1. Shakespeare and His Theater
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Shakespeare and His Theater
Early Elizabethan Theaters
The First Permanent Theater
The Globe
The Globe’s Stage
A Performance at the Globe
The Modern Stage
The Movies and Theater

2. Shakespeare and His Theater
William Shakespeare wrote his plays to make the best use of the theaters of his time. He relied on language to
set the scenes
move the play fluidly from one scene to another
entertain audience members from different backgrounds—from commoners to wealthy merchants to royalty
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3. Early Elizabethan Theaters
Before permanent theaters were built, touring acting companies performed
in the courtyards of inns or wherever they could rent space
on temporary platform stages
to an audience who stood around the stage or sat in balconies surrounding the courtyard
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4. The First Permanent Theater
The first permanent theater in England was
built by James Burbage in 1576
located outside the city walls of London
called “The Theater”
torn down in Its timbers were used by Shakespeare and his company to build the Globe
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5. The Globe
Shakespeare wrote most of his plays for the Globe Theater. The Globe Theater was
a round (or polygonal) three-story building
called the “wooden O” in Henry V
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6. The Globe’s Stage The Globe’s main stage was a platform stage that
projected into a yard open to the sky
had trapdoors in the floor
main stage

7. The Globe’s Stage The Globe’s inner stage was curtained off
flanked by two doors for entrances and exits
inner stage

8. The Globe’s Stage The balcony or upper stage could be used as
Juliet’s balcony
the high walls of a castle
the bridge of a ship
upper stage
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9. A Performance at the Globe
Plays were performed in the afternoon.
No stage lighting was used.
Very few sets—scenery, furniture, etc.—were used. Scenes were “set” by the playwright’s language.
. . . Look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountaintops. from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

10. A Performance at the Globe
Plays were performed by all-male medieval trade guilds. Female roles were played by boys.
Actors often wore elaborate costumes.
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11. The Modern Stage
Theater stages have undergone many changes since Shakespeare’s time.
Most theater stages today are proscenium stages, which have an inner stage and a large curtain that separates it from the audience.

12. The Modern Stage
Also common in universities and regional theaters is the arena or “thrust” stage, which is surrounded by audience members on three or four sides.
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13. The Movies and Theater
Movies are a medium of images. Movie-goers generally want to see action, vivid scenery, and movement on screen.
Plays are a medium of words. Play-goers generally want to watch the subtle development of conflicts among a small group of people in one setting.
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14. The End

15. The Globe

16. The Globe’s Stage Trapdoors could be used for
entrances and exits for ghosts
descents into hell