Street
theater is any
staged theatrical event that occurs in a
public space. The
events may be sanctioned or (as in the case of
guerrilla theater)
unsanctioned. Frequently street theater has a
political or
social message. People and companies like
Bertolt Brecht,
Abbie Hoffman and
The Open Theater pioneered this
art form.
Street theater is extremely difficult to pull off, since your audience is not invited but rather gathered or
assaulted by the event. It takes a lot of
guts to attempt a street theater work, but, at it's best, it
surprises and
enlightens your audience and is memorable enough to make your
political idea, social message or
artistic expression last in the minds of the
onlookers for years to come.