Changes

[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Actors.jpg|right|frame]]

[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Actors.jpg|right|frame]]

*Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Century 15th century]

*Date: [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Century 15th century]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1 : one that acts : doer

*1 : one that acts : doer

The word actor refers to a person who acts regardless of [[sex]], while actress refers specifically to a [[female]] person who acts; therefore a female can be referred to by either term. The [[Oxford English Dictionary]] states that [[originally]] "actor" was used for both sexes. The [[English]] [[word]] actress does not derive from the [[Latin]] actrix, probably not even by way of French actrice; according to the Oxford English Dictionary, actress was "probably formed [[independently]]" in [[English]]. As actress is a specifically [[feminine]] [[word]], some [[groups]] assert that the word is sexist. [[Gender]]-neutral usage of actor has re-emerged in modern English, especially when referring to [[male]] and [[female]] performers [[collectively]], but actress remains the common term used in major acting awards given to female recipients and is common in general usage.

The word actor refers to a person who acts regardless of [[sex]], while actress refers specifically to a [[female]] person who acts; therefore a female can be referred to by either term. The [[Oxford English Dictionary]] states that [[originally]] "actor" was used for both sexes. The [[English]] [[word]] actress does not derive from the [[Latin]] actrix, probably not even by way of French actrice; according to the Oxford English Dictionary, actress was "probably formed [[independently]]" in [[English]]. As actress is a specifically [[feminine]] [[word]], some [[groups]] assert that the word is sexist. [[Gender]]-neutral usage of actor has re-emerged in modern English, especially when referring to [[male]] and [[female]] performers [[collectively]], but actress remains the common term used in major acting awards given to female recipients and is common in general usage.

The gender-neutral term "player" was common in [[film]] in the early days of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Production_Code Motion Picture Production Code] with regards to the cinema of the United States, but is now generally deemed archaic. However, it remains in use in the [[theatre]], often incorporated into the name of a theatre group or company (such as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Players East West Players]).

The gender-neutral term "player" was common in [[film]] in the early days of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Production_Code Motion Picture Production Code] with regards to the cinema of the United States, but is now generally deemed archaic. However, it remains in use in the [[theatre]], often incorporated into the name of a theatre group or company (such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Players East West Players]).

==History==

==History==

The first recorded case of an actor [[performing]] took place in 534 BC (though the changes in calendar over the years make it hard to determine exactly) when the [[Greek]] performer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thespis Thespis] stepped on to the [[stage]] at the ''Theatre Dionysus'' and became the first known [[person]] to speak words as a character in a [[play]] or [[story]]. Prior to Thespis' act, stories were only known to be told in [[song]] and [[dance]] and in third person [[narrative]]. In honour of Thespis, actors are commonly called ''Thespians''. Theatrical [[legend]] to this day maintains that Thespis exists as a mischievous [[spirit]], and disasters in the theatre are sometimes blamed on his [[ghost]]ly intervention.

The first recorded case of an actor [[performing]] took place in 534 BC (though the changes in calendar over the years make it hard to determine exactly) when the [[Greek]] performer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thespis Thespis] stepped on to the [[stage]] at the ''Theatre Dionysus'' and became the first known [[person]] to speak words as a character in a [[play]] or [[story]]. Prior to Thespis' act, stories were only known to be told in [[song]] and [[dance]] and in third person [[narrative]]. In honour of Thespis, actors are commonly called ''Thespians''. Theatrical [[legend]] to this day maintains that Thespis exists as a mischievous [[spirit]], and disasters in the theatre are sometimes blamed on his [[ghost]]ly intervention.

Actors were [[traditionally]] not people of high [[status]], and in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Middle_Ages Early Middle Ages] travelling acting troupes were often viewed with distrust. In many parts of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], actors could not even receive a [[Christian]] [[burial]], and [[traditional]] [[beliefs]] of the region and [[time]] period held that this left any actor forever condemned. However, this [[negative]] [[perception]] was largely reversed in the 19th and 20th centuries as acting has become an [[honor]]ed and popular profession and art.[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor]]

Actors were [[traditionally]] not people of high [[status]], and in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Middle_Ages Early Middle Ages] travelling acting troupes were often viewed with distrust. In many parts of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe Europe], actors could not even receive a [[Christian]] [[burial]], and [[traditional]] [[beliefs]] of the region and [[time]] period held that this left any actor forever condemned. However, this [[negative]] [[perception]] was largely reversed in the 19th and 20th centuries as acting has become an [[honor]]ed and popular profession and art.[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor]]

[[Category: Theatre]]

[[Category: Theatre]]