentary
34. The melodramatic assembly in the shape of racism
35. Svoboda Josef, the scenographer master

Interesting Theatre Research Paper Ideas

1. How Has Theatre Changed Since the Turn of the Century?
2. What Was the First Play to Receive a Pulitzer Prize?
3. Who Is Your Favorite Stage Actor, and Why?
4. What Is the History of Experimental Theatre in New York City?
5. What Is the History of Theatre in Medieval Times?
6. What Are Some Common Themes of Shakespearean Plays?
7. What Are Some Common Themes of Greek Plays?
8. How Have dramatic Techniques Changed Throughout Time?
9. Who Are Some Famous Directors Today, and How Do They Compare to Those of the Past?
10. Greek Theatre in the 5th Century BC
11. The Roman Theatre and its Influence on Modern Theatre
12. Important women and Theatre in 17th and 18th Century England
13. The Shakespearean Globe Theatre
14. Commedia del’Arte
15. The Development of Realism in Nineteenth-Century European Drama
16. Brechtian Theory and Epic Theatre
17. The Development of Realism in American Drama from O’Neill to Williams
18. Antonin Artaud: The Development of the ‘Theatre of Cruelty
19. Stanislavski’s Method: A Case Study of a Modern Actor Training System
20. Which Is More Important: Acting or Directing? Why?

Easy Theatre Topics for Students

1. What is the relationship between representation and reality in theatre?
2. In what ways are theatrical conventions used to construct and communicate meaning?
3. What is the role of the spectator in theatre?
4. What does it mean to say that theatre is a social process?
5. In what ways is the study of theatre important to understanding human experience?
6. How does theatre contribute to our understanding of history, culture, and society?
7. What is the relationship between live stage performances and technology?
8. Why study Theatre Studies?
9. How will theatre change as a result of the pandemic?
10.  What are some topics that would make great theatre essays?
11.  Why do most people prefer watching movies to watching plays in theatres?
12.  How can we encourage more people to watch plays rather than films?
13.  Do you prefer watching films or plays at the theatre, and why?
14.  Why do people like watching plays?
15.  What is the history of the theatre?
16.  How to write a play review?
17.  How do movies differ from theatres?
18.  What are the different roles in a theatre play?
19.  Why was the Greek Theatre built in the way it was?
20.  What is the purpose of a Theatre Review?
21.  Should Theatre be made more accessible for blind people?
22.  How does music affect theatre performance?
23.  What is theatre?
24.  What are the characteristics of Shakespeare’s plays?
25.  A topic on the dramatic play, “Othello.”
26.  In the play Hamlet, the character Polonius and his “famous” advice to Laertes.
27.  Movie adaptations of novels: How do they compare with the printed word?
28.  How does a play or novel you have studied change your understanding or appreciation of history?
29.  The life and works of famous playwrights, for example, Aristotle, Sophocles, William Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and Tennessee Williams.
30.  The lives of actors and actresses in ancient Greece, the Elizabethan era, or modern times
31.  What is tragic drama? Tragic heroes from Greek drama and modern plays
32.  The history of Greek theatre
33.  The changing role of women in theatre since the Elizabethan period
34.  The Importance of Theatre
35.  The Best Form of Entertainment
36.  A Brief History of Drama
37.  The Role of Women in the Theatre
38.  How to Write a Play
39.  The Role of Music in the Theatre
40.  The Evolution of the Art of Acting
41.  The Evolution of Theatre Design and Architecture
42.  How to Become an Actor or Actress
43.  Famous Actors and Actresses
44. How has the concept of the theatre changed over time?
45. How does theatre influence society?
46. What is the role of theatre in modern society?
47. What is the purpose of theatre?
48. What are the historical origins of theatre?
49. Who was the first playwright in history?
50. What is the impact of theatre on education?
51. Explain how drama can help develop children’s social skills and self-esteem.
52. What are some factors that contribute to the successful production of a play?
53. How can I choose a good play to perform with my students?
54. What are some strategies for teaching students about acting and stagecraft?

A-List Of Intriguing  Theatre thesis topics and Prompts

This list of Theatre thesis topics has been divided into Master’s thesis topics and Ph.D. thesis topics. The current thesis topics below are available for theatre studies students.

