Life in the TheaterLife in the Theater

Staging and Staging and PerformancePerformance

Playhouses did not use movable sceneryPlayhouses did not use movable scenery

Playwrights did not have to identify Playwrights did not have to identify exactly where a scene took placeexactly where a scene took place

Staging and Staging and Performing Performing

There were no women in the acting There were no women in the acting companiescompanies

The stage had no curtainThe stage had no curtain

The stage was referred to as a “bare The stage was referred to as a “bare stage”stage”

Props may include rocks, tombs, thrones, Props may include rocks, tombs, thrones, and banquetsand banquets

Inside the TheaterInside the Theater

The theaters were open and circularThe theaters were open and circular

They had no roofs They had no roofs

The floor was sometimes made of mortar The floor was sometimes made of mortar and sometimes ash mixed with hazelnut and sometimes ash mixed with hazelnut shells.shells.

Inside the TheaterInside the Theater

The stage had a roof called “the heavens”The stage had a roof called “the heavens”

The stage was large and rectangularThe stage was large and rectangular

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Business Business Arrangements Arrangements

•During this time period, most acting company During this time period, most acting company managers would lease their companies to managers would lease their companies to theater owners theater owners

•Shakespeare and 4 other people were the Shakespeare and 4 other people were the owners of The Globe Theater and an acting owners of The Globe Theater and an acting companycompany

•Because they did not work for some one else, Because they did not work for some one else, but were company mangers, they were but were company mangers, they were referred to “common players”referred to “common players”

Business ArrangementsBusiness Arrangements

• Because they did not work for someone Because they did not work for someone else, but were company managers, they else, but were company managers, they were referred to as “common players”were referred to as “common players”

• ““common players” were usually common players” were usually associated with beggarsassociated with beggars

London PlayhousesLondon Playhouses

Some of Shakespeare’s plays were played at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge

There were 2 types of theaters; outdoor and public playhouses

Some famous playhouses are named “the rose”, “the swan”, “the globe”, and “the hope”.

All of the playhouses had to be built outside the jurisdiction of the city of London. This is because many civic officials were hostile to the performance of dramas.

London PlayhousesLondon Playhouses

The public theaters were very different from today.

The theaters were 72 to 100 feet with audiences as big as 2 to 3 thousand people.

People paid extra to stand in the back if there were no seats available

Works CitedWorks Cited

““Shakespeare’s Theater-Folger Shakespeare’s Theater-Folger Shakespeare Shakespeare Library.” Library.” Folger Shakespeare Library. N.p., Folger Shakespeare Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 April. 2012n.d. Web. 2 April. 2012