The term "social role" today has a well-defined meaning in sociological terminology, just as "cathartic method" or "dramatic representation of latent dream content" does in the field of psychoanalysis. However, an analysis of the foundational texts from the turn of the century reveals that the "fathers" of these terms were still very much aware of their metaphorical use. "Scholarly Theater" seeks to understand the modern scientific theater metaphor that emerged around 1900 in hysteria research, dream interpretation, and role theory, based on the underlying aesthetic concepts, thereby establishing a connection to the theater history of that time. It sheds light on historical connections, for example, between the theory of hysteria, the concept of catharsis, and the contemporary aesthetics of dance and acting through intensive source study.