1. “The Clash Between Classical and Contemporary Music Theater: A Study in British Musicals from 1970 to 1980.”
2. “The Effects of Music on Audience Perception of Emotion in Musical Theater.”
3. “The Importance of the Musical Director in Modern Musical Theater Productions.”
4. “The Evolution of Race Relations in Tennessee Williams’s Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire.”
5. “Sam Shepard’s Use of Mythology in Buried Child and True West.”
6. “An Analysis of the Role of Women in William Shakespeare’s Comedies.”
7. The Future of Theatre Criticism: Implications of Social Media on the Profession.
8. The Relevance of Shakespeare in Contemporary Theatre.
9. The Performance and Impact of Greek Theatre Today.
10. The Influence of the Cultural Revolution on Modern Chinese Theatre.
11. The Influence of Milton’s Poetry on Modern Theatre.
12. Using Theatrical Symbols in Political Propaganda.
13. Nationalism, Globalization and Contemporary Theatre in Latin America.
14. Latin American Women’s Role in Contemporary Theatre.
15. I will write a thesis exploring the intersection of drama therapy and disability theatre. Working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness is an important part of my life. I became interested in this topic because it combines two things that are so meaningful to me.
16. My thesis concerns performance-making’s role in forming a cultural identity for diverse communities. The topic I am exploring is how theatre can be used as a tool for participatory development. Specifically, I am looking at how performance-making can be used as a tool for community engagement and dialogue and the pedagogical implications of this practice.
17. I want to write my thesis on the relationship between narrative structure and theater design: how we use stories to shape spaces and how spaces inform our stories. This is a question I’ve been thinking about since studying abroad, when I learned that all of the theaters in Italy were built before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, despite being designed to accommodate his plays specifically.
18. My thesis falls into Theatre & Performance Studies (TPS) category. It’s about Shakespeare’s use of clowns in his plays, focusing on Falstaff in the Henry IV plays Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

List of possible term paper topics on Theatre

Theatre term paper topics range from Contemporary Theatre to Historical Theatre, Broadway Theatre to Theatre Design. I have listed a few topic suggestions below to help you get started on your theatre term paper. In addition, I have included a list of the most popular theatre research paper topics. The following is a suggested list of topics for your theatre term paper:

1. Brecht and Epic Theatre
2. The Golden Age of Broadway – 1920-1940
3. The Renaissance in England and France
4. The influence of Greek culture on American drama
5. Shakespeare’s Hamlet – a psychological study
6. Your favorite Shakespeare play
7. The styles and themes of Tennessee Williams’ plays
8. Anton Checkhov’s plays – an analysis of female characters
9. Chekhov as a modern dramatist
10. Bertolt Brecht’s use of alienation in Mother Courage and her Children
11.  The importance of theatre in the modern world
12.  Theatre as a lifestyle
13.  Theatre and politics
14.  How to attract more people to attend theatre shows?
15.  Reasons why people watch theatre today
16.  The history of theatre
17.  The place of theatre in the past and present world
18.  The reason why fashion is so important for theatres
19.  Differences between modern and old-school theatres
20.  How do politics influence the work of playwrights?
21. “The Lion King” and Social Responsibility
22. “A Raisin in the Sun”: Walter’s Dream
23. “A Raisin in the Sun”: The American Dream Deferred
24. A Doll’s House: The Decline of the Institution of Marriage
25. A Doll’s House: Nora Helmer Character Analysis
26. Antigone: The Role of Women in Antigone
27. Antigone: Creon or Antigone – Who is the Tragic Hero?
28. Antigone: Creon as a Tragic Figure in “Antigone”
29. Antigone: Power Corrupts, but Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
30. The Crucible: What Made “The Crucible” Such a Successful Play?
31. The Crucible: John Proctor Character Analysis
32. Death of a Salesman: A Research Paper on Arthur Miller’s American Dream
33. Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman’s Failing American Dream
34. Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman as Tragic Hero in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Theatre Research Paper Questions and Essay Prompts

