Amateur

The term Amateur

From from the French term amateur (derived from the verb aimer = to love, hence someone who loves something). Thus, used as a noun, an amateur is someone who undertakes something for the love of it, not for financial gain. This as opposed to a professional. As an adjective it can refer to a person or activity done without the aim of financial gain (amateur painter, amateur sport, amateur theatre, etc)

Amateurism can be seen in both a negative and positive light. Amateurs have in many ways over the ages contributed to many fields form the sciences to thte arts. On the other hand it can be an indication of below standard achievement by people untrtained in a field. Thus it is at times seen as a pejorative term in some quarters(e.g. Someone is described as "merely an amateur", i.e. is untrained, does not undertake the acticvity "seriously" or at a "professional level", etc)

For more information go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur

Amateur theatre

Since the word amateur refers to someone who undertakes something (or to something undertaken) for the love of it, not for financial gain, Amateur theatre simply means theatre made by people who are not professionals, but merely for the love of it. (Or it may refer to productions or the organisations presenting them which are done "not for gain".) )This encompasses a very wide range of performance activities of course, over the ages, cultures and geographical regions.

For more information on Amateur theatre go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_dramatics

For more information

See also Amateur Theatre in South Africa

See also Community theatre

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