Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: T-H-E-A-T-R-E vs. T-H-E-A-T-E-R

This is topic T-H-E-A-T-R-E vs. T-H-E-A-T-E-R in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-01-2000, 06:35 PM:

Hi gang,

How come the media etc. can't seem to agree on the right way to spell THEATRE? I know in the dictionary, either way is listed as correct. The media seems to always use TER, but here in the industry we almost always use TRE. NATO is the National Association of TheaTRE Owners, as well.

My own rule of thumb has been, that if it's a movie theatre it's TRE, but a legitimate/stage theater is a TER. What's everyone else think? (I guess we could all start using "cinema" and end the problem.)

I'll be "off the air" for the next week...I'm getting married. Have a good weekend everyone! If anyone happens to be in Southeastern Montana, stop by my theaTRE and let me know if my relief manager is screwing anything up!

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-01-2000, 07:35 PM:

We spell it THEATRE but I always assumed you guys spelled it 'ter'. The THX alignment tag on prints spells it this way.

Congratulations and good luck on your wedding day Mike.

Posted by Colin Wiseley (Member # 247) on 06-01-2000, 08:31 PM:

We are a high-cultured art house so we must spell it theatre to confuse and keep away the peasants.

------------------
Colin Wiseley
Lyric Theatre
Blacksburg, VA
www.thelyric.com

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 06-01-2000, 10:11 PM:

I always understood it to be a Theater is where you go to see a play and a Theatre is where you go and see a movie or film.

I work at a theatre.

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 06-01-2000, 10:55 PM:

Wierd, I always thought that a Theatre was used to name a specific theatre like the Fargo Theatre wereas theater was just generic for many? I could be wrong.

Mike, I also gongratulate you and wish you good luck

Josh

Posted by Daryl Lund (Member # 356) on 06-01-2000, 11:08 PM:

IS it a movie theatre or a talking motion picture theatre?

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-01-2000, 11:16 PM:

Huh?

Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 06-02-2000, 03:25 AM:

I believe "theatre" is a chiefly British spelling of the word, while "theater" is more commonly used by 'mericans.

Big deal.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-02-2000, 06:14 AM:

I usually go with "Theatre", as that's the way NATO and most movie theatres seem to prefer. Editors (e.g., at the SMPTE) usually opt for "Theater". In other areas of the world, "Cinema" is often used to distinguish it from live performances.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-02-2000, 08:03 AM:

Since we use Quickbooks 2000 here at work and we sell Live Theatre and Motion Picture Theater equipment we have had to discern the spelling those different ways to be able to post things on our item and inventory list. Theatre is the old english spelling. I suppose that Theater was how Michael Todd musta spelled it.

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 06-02-2000, 10:24 AM:

I thought about this many months ago. Since I have a WWW site with URL
http://home.hiwaay.net/~criswell/theatre/

I thought that some people may type "theater" instead, so I put a little joke in there if one does this:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~criswell/theater/

:-)

When I was younger, I always used "theatre" for plays and such and "theater" for movie theatres. Now, I use "theatre" for all.

I'll have to check my reprinting of the original 1928 Webster's Dictionary when I get home to see which spelling is used there.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-02-2000, 12:36 PM:

Don't get me started on this one! This is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's theatRE for our business.

The press always gets this wrong. There must be a style manual somewhere that tells them the other way is right, because they're consistent with the error.

In one of the early "Film Notes for the Reel People" issues, they addressed this problem.

------------------
Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Jason R. Weinsteiger (Member # 456) on 06-02-2000, 01:36 PM:

colin sayeth:

We are a high-cultured art house so we must spell it theatre to confuse and keep away the peasants.

-----

AHH! that sounds like something my boss would say. i'm scared for you, my friend

jasoN

------------------
"That's what life is - a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of muppets." -Dante Hicks

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-02-2000, 03:19 PM:

Personally I am used to "Theatre". But I spell it both ways at random to keep people confused (including myself).

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 06-02-2000, 04:25 PM:

Having worked in both worlds, movies and "legit" theatre, I can tell you that in the world of plays and musicals, they too prefer theatre. The only people I know who spell it theater are those people who aren't connected with the business. Long live theatre.

Posted by Travis Cape (Member # 466) on 06-02-2000, 04:35 PM:

I have always thought the Theatre spelling was a little classier. But actually, the Hi-Pointe is plagued by misspellings such as Hi-Point, HighPointe, etc. If they can get the name right I'll live with the rest.

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 06-02-2000, 10:08 PM:

As I mentioned earlier, I said I would check my reprint of the 1828 Webster's Dictionary for the spelling of "theatre".

It has both spellings under one entry, just as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate 10th Edition does.

