What kind of impact has the Theatre industry made on society?

There is a difference between "theatre" and the "theatre industry".

Theatre, as an art form, does not direct society as much as reflect it, which then may or may not illicit change. Theatre is a mirror held up to the face of the society it attempts to portray, and thru this, instructs us about that society and it's values, moires, etc. Many changes have resulted from theatre simply because it showed people what was already there- Ibsen, Brecht, more recently Neil LaBute and Tony Kushner have all incited change by using their work to depict the injustice and inequity of thier respective societys. This history of reflection goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks and the Medieval pageant wagons- it is the legacy of theatre.

As to the "theare industry"- it is the business machine behind the art form- the necessary evil of making enough money to continue to make art. It is the reason why we have so many "Smash Hits" on Broadway that make tons of scratch, and so many small plays that no one outside the theatre community even hears about. It costs so much money to mount a production w/ enough razzle dazzle to keep audiences coming (and buying teeshirts) that producers are afraid to take risks on iffy ideas. SO we end up w/ movies made into Broadway, etc. This influences the public perception of the nature of theatre- the whole "Broadway Dream", etc.

Ok, this is the wordiest answer ever, and I apologize- just a facinating subject to me. Thanks for a cool question.

I think it had a great contribution to redirect theater into popular culture, the register from where it originally emerged.

It is understandable, available and enjoyable for masses, and the productions very often shape the taste of generations or establish fashion of some kind (be that "story-telling", stage-design, music).

But I also feel that recently it is serving (not by chance "Theater Industry") rather than shaping, experimenting...

It all depends on what is your standing point, what do you expect from the THEATER.

I can appreciate the high standard production, but if I have to choose, I would go with alternative theater...

The theatre is our entertainment. Everything we have today - the movies, tv, even the internet (youtube, etc.) is an outgrowth and evolution of the theatre.

Theatre is underrated by most but of huge cultural and historical significance.