There were a great many in vaudeville - people who never quite came through. But they had their place, and they filled it. They kept theatres open. Those pan-timers, those interstate-timers, those four-a-dayers, those six-a-dayers - they were an integral part of that endearing merry-go-round called vaudeville.

Alfred Lunt

I grew up in musical theatre and love to perform on stage.

A. J. McLean

I grew up in the theatre. It's where I got my start. Writing a television drama with theatrical dialogue about the theatre is beyond perfection.

Aaron Sorkin

I didn't grow up a theatre kid, going to theatre camps. I played sports, and that was my main direction. But luckily, I never had to choose between sports and theatre.

Aaron Tveit

Free speech means the right to shout 'theatre' in a crowded fire.

Abbie Hoffman

I was introduced to the world of films by Manoj Bajpayee and trained under theatre actor Makrand Deshpande.

Abhimanyu Singh

I had zero connection to Bollywood or movies when I started out. I worked in theatre for eight years where luckily Makarand Deshpande mentored me, helped me to improve my body language and voice modulation.

Abhimanyu Singh

I realised that if I wanted to act, I needed to join theatre where I could improve my acting skills first and also show my talent.

Abhimanyu Singh

I decided to do theatre intensely. I joined Makarand Deshpande's group Ansh. He became my guru. That's where I met Anurag Kashyap and Kay Kay Menon. These were the people who supported and inspired me.

Abhimanyu Singh

I really believe at the end of the day, regardless of how noble you are or how patriotic the film might be, it has to serve as entertainment in order for your audiences to come into the theatre and watch it. Otherwise, audiences will wait and see it a few months later when it is premiered on television.

Abhishek Bachchan

I think I'm always running away from somewhere, and to me, theatre's always felt like a good place to run away to.

Abi Morgan

Of all the mediums, theatre is the one where you really need to have something to say - because it's just you, the words, and the space.

Abi Morgan

I get the 'Guardian' delivered every day and read it very quickly. I like it for both the TV and theatre reviews and because it's very accessible. At the weekend, I get the 'Observer' because I love the food supplement, Observer Food Monthly, and the style section. And I can't resist the News of the World.

Abi Morgan

Cornelia Parker has inspired a lot of my theatre work. Her art is about points of impact: it's poetic but with a strong literal story.

Abi Morgan

I think some of my best theatre training has been in the Marine Corps. Not only meeting a bunch of characters, but growing up. You're in really adult situations at a young age, as far as being in charge of people.

Adam Driver

Mum snuck me into speech and drama classes and into the National Youth Theatre and said I was going on a summer camp if Dad asked.

Adeel Akhtar

I have held the following jobs: office temp, ticket seller in movie theatre, cook in restaurant, nanny, and phone installer at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Adriana Trigiani

I've made a point of trying not to play the same part, and of moving between theatre and film and TV. The idea is that by the time you come back, you have been away for a year and people have forgotten you. If you like having time off, which I do, that's a good career strategy.

Aidan Gillen

I've made a point of trying not to play the same part and of moving between theatre and film and TV. The idea is that by the time you come back, you have been away for a year, and people have forgotten you. If you like having time off, which I do, that's a good career strategy. Or at least, it's my strategy to keep my head together.

Aidan Gillen

I love all the arts - so museums, theatre, music, walks near trees or by the ocean, time with people, psychological readings.

Aimee Bender

I acted out a lot. I was very nerdy. I was very isolated, which I made up for by kind of talking and trying to entertain people and get them to like me, so I did theatre and improv in high school and college, but always as a hobby.

Aisha Tyler