It is interesting in 1828 to see the various meanings of this word. The entire entry follows this paragraph. Note that this is an early American dictionary and the "er" spelling is used in the quotations.

THEATER, THEATRE, n. [Fr. theatre; L. theatrum; Gr. theatron, from theaomai, to see.]

1. Among the ancients, an edifice in which spectacles or shows were exhibited for the amusement of spectators.

2. In modern times, a house for the exhibition of dramatic performances, as tragedies, comedies and farces; a play-house; comprehending the stage, the pit, and the boxes, galleries and orchester.

3. Among the Italians, and assemblage of buildings, which by a happy disposition and elevation, reprsents an agreeable scene to the eye. Cyc.

4. A place rising by steps or graduations like the seats of a theater.

Shade above shade, a woody theater
Of stateliest view-- Milton.

5. A place of action or exhibition; as the theater of the world.

6. A building for the exhibition of scholastic exercises, as at Oxford, or for other exhibitions.

Posted by Nicholas McRobert (Member # 205) on 06-03-2000, 03:23 AM:

We just call 'em Cinemas. As in, "we're heading to the Cinema to catch a film". Theatre is generally used only here to describe a live-performance building or show. The spelling T-H-E-A-T-E-R doesn't exist in this part of the world!

Nicholas

Posted by Barron Dripp (Member # 483) on 06-03-2000, 08:44 AM:

Ian P is right, TheatRE has always been used to describe A cinema, whereas TheatER has always been a playhouse where you would see a play. I once recieved an invitation that invited me to the theatER, which is where I meant, when in actuallaity, they meant a cinema. Regardless, the play was good, and besides they went to see Godzilla w/ Matthew Broderick. Guess I got the better end of the deal

Posted by Jeffry L. Johnson (Member # 453) on 06-03-2000, 02:41 PM:

I've always thought that cinemas were "re" and live performances were "er". But I did an informal survey and found no consensus. Cinemas use both spellings. Live performances use both spellings. So I decided to use "theater" as the generic term for both.

Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 06-03-2000, 02:51 PM:

RE...gets my vote. Although "cinema" is good with me too. I personally called it "showhouse" when talking about the place I worked. It caught on with my friends. They'd always ask me "what's playing at the showhouse this week?"

--Chris

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-03-2000, 08:56 PM:

"Thee-ah-tree". (Well, that's how it's SPELLED!)

I like theater. It's not as prissy.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 06-04-2000, 08:23 PM:

THEATRE if it's a cool old theatre in a good location.

THEATER or CINEMA if it's in a strip mall or is too modern to be a theatre.

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 06-05-2000, 08:35 AM:

You use "tre" when your drinking tea and have your pinky finger extended erectly, and your nose tilted upwards at a 30° angle.
Otherwise it's "ter"

Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 06-05-2000, 03:33 PM:

I never lift my pinky finger when I drink tea. What a trerible idea.

Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 06-06-2000, 09:22 PM:

It doesn't seem that there is a right or wrong. I always thought that re was for live theatre and er for movie theatres. And as we can see many others think just the opposite. The Theatre Historical Society of America and The Leauge of Historic American Theatres have both looked into this question, and neither have been able to determine that one or the other is absolutely correct in either case.They both use re in their names, and they both also represent live and film houses. We always use re since we are a combination house that was built for vaudeville and photoplays. Did I say "Photoplay?" Did you know that there was quite an argument in the early days of silent films as to what they should be called. Movies?, Flickers?,Motion Pictures?, Photoplays?, Photoplays was the first choice and was used for quite a while, but eventually "movies" became the accepted norm.

There were many movie palaces whose stagehouse sported a giant sign which read: "High Class Vaudeville and Photoplays"
(Did anyone ever present Low Class Vaudeville?)

What do you prefer?

Posted by Carl King (Member # 398) on 06-07-2000, 09:53 PM:

The original spelling is theatre. The word theater is an incorrect spelling that has come in to popular use in North America when speaking of film houses.

I agree that the problem could be solved by using the term cinema. It doesn't matter in most cases anyway..we know where we work.

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 01-25-2003, 01:57 PM:

Okay, so what about all those posters and trailers that say, "Coming To A TheatER Near You" or "In TheatERs This Summer"?

I think the distributors should refuse to give such product to places that spell it TheatRE. That will teach them not to be so prissy with their spellings! [Wink]

I hardly find it glamorous (glamourous?) that a shoebox multiplex that hasn't seen any improvements since 1974 calls themselves a "Theatre." Yeah, like reversing the last two letters automatically make it a flagship cinema. I can just see some bean-counter up in his corporate office thinking: "Damn! The Muggleplex Theater is losing money! We need new signage that says 'Theatre!' "

I had a drama teacher in high school that would always spell it "Theatre" for places that do live shows. She also pronnounced it that way: (Thee-a-trur)

For old movie palaces or really cool decked-out cinemas, Theatre may be appropriate, but that would be like calling a really good TV show a "Programme" and stuff like Jackass a "Program."

