PBS Idea Channel

Is Cosplay a Form of Theatre? (3x17)

Air date: Jul 23, 2014

COMICON SEASON IS UPON US!! Tens of thousands of fans will fill convention centers, stand in endless lines, and many will even dress up as their favorite fictional characters (aka Cosplay). Why, you might ask, do people cosplay? Well, they cosplay to celebrate a character, to make an awesome costume, to BE awesome, and for some, maybe even to BECOME the character. This embodiment of a character is essentially a performance, so does that make cosplay theater?! Can theater exist without directors, scripts, or even a stage??!!