The Theater

During 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