perform a play

USAGE SUMMARY

"perform a play" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It means to act out or put on a performance of a play. Example: The drama club is excited to perform a play for the school's annual talent show.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

He obviously never had to perform a play during a World Cup penalty shoot-out.

The Guardian

They can perform a play, do a puppet show, sell lemonade, play shops and more.

Independent

Alongside Ayesha Dharker as Titania and Lucy Ellinson as Puck, local am-dram groups play the Mechanicals, themselves part-time actors who perform a play within the play.

The Guardian

In an act of wrenching poignancy, he had them perform a play by Rabindranath Tagore about a child's death, in order to prepare them for this eventuality.

The Guardian - Books

Their first play was Shakespeare's "Richard III," but Brown also had them perform a play he composed based on his life on the island of St . Vincent

The New York Times

"The first time you perform a play as a kid, people say, 'How did you remember all those lines?' as if that's what it's about.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

On Saturday afternoon, it was a troupe of silent performance artists who performed a play in the lot's back corner.

The Washington Post

The Royal Shakespeare Company's work with schools, training teachers to teach Shakespeare performance, showed remarkable results: performing a play transformed attitudes to both Shakespeare and to school.

The Guardian - Opinion

Actors were performing a play on a tiny corner stage.

The New York Times - Magazine

Another troupe from South Gangalaur performs a play called Nitir Judum Pito (Story of the Blood Hunt).

The Guardian - Books

The film noir features a cast of acquaintances including his wife, performing a play at the end of the world.

The Guardian - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the effort involved in producing a play, use "perform a play" to highlight the action of acting and presenting it to an audience.

Common error

Avoid using "perform a play" when referring to reading a play script; "read a play" is more accurate in that context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "perform a play" functions as a verb phrase, where "perform" is the main verb and "a play" is the direct object. This phrase indicates the act of staging or presenting a theatrical work. As noted by Ludwig, this is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Academia

21%

Wiki

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

11%

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "perform a play" is a grammatically correct and common way to describe the act of staging or presenting a theatrical work. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical soundness and demonstrates usage across diverse contexts such as News & Media, Academia, and Wiki. While synonyms like "stage a play" and "put on a theatrical performance" exist, it's important to distinguish between actions like rehearsing versus actually performing. Remember to focus on the live aspect when using the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stage a play

Emphasizes the act of putting on a production.

put on a theatrical performance

Formal and emphasizes the performance aspect.

present a drama

Focuses on the dramatic nature of the play.

enact a play

Highlights the act of acting out the play.

give a play

A more casual and direct way of saying "perform a play".

act out a drama

Focuses on acting and the dramatic elements.

render a theatrical piece

More artistic and less common.

showcase a play

Highlights the play being exhibited or displayed.

execute a play

Focuses on the skill and the execution of the action.

interpret a dramatic work

Emphasizes the artistic interpretation of the play.

FAQs

How can I use "perform a play" in a sentence?

You can use "perform a play" to describe the act of staging a theatrical production, as in "The students will "perform a play" for their parents".

What is a synonym for "perform a play"?

Alternatives include "stage a play", "put on a theatrical performance", or "present a drama".

Is it correct to say "perform in a play" instead of "perform a play"?

"Perform in a play" typically refers to an actor's role within the play, whereas ""perform a play"" refers to the group's action of staging or presenting the entire production.

What's the difference between "rehearse a play" and "perform a play"?

"Rehearse a play" refers to practicing the play before the actual performance, while ""perform a play"" means to present the play to an audience.