✔ Choose one particular element of theatre and analyze its role in modern performance. For example, you may write about costume design, lighting, stage props, or the screen itself.
✔ Compare and contrast modern theater with the theater of the past – for example, popular theaters in Shakespeare’s time. How has theater changed? Are there any elements that have remained intact?
✔ Analyze a specific actor (or actress). You may compare their work to other actors of their time; also, you can compare their work to actors of today. In either case, provide examples from at least three performances by this actor.
✔ Write an essay on how the audience impacts a given performance. If a performance is well-received by an audience, does it necessarily mean it is good? Conversely, can a poor performance receive rave reviews from an audience? Make sure to support your thesis with examples from specific performances.
✔ Analyze how various theatrical traditions address social issues. For example, you may write about Chinese Peking Opera or Japanese Kabuki Theatre. Alternatively, you may address Theater of the Absurd and analyze its key elements as well as its functions within society as a whole

Interesting Drama Paper Topic Ideas

1. Drama and the facilitation of leadership
2. Types of stages and drama productions
3. Operetta and emotion: An analysis of Sweeney Todd
4. South Pacific: Depictions of war in theater
5. Adaptations of theater to cinema
6. The role of spectacle in contemporary theater
7. History of Broadway
8. A brief history of drama
9. Creative dramatics
10. Set design and modern theater
11. Drama and the development of imagination
12. Music and theater
13. Classical mythology and tragedy
14. To Kill a Mockingbird: Race and dramatics
15. European drama
16. Television drama and depictions of family values
17. Social stigma and Elizabethan actors
18. Radio drama: Pre-television popular culture entertainment
19. Dionysus and the origins of theater
20. Tennessee Williams and modern theater
21. Role play in group therapy
22. Greek Tragedy
23. Drama and the Harlem renaissance
24. Drama and the psychology of self-confidence
25. Acting and expression
26. African American expression and Blacksploitation: The Wiz.
27. Drama on the stage and screen
28. Shakespeare’s histories
29. Revolutionizing contemporary musical theater: Rodgers and Hammerstein
30. The art of directing: Bringing stories to life
31. Chinese Drama
32. The Wizard of Oz: Contemporary influences
33. Drama in elementary education: Developing thinking, feeling and moving skills
34. The exploration of social issues in drama
35. Shakespeare and his contribution to drama
36. The Diary of Anne Frank: Expressions of the Holocaust in art
37. Homosexuality and theater
38. The Interrogation of Nathan Hale: Minimalism and the forging of a nation
39. Contemporary theater influence in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange
40. Performance skills
41. Choreography and contemporary theatre
42. Three Theban plays: Depictions of civil disobedience
43. Drama and team building
44. Multiple intelligence: Howard Gardner and drama
45. Improvisation and expression

Ideas for good topics for theatre research papers

1. Does a director or an actor define what the play will be like?
2. Drama as a universal language;
3. Does cinema kill theater?
4. The role of music in a certain play;
5. The place of improvisation in contemporary theatre;
6. History and origins of opera and ballet;
7. The roles of ‘personal’ and ‘collective’ in a play.
8. Shakespeare’s contribution to the development of theater;
9. The influence of ancient Greek tragedy on modern-day theater;
10. How does theater develop a viewer’s imagination?

Conclusion

An excellent theatre research paper starts with selecting a captivating and robust subject.
It offers a good foundation that, coupled with other research guides, will provide a polished and exciting paper.
So as a writer interested in writing about theatre, your choice of topic will define the rest of the document.
The catalog of theater research paper topics provided will set you on a course to writing an excellent paper.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write a theatre research paper?

1. Define Your Thesis Statement
2. Do Research
3. Sketch an outline of your essay
4. Write Your Research Paper in a Structured Way: Introduction, body, and conclusion.

What are some drama topics?

1. Shakespeare’s histories
2. Revolutionizing contemporary musical theater: Rodgers and Hammerstein
3. The art of directing: Bringing stories to life
4. Chinese Drama
5. The Wizard of Oz: Contemporary influences
6. Drama in elementary education: Developing thinking, feeling, and moving skills
7. The exploration of social issues in drama
8. Shakespeare and his contribution to drama
9. The Diary of Anne Frank: Expressions of the Holocaust in art

What are some good ideas for a research paper?

Some common research paper topics include climate, birth control, health, abortion, change, technology, global warming, history, gun control, science, social media, AI, and child abuse.

What are the five acceptable research topics?

1. The Impact of U.N. Policies on the Environment
2. Bar Code Implants
3. The Impact of Globalization on Religion
4. Imposed Democracy
5. Marketing and Media Influence on Teens

Joseph Gardner

With a passion for education and student empowerment, I create blog content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of students. From study hacks and productivity tips to career exploration and personal development