playgoer

[ pley-goh-er ]

noun

1. a person who attends the theater often or habitually.

playgoer

/ ˈpleɪˌɡəʊə /

noun

1. a person who goes to theatre performances, esp frequently

Word History and Origins

Origin of playgoer¹

First recorded in 1815–25; play + goer

Example Sentences

Some of the works he championed upset critics and playgoers unused to nontraditional productions, but he was unapologetic.

From Seattle Times

When hundreds of playgoers lined up outside Wyndham’s Theater in London this week, the mood was excited.

From New York Times

On the evening of April 14, 1865, playgoers settled into their seats at Ford’s Theater in Washington to see a production of the comedy “Our American Cousin.”

From New York Times

The narrow, dimly lit saloon attracted actors, stagehands, and playgoers from Ford’s Theatre next door.

From Literature

But I’ve rarely heard an audience as attentive as the Almeida’s was when Hainsworth’s guttural sorrow gave way to a startlingly vivid suicide, from which several playgoers around me visibly recoiled.

From New York Times

Related Words

• bystander
• fan
• moviegoer
• observer
• onlooker
• sports fan
• theatergoer
• viewer