If you'll excuse me, I must go place this lettre which I have sealed in an "ON-velope" into the Mailboxe before the postmanne gets here.

=TMP=
Theatre [thumbsdown]

Theater

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 01-25-2003, 02:16 PM:

Theatre [thumbsup]

Theater

Posted by Matt Hale (Member # 1518) on 01-25-2003, 02:27 PM:

I quote from Collins Dictionary of the English Language, 1980 edition, "The Development of English as a World Language" pp xxvi:

quote:

Finally, there are minor differences between preferred spellings. Among them are the American preference for -er in center, fiber, and theater; -or in honor, color, humor; -se instead of -ce in defense and offense
...
The majority of these differences are traceable to the lexicographer Noah Webster's interest in spelling reform. Although his earlier writings on the subject argued for radical changes based on phonetic spelling, he gradually modified his view. The system used in his American Dictionary (1828) was adopted in America and accounts for most of the distinguishing features of modern American orthography.

Canadians can have it either way, i.e. Americans take their car to the tire center, Britons go to the tyre centre and Canadians go the the tire centre. Go Figure.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-25-2003, 03:50 PM:

Interstingly, the art house chain I am currently with spells it "theater, which I think is pretty cool!

Almost as intersting is the fact that I'm moving this "over 2 year old" thread to Yak!!!

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 01-25-2003, 05:38 PM:

I do not know if anyone had mentioned it but there is another word that can be spelled with -er or -re and the word is CENTER or CENTRE. Americans spell it 'Center' and I have noticed it spelled 'Centre' in books and publication from the UK. I prefer to spell it 'Centre'. I think its a bit classy.

-Claude

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-25-2003, 05:40 PM:

Ah yes, we have "center" or "century". [Wink]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-25-2003, 11:46 PM:

There is a theatre in one of our neighboring towns called the "Centre Cinema," but it's on Center Avenue!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-26-2003, 11:51 AM:

Are the movies at the theatre/theater in color or colour?

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 01-26-2003, 12:23 PM:

Who really cares what the difference is? What matters is when you buy the domain rights to the web address make sure you get both:

www.mytheatre.com

AND

www.mytheater.com

That way the masses can find your damn website.

Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 01-26-2003, 01:00 PM:

Dennis we just did that this week, hopefully less people will get lost! [Smile]

Posted by Jeff Skallan (Member # 891) on 01-27-2003, 02:21 AM:

...and are your films playing in analog or analogue?

Posted by Lionel Fouillen (Member # 1475) on 01-27-2003, 02:59 AM:

That depends on our programme catalogue [Razz]

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 01-27-2003, 03:45 AM:

quote:
The system used in his American Dictionary (1828) was adopted in America and accounts for most of the distinguishing features of modern American orthography.

But only in the professional print media (newspapers, dictionaries, etc.) & even until today.

But the buildings were still called theatre. It would seem to be an easy explanation that it was because the first managers (who named the buildings) were immigrants from England. But the fact is that a fiercely nationalistic idea of an "American" theater grew up among actors & managers in the US, & yet the building & enterprise was still called "theatre".

Here's a fast example; an 1843 playbill from (by then) Ludlow & Smith's St. Charles Theatre in New Orleans:
http://www.saengeramusements.com/theatres/nawlins/stcharle/stcbill1a.jpg

Ludlow & Smith were both born in America (New York) & quickly moved toward, embraced, & encouraged an "Amercian" theater of American characterization, performances, actors, & plays. But they called their buildings & enterprise "theatre". The reason of course is because it's show bidness - if there's a cachet of patriarchy with "theatre", the spelling is manipulative. More exotic, more refined, more legitimate. The marquee is mighty important!

Know when you're being manipulated! On the other hand, if you're just caving in to exotical secondary spellings, it can look desparate & make the reader wonder if you're just bourgeois or a failure at manipulation because you give it all away:

http://www.parathea.org/

Where they must also have monstre truque sheaux.

Posted by Craig Hanham (Member # 1010) on 01-30-2003, 12:28 AM:

I am a THEATRE Technician.
I work in a THEATRE that has CINEMA plant.

That is , I do real live theatre work and, occasionally reel to reel cinema jobs.
Generally when someone who doesent know my venue that well asks 'wow a movie theatre here in this building?
They get told 'No a stage THEATRE not a CINEMA.!!' [Razz]

But to add to the confusion when I tell people that I work in THEATRE, I often get asked 'which hospital? [Confused]