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
Several prominent figures have emerged from the little theater, among them actors Ludo Vika, Luis Chávez and Tonantzin Carmelo; producer, writer and actor Emanuel Loarca; and the film producer Victoria Alonso.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2022
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
Instead, the little theater has put a thumb on the scales for newer work and fresh-off-the-printer world premieres, sometimes mounting 20-play seasons, many of them heavy on spectacle.
From Seattle Times ● May 2, 2021
“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.
