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Glite Dictionary
street theater

street theater

2 4.4
A live play performed outdoors to show social or political problems
  • noun
  • /strit ˈθiːətər/
translation icon : teatro callejero
  • As we walked through the park, we were captivated by a lively street theater performance that addressed important social issues.
  • street theater performance
  • form of street theater
  • street theater group

Examples

  • During the festival, the performers presented powerful street theater that raised awareness about climate change.

  • At the beginning of this article, I called begging a form of street theater, with clearly defined roles that follow a script.

    Academic text (2009)

  • In the UCSB union, we adopted street theater tactics to make our work visible.

    Academic text (2005)

  • During lunch hour, most of them crammed back into Melina's office to watch the street theater again.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • At such moments, art takes the form of street theater, posters, actions, graffiti, grassroots cinema, poetry, and music.

    Academic text (2011)

  • ELTE Klub, a university-based environmental group, put on street theatre performances assisted by members of other environmental and human rights organizations.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The community organized a street theater event to highlight the struggles of local families facing eviction.

Synonyms

street performance
vsstreet theater
1 3.1

A live show in a public place where people give money

is theatrical outdoor drama focusing on social or political messages not on collecting money
guerrilla theater
vsstreet theater
  • US
1 7.7

A short unplanned show in public about political or social issues to get attention

is often organized outdoor drama that dramatizes social or political issues

How Public

spectacle
68 4.2
street theater
2 4.4
open-air
11 2.1
performance
539 2.7

Surface Forms

street theater singular
street theaters plural

Morphology

street + theater

The meaning 'theatrical performance presented in outdoor public spaces' is directly and literally built from 'street' (a public road) + 'theater' (performance), so the combined concept is predictable. This noun–noun compounding follows common compositional patterns found across languages, making it easily inferable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Street theater comes from actors who take theater out onto the street, performing in squares, parks, and other public places. Because the shows are open to anyone and often show social or political ideas, the phrase means 'a performance in outdoor public spaces'.