little theater
Americannoun
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generally noncommercial drama, usually of an experimental nature and directed at a limited audience.
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a small theater, producing plays whose effectiveness would be lost in larger houses.
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amateur theatricals.
Etymology
Origin of little theater
First recorded in 1765–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I was doing a little theater here and there, but I was doing construction.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2023
In a 1987 letter, Lee said Sergel’s adaptation “admirably fulfills the purpose for which it was written, for amateur, high school and little theater groups, and stock productions.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 10, 2022
And then there is the tactic of deploying a little theater — adding drama to draw the eye.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2021
Unable to afford college after graduating from high school in 1934, he worked in a department store for a year and played John Barrymore in a little theater production of “The Royal Family.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2020
“Do what you will, little bird, but consider that your gifts are meant for more than hiding in your little theater, afraid of your appetites.”
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
