Elliot Norton

Elliot Norton (190 Norton–2003) was an American theater critic and broadcaster who reviewed plays in Boston and hosted the television program Theaterscope.

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Theaterscope: An American television program in which theater critic Elliot Norton interviewed and discussed theater artists and productions. Norton’s television program brought his theater criticism to a wider audience.
Theater criticism: The evaluation and interpretation of theatrical performances, often published or broadcast for a public audience. Norton’s reviews made him one of Boston’s prominent practitioners.
Regional theater: Professional theater produced outside the largest commercial centers, often serving a particular city or region. Norton’s work helped make Boston’s theater culture visible as a distinct regional scene.
Brooks Atkinson: An American theater critic for The New York Times from 1925 to 1960. Atkinson’s national newspaper prominence offers a print-centered counterpart to Norton’s Boston broadcasts.
Boston Theater Critics Association: An organization of Boston-area theater critics that presents the annual Elliot Norton Awards. The association honors Norton’s legacy through awards for Boston theater.
Theater review: A critical account assessing a theatrical production’s performance, direction, writing, and design. Reviews were the central form through which Norton assessed plays.
Theater awards: Prizes recognizing achievement in theatrical performance and production. The awards named for Norton connect criticism with public recognition of local theater.
Walter Kerr: An American theater critic, playwright, and director who wrote for the New York Herald Tribune and The New York Times. Kerr’s career links criticism with theater-making, unlike Norton’s chiefly critical and broadcasting profile.
Elliot Norton Awards: Annual awards recognizing achievement in Boston-area theater, named for critic Elliot Norton. These awards preserve Norton’s name in the city’s theatrical life.
Broadcast journalism: Journalism distributed to audiences through radio or television. Norton extended theater commentary beyond print through broadcasting.