| 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. <br> - Sanskrit Theatre: Bhasa, Kalidasa. <br> - Regional Folk Theatre: Jatra, Nautanki, Yakshagana. <br> - Street Theatre: Social awareness. <br> - British Influence: Realism introduced. <br> - Post-Independence: Formation of IPTA in 1943. |
| Renowned Theatre Academies | - National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi <br> - Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune <br> - Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata <br> - Asian Academy of Film & Television (AAFT), Noida |
| Distinguished Personalities | - Ebrahim Alkazi: "Father of Indian Theatre" <br> - Utpal Dutt: Revolutionary playwright <br> - Rabindranath Tagore: Fused Indian-Western drama <br> - Girish Karnad: Modern playwriting pioneer <br> - Prithviraj Kapoor: Founder of Prithvi Theatre <br> - 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 <br> - Promotes education and literacy <br> - Builds community and togetherness <br> - Enhances critical thinking <br> - Reflects and influences society <br> - Boosts creativity <br> - Provides a unique live experience <br> - Helps in understanding different cultures |
