The TheaterDuring Shakespeare’s Time
Elizabethan Theater Called this to honor the
queen, Queen Elizabeth I
She loved art, music, drama, and poetry
She was a patron of the arts A patron is a rich citizen
of high rank who backed an acting company
She liked Shakespeare’s plays and protected him
Important People to the Theater The “Master of
Revels” was the official censor of plays
He approved or censored content
A patron sponsored an acting company
Acting companies had to be sponsored by a patron
The Theater London’s first
theater Built in 1576 Owned by James
Burbage
James I Became king in 1603 Was a supporter of
drama James became the
patron of Shakespeare’s acting company
They changed their company name from Lord Chamberlain’s Men to the King’s Men
The Globe Theater Built in 1599 In Southwark (near
London) Shakespeare was a
part owner Burned down in
1613 Rebuilt in 1614 Torn down in 1644
by the Puritans
The Globe Octagonal shape Unroofed yard in the
center Audience members
who paid a penny and stood in the yard to watch a performance were called groundlings
Seating capacity of 3000
Parts of the Globe
Yard (where groundlings stood)
Platform (main acting area)Permanent Door (stage entrance and exit)
Parts of the Globe
Trap Door (lead to an area beneath the stage known as Hell)
Galleries (3 tiers of seats for audience members)
Study (inner stage)
Terras (balcony)
Chamber (upper stage)
Parts of the Globe
Musician’s Gallery
Canopy (represented the sky) Huts
(represented the Heavens)
Flag
Performances Held in the
afternoon (2:00) A flag would be
hoisted on the day of a performance
The start was signaled by a trumpet sounding 3 times
Acting Companies Consisted of 25-30
actors Female roles played
by boys Each company had a
clown for comic relief
Plays were written with actors and their abilities in mind
Shakespeare’s Acting Company Originally Lord
Chamberlain’s Men (later became The King’s Men)
Richard Burbage (a great tragic actor in Shakespeare’s company)
Will Kempe (a famous comedian in Shakepeare’s company)
Shakespeare
Richard Burbage
Staging and Scenery Most plays lasted
two hours There was little
interruption because scenery wasn’t used
Did use some props (lanterns)
Setting was established with words
Costumes Were colorful and
expensive Usually donated by
rich patrons
Costumes Would establish a
character’s status (wealthy, poor, soldier, king, etc.)
Was symbolic of a character’s morality
White = purity Black = evil Red = violence,
blood
The Closing of the Theaters Puritans closed
down the playhouses in 1644
They believed actors were evil and immoral
The New Globe Theater 45 million dollar
reconstruction Opened in 1997
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