.XYZ has added another new gTLD string to its growing portfolio of new domain name extensions.

Following the announcement that is bought .Security and .Protection yesterday, today .XYZ announce it has acquired the new gTLD .Theatre as “the final act”.

There was only one applicant for .Theatre;  KBE gTLD Holding Inc, whose site is BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com

There is also a  new gTLD .for Theater.

.Theater had two applicants, one of which was  KBE gTLD Holding Inc, but the extension was awarded to Donuts after the contention was settled in private.

Donuts has not launched .Theater as of yet.

According to Wikipedia.org, the term .Theatre is used more commonly used for the performing arts,  plays and musicals, ballets, and operas while Theater is more common for movies as in movie theater.

There is also a new gTLD .Broadway that .Theatre and .Theater would be competing with.

This is from the .xyz corporate blog:

“The theatre and performing arts have been a beloved tradition for over 10,000 years – who doesn’t like to be entertained?! And think about all the show venues and movie theatres in your own town or big cities. Theatres are everywhere.”

Why the British spelling of “theatre,” you ask?

Aside from being the traditional way of spelling out the word, a large portion of performance venues and movies theatres in the United States also spell it the British way for example the  Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, AMC Theatre, and even US-based schools with theatre departments will spell it out with an -re.

We challenge you to a “theatre” vs. “theater” word hunt through the US.

Which is more prevalent?

Our bet is on the Brits.””

Having said that, I have to say my Word Press spell check wanted me to change all “theatre” entries in the post to theater.