guerrilla theater

noun

1. the presentation of short propaganda plays or skits, usually on sociopolitical themes, as war or repression, often on the streets or in other nontheater locations.

Word History and Origins

Origin of guerrilla theater¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Seller described the 90-minute concert as an act of "guerrilla theater" featuring "gay characters, gay culture, gay music and gay pride" in an interview with The New York Times.

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With its flair for guerrilla theater, the SLA picked the Hibernia Bank to rob, knowing that security cameras would capture Hearst storming the lobby with a military-style M1 carbine, under no apparent coercion.

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And then as I got older in my education, I was basically a co-artistic director of a young improv troupe that would go out and do guerrilla theater.

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Some of the actions he advocated were benign guerrilla theater, like dressing in hazmat suits outside national parks to highlight the risk of pollution.

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“The Yippies are pranksters and street artists and guerrilla theater people,” he said.

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