noun
actor; actress; theater person
A somewhat old-fashioned or literary term for a person who performs in or works at a theater. In modern Japanese, 俳優 (はいゆう) or 役者 (やくしゃ) are more common for 'actor/actress'.
彼は若い頃、芝居者として旅回りをしていた。
In his youth, he traveled around as a theater performer.
あの芝居者は舞台の上で生き生きとしている。
That actor comes alive on stage.
Common word for actor, often with a nuance of skill or craft. 芝居者 carries a more historical or literary flavor.
Compound of 芝居 (しばい, 'play, drama') and 者 (もの, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since the Edo period to refer to theater people.