RENAISSANCE THEATER

Pre-Renaissance: Medieval drama evolved from church ceremonies: miracle & mystery plays that taught Biblical stories and legends of saints and morality plays, which taught people how to live & die.

Early 1500’s: Interlude plays: one-act plays; some morality plays and other were more comedic Playwrights stopped being anonymous

1576: James Burbage opens the first public theater – The Theater

The theaters themselves were ornate and costumes were rich & elaborate Scenery, however was minimal & the power of imagination was important. Renaissance plays were “dramas of persons, not dramas of places” Music also played an important role, both instrumental & vocal

THE GLOBE THEATER Opened in 1599 – Shakespeare referred to it as “this wooden O” 3 sections: building proper, stage, tiring house Held 3,000 patrons: groundlings, galleries, & on stage Flag flying from the peak indicated performance that day

Blackfriars Private theater acquired by the King’s Men in 1608 – an indoor venue that allowed plays to be performed yearound

William Shakespeare 1564-1616 Born in Stratford-on-Avon April 1564 Father a merchant, mother from a prominent family Wrote more than 36 plays and over 150 poems Ben Johnson praised him as: “not of an age, but for all time”

1592: emergence in London By 1599 Shakespeare was earning a living in London as a playwright, actor & shareholder in the theater He enjoyed the patronage of noblemen & royalty: 6 of his plays had been given command performances at the court of Queen Elizabeth Prolific under King James, writing his greatest tragedies during this period

Died April 23, 1616 Buried under the floor of Stratford Church Epitaph: Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear to dig the dust enclosed here! Blest be the man that spares these stones, And curst be the man that spares my bones!