本論文擬針對「戲曲小劇場」有別於「戲劇小劇場」的獨特性做出觀察研究。研究之動機，起自於「戲曲小劇場」的創作風氣方興未艾。自上世紀末起，「戲曲小劇場」成為兩岸傳統戲曲創作的一項重要新方向，作品數量可觀，涵蓋崑劇、京劇、梨園戲、歌仔戲、越劇、豫劇等多樣劇種，演出後都廣受關注，研究論文也已相應而生，儼然成為傳統戲曲在當代的一條新實驗方向，也可視為傳統戲曲因應當代社會的一項新策略。兩岸「戲曲小劇場」的創作群有部分與「戲劇 (現代戲劇) 小劇場」創作群重疊，但二者實有不同，除了「傳統戲曲」與「現代戲劇」本身主軸的差異之外，「戲曲小劇場」與「戲劇小劇場」在創作動機、目的與編導演各層面均有不同追求與表現。本論文提出「戲曲小劇場」獨有的特質，不僅欲為往後的創作指出可為依據或可供檢討的基礎，更主要的是為現有創作成果的討論與研究建立初步的理論根據。

The present paper intends to investigate distinctive nature of "little theater of Chinese opera" from modern "little theater". My previous concern is derived from more and more just unfolding productions of Chinese opera in the expression of little theater. Since the last century experiments on little theater shed a new light on the production of Chinese opera both in Taiwan and mainland, ranging from Kun opera, Beijing opera, Liyuanxi, Taiwanese opera, Yueju of Zhejiang, and Yuju. The growing productions also draw scholarly attention and are regarded as a possibility for traditional operas adapted themselves in modern society. Despite of overlap of production teams between little theater of Chinese opera and modern little theater, the former distinguishes from the later on artistic nature, motivation, goal, and presentation. I would like to point out unique characteristics of little theater of Chinese opera for providing a common ground of productions in the future and a theorizing basis of further study.