1. William Shakespeare

2. Life and Times
What we know about Shakespeare comes from church documents and legal records.
Some documents that we have are baptismal registration, marriage license, and records of real estate transactions.

3. Family Shakespeare was the 3rd of eight children
Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford
Shakespeare’s dad was a shoemaker and sometimes served as a justice of the peace
Shakespeare died April 23, 1616.

4. Shakespeare’s Life Shakespeare was an actor
By 1594, he was a charter member of the theatrical company called Lord Chamberlains Men, which later become The Kings Men.
The Kings Men were supported by King James

5. Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet was among the early plays of Shakespeare
This play was written between 1594 and 1596
By 1612 Shakespeare had written thirty-seven (37) plays.

6. Other Plays Julius Caesar Hamlet Othello King Lear Macbeth
Midsummers Night’s Dream
Henry V

7. Death Shakespeare died April 23, 1616 (52 years later on his birthday)
He is buried under the old stone floor of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
The following is carved on his tombstone.
“Good friend, for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones
And cursed be he that moves my bones”

8. Shakespeares Theater
James Burbage built the first permanent theater in England.
Acting companies played where they could find a spot.
Usually this would be in the courtyards of inns
Shakespeare built the GLOBE Theater

9. Theater continued
In his play Henry V Shakespeare calls his theater the Wooden O
Groundlings – people who stood around the stage for the price of a penny

10. Acting
Acting was not considered a respectable profession by the English Puritans
All women’s parts were played by boys
Women did not enter the theater until much later.
Juliet would have been played by a boy.