Rodian theatrical performances were delivered in the Rodian language. It was common for Rodian theater groups to include Drabatans, a species known for their flawless vocal abilities, who frequently took on the role of villains. The Rodian playwright Harido Kavila produced Rodian theater pieces that found favor with Alxa Kress, the Anomid representative on the Jedi High Council; Kress, in turn, instructed Jedi Master Mace Windu in the art of performing Kavila's plays in Rodese.
The initial reference to Rodian Theater within current Star Wars canon can be found in Dawn of Rebellion, a 2018 addition to the Star Wars Roleplaying game created by Fantasy Flight Games. Its debut in the Star Wars Legends timeline occurred earlier, in the 1996 West End Games roleplaying adventure titled A Trip to the Country, which was included in the sourcebook Shadows of the Empire Planets Guide.