Pro-am Theatre

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Although fringe, repertory, revue, etc may be regarded as Pro-am Theatre, this particular type of pro-am involves both professionals and amateurs being cast in various parts in a production-rather than having the amateurs on the sidelines (as in extra work).

Pro-am theatre started in Australia, more specifically in Adelaide in 1984, where it is still going strong. So far, to the writers' knowledge no famous actors have come from pro-am, though famous people have performed in pro-am.

Not only does this type of theatre encourage amateurs it allows unpaid professionals somewhere to practice the talent before they find work. Recordings of unpaid professionals doing such a piece doesn't usually count as a professional piece of work, at least not by current equity rules.

Exactly what this Pro-am Theatre is and what it will become has yet to be established. However this may be considered a technical description for this type of drama.

However given the growth of repertory, Theatre in Education, footlights and fringe theatre in the UK (Off-Off Broadway in America) and their impact on mainstream drama the impact of community theatre cannot be underestimated.

The name Pro-am Theatre is currently used in the UK to describe amateur theatre groups, whose productions are regarded as delivering as high a standard as a professional company.