臺灣的近代史始於十七世紀初期，戲劇史活動則多見於入清（1683）之後，在此之前的資料極為匱乏，但不代表十七世紀前期的臺灣沒有戲劇活動。當時的臺灣曾是海商／海盜與西方帝國主義競逐的場域，也是明清爭戰之地，臺灣戲劇史的荷蘭、明鄭時期，因為國際局勢，呈現特殊而多元的現象，值得探究。具體而言，荷蘭佔據臺灣，展開三十八年殖民統治的一六二四年，鄭成功在日本平戶出生，而後這個「日本人」，回到福建，成為明國人，長大後率領南明軍隊反抗滿清，並於一六六一年轉攻臺灣，迫使荷蘭勢力退出。從當時臺灣的族群觀察，除了原住民歌舞所包含的戲劇性，漢人社會戲劇活動有跡可循，若干荷蘭人亦記錄其節令祭祀的戲劇演出情形。作為統治階層的荷蘭人，社群生活中有無荷蘭或歐洲戲劇演出？日本人聚落是否有戲劇、謠曲演出？皆不得而知，值得關注的是明鄭滅亡時，日本人劇作家近松門左衛門（1653-1724）已是三十歲成年人，他所編寫的劇本《國性爺合戰》，雖與史實頗多不符，卻反映當年日本對臺灣議題的興趣，亦可能為當時臺灣與日本的戲劇關係留下一絲線索。再從鄭成功登陸鹿耳門後，強迫荷蘭傳教士韓布魯克（Anthonius Hambroek）勸荷蘭守軍投降，韓氏反要求荷軍強力抵抗，因而被鄭軍處死，成為鄭荷交戰中的殉道者。百年後，荷蘭劇作家諾姆森（Joannes Nomsz，1738-1803）創作《福爾摩沙圍城記》（Anthonius Hanbroak, of de belegering van Formosa），曾在阿姆斯特丹劇院演出。這些戲劇資料多少反映十七世紀臺灣題材的國際化現象。日治的皇民化運動期間，日本統治階層為了遂行其「大東亞復興」的迷夢，曾一度有意在臺灣建立「大東亞戲劇中心」，呼應了十七世紀的這段歷史背景。後來雖然沒能付諸實現，卻反映了臺灣早期戲劇史的特質，它既是多種文化的戲劇匯聚之地，身處多政權的交會衝擊，本身也是創造戲劇的舞台。

The modern history of Taiwan begins from the early 17th century, and the history of dramatic performances dates from the beginning of the Qing dynasty (1683). Before that, few performances were recorded, which does not, however, mean there were no dramatic performances. At that time, Taiwan was the area that traders, pirates and the western imperialists scrambled for; it was also the place fought for by the Ming and Qing dynasties. The history of drama in Taiwan during the Dutch and the Koxinga periods is worth researching because it shows unique and multifaceted responses to the international situation.In Taiwan in 1624, the 38-year domination by the Dutch began; it was also the birth year of Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) in Hirado, Japan. When this ”Japanese man” came back to Fujian, he became a subject of the Ming dynasty. As an adult, he led the Southern Ming army fight against the Qing dynasty; in 1661, he turned to Taiwan and forced the Dutch to withdraw.To observe the ethnic groups in Taiwan during that time, there are some clues of the Han people's drama performances that can be traced in the dramatic elements of the aboriginals' songs and dances, as well as some Dutch records of the Han people's seasonal festivals. It is worth wondering whether the Dutch, being rulers of the Han people, staged Dutch or European drama performances in the communities. It is also unknown if there were any drama performances in the Japanese communities. However, after the Koxinga era was destroyed, there was a Japanese playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1724), who in his thirties wrote ”The Battles of Koxinga” (”Kokusen'ya Kassen”). Although it was far from the historical truth, it reveals the interest of the Japanese in Taiwanese issues, and it also provides clues about the relation of Taiwan and Japanese drama. Moreover, after Koxinga landed successfully on Luermen, he forced the Dutch missionary Anthonius Hambroek to persuade the Dutch to surrender. However, Hambroek told the Dutch to fight back instead, and was killed by Koxinga. He became a martyr of the dispute between the Dutch and Koxinga. A hundred years later, a Dutch playwright Joannes Nomsz (1738-1803) wrote ”Anthonius Hanbroek, of de Belegering van Formosa”, which was performed in the theatre in Amsterdam. These dramas more or less reveal the international situation of the issues in 17th century Taiwan.During the Japanization Movement, the Japanese rulers tended to pursue their dream of revival of Greater East Asia by deliberately establishing Taiwan as a Center of Greater East Asian Drama, which responded to the historical background of 17th century Taiwan. The dream was finally unrealized, but it showed the historical characteristic of early Taiwanese drama: it is a multi-cultural integration under the impact of different regimes, and is itself also a stage for creating dramas.