1. The Elizabethan Theatre William Shakespeare

2. The Elizabethan Theatre
Roughly circular building – designed on the courtyard of an inn
Having galleries and windows
Had no roof over the central part

3. The Elizabethan Theatre
No stage lighting – plays were held at 2:00 in the afternoon

4. The Elizabethan Theatre
Open-air theater – performances depended on the weather
Performances lasted about 2 hours

5. The Elizabethan Theatre
Women did not act in the theater; young boys played the women’s parts.

6. The Elizabethan Theatre
Book holders kept the scripts as each actor usually only received his own lines and not a complete script. Bookholders would help if an actor forgot his lines.

7. Orchestra The orchestra played in an area above the stage (3rd level).
Today they play in the pit. (orchestra pit)

8. Stage Area
The stage area stuck out into the center audience area. There was a door on either side of the stage for exits and entrances.

9. Pit Area The yard below the stage was known as the pit.
Here the poor or common people would stand to watch.
The floor of this area would often be covered with straw.
The poor were called groundlings, penny knaves, and stinkards.

10. Curtain
There was a main curtain used for various purposes throughout the play.

11. Trap Door The Trap Door was used for certain entrances and exits.
Fireworks were often used as actors entered and exited the stage.

12. Balcony
The balcony was also used as part of the staging area. (i.e. Romeo and Juliet)

13. Inner Stage
The theater had an inner stage which was usually concealed by a curtain.
Certain scenes would be acted out in this inner stage.

14. Galleries The wealthy filled the galleries which encircled the yard.
Gallery seats were just
hard wooden benches
w/o backs.
Royalty would occasionally
sit on the stage itself in the
earlier days of the theater.

15. Audience
Audience interaction and participation was expected. Some parts of the scenes were even acted out in the audience.