Definitions HQ

Theater (n.) arises ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠when a people's imagination grows weak: the actor disguised as hero is a crude substitute — too close, too definite, too heavy, too little dream and bird-flight.

Theater (n.) supplies ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the third eye that looks at the world through the other two, and once one learns to be a spectator of life's real tragedies and comedies every painful situation gets a little portal to joy.

Theater (n.) taught ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠us the art of seeing ourselves as heroes from a distance, simplified and transfigured; without it we would be nothing but foreground.

Theater (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠best avoided by whoever finds enough tragedy and comedy in himself; what are the stage's Fausts to someone who is somewhat like Faust?

Theater (n.) must ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not gain control over art; actors must not seduce what is genuine; music must not become an art of lying.