Contemporary theater is eclectic, combining styles and techniques from earlier periods and other art forms. The types of theater prevalent include the realism discussed in Chapter 13, many examples of departures from realism similar to those covered in Chapter 14, and additional forms. These additional forms include musical theater and many types of ethnic and political theater: African-American theater, Hispanic theater, feminist theater, and gay and lesbian theater. All these exist side by side in regional, commercial, and noncommercial theater.

The vitality of today's theater in the face of challenges from film and television demonstrates the continuing appeal of live theater and the actor-audience relationship. If the present age is not one of great drama (which can be argued), it is a period of tremendous activity in writing and producing, in avant-garde experimental work, and in revivals of the classics.