Entertainment is a broad form of social activity which holds the interest and attention of an audience. It may be a job or an act, but most frequently is one of those interactive events or activities that have developed over thousands of years solely for the sole purpose of holding an audience’s interest. In entertainment, a term called drama is used to define the ways in which people interact to determine what stories, performances and events are successful. Dramatic drama is only one form of social interaction. However, there are many other forms including comedy, opera, dramatic theatrical plays, film, television, video games and stage shows.
Entertainments also take the form of physical activities such as sports, gymnastics, aerobics, dancing, jogging and running. In addition, there is the more common entertainment found in the form of music, movies, books, television, video games and other creative media such as stage shows and concerts. The field of Entertainment includes many fields and sub-fields. It is no surprise then, that the word Entertainer itself carries with it, an array of related ideas, associations, definitions and occupations. One of these is Entertainer as a verb which means “to put on or perform as an entertainer”.
Entertainer can take on various forms such as the following: to act, sing, or act in an entertainment production; to put on a play or show; to provide amusement as in a circus, nightclub, concert, or show; to encourage amusement. Entertainment can be emotional, mental or physical; or it can be of a social or communal nature. The word ‘entertainment’ in modern parlance is usually associated with shows and performances, although it could equally apply to artistic creations, dramatic presentations and even culinary arts. When we speak of Entertainer, the first thought that comes to most peoples minds is, yes to entertainment but also to people being entertained at home.
The term Entertainer has developed over the years into a noun and a verb. In the past, Entertainers were entertainers, thus the use of the term entertainer/entertainer, but today, Entertainers are typically seen in clubs, bars, restaurants and in some public places and are often the ones who did the hiring of entertainment for events. For example, at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City parades, the Entertainers are the ones hiring the floats and other entertainment in the float displays. So the word entertainer has evolved to become Entertainers too and even as a verb. Entertainers, like all professionals in the entertainment industry, have their own line of products and services, not only to keep up with the ever-changing entertainment industry but to keep ahead of their competition.
Another word associated with Entertainers is Public Entertainment. This can loosely be combined with Entertainers and can even be used to describe the same line of products and services. A Public Entertainment event is one where the artists performing live in the venue or any other live performing arts production are supported by a range of performers. These performers may include jugglers, fire men, musicians, clowns and more.
The world of Entertainers and popular entertainment has changed so much since the early days of American live entertainment. Live musical entertainment has evolved from a simple list of numbers to a highly choreographed and highly technical production. The main difference between the two lines of work is the technology and the complexity of the show. Musical entertainment has traditionally been a highly technical form of live entertainment and has always required elaborate rehearsal and performance schedules and often very high quality equipment. But the evolution of music and the evolution of technologically advanced lighting equipment have made live musical productions possible and have now given rise to so many genres of music as well as popular entertainment such as pop, rock, contemporary, and jazz. The modern day entertainers no longer use their bodies to entertain but instead use their minds to engage and amuse an audience.
