How does performance art differentiate from theater?

"To be a performance artist, you have to hate theatre. Theatre is fake: there is a black box, you pay for a ticket, and you sit in the dark and see somebody playing somebody else's life. The knife is not real, the blood is not real, and the emotions are not real. read more

I would argue that Performance Art is subsumed under the umbrella of "Theatre." (or Drama, if you prefer.) Performance Art is one of many styles or movements, and is part of (grew out of) the avant-garde movement in theatre. read more

Theatre is fake: there is a black box, you pay for a ticket, and you sit in the dark and see somebody playing somebody else's life. The knife is not real, the blood is not real, and the emotions are not real. read more

Of course, the main difference is that theatre, as a performing art, is meant to be performed and viewed at the same time. A piece of visual art is created first and then viewed. Unless, of course, you are talking about performance art, which is a hybrid of theatre and fine art. read more