| Event | World Theatre Day |
| Date | March 27th (Annually) |
| Initiated by | International Theatre Institute (ITI) in 1961 |
| First Celebrated | 1962 |
| Theme for 2025 | "Theatre and a Culture of Peace" |
| Purpose | Recognize theatre's significance in fostering peace, understanding, and societal change. |
| Key Activities | National and international theatre events organized by 90+ ITI Centres worldwide. |
| Historical Significance | Marks the opening of the "Theatre of Nations" season in Paris. |
| Indian Theatre History | Dates back to Vedic times, with Natya Shastra as the foundational text. |
| Evolution of Indian Theatre | - Vedic Period: Rigveda hymns as dialogues. - Sanskrit Theatre: Bhasa, Kalidasa. - Regional Folk Theatre: Jatra, Nautanki, Yakshagana. - Street Theatre: Social awareness. - British Influence: Realism introduced. - Post-Independence: Formation of IPTA in 1943. |
| Renowned Theatre Academies | - National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi - Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune - Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata - Asian Academy of Film & Television (AAFT), Noida |
| Distinguished Personalities | - Ebrahim Alkazi: "Father of Indian Theatre" - Utpal Dutt: Revolutionary playwright - Rabindranath Tagore: Fused Indian-Western drama - Girish Karnad: Modern playwriting pioneer - Prithviraj Kapoor: Founder of Prithvi Theatre - B Jayashree, Khaled Choudhury, Makarand Deshpande: Prominent contributors |
| Actors with Theatre Background | Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Rajkummar Rao, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee |
| Importance of Theatre | - Encourages empathy and different perspectives - Promotes education and literacy - Builds community and togetherness - Enhances critical thinking - Reflects and influences society - Boosts creativity - Provides a unique live experience - Helps in understanding different cultures |
