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The Globe Theatre
Unit Essential Questions:
Why are we still reading
Shakespeare’s plays today?
In what ways did the Elizabethan
time period affect Shakespeare's
writing?
1599 the theater was built
Shakespeare was one of 7 owners
Could hold 2500-3000 people
The stage was always bare (no
scenery)
Costumes and props were
elaborate
The Globe did not have a roof over the
central yard.
The cheapest way to see a play was as
a groundling standing in the central
yard. It would cost you one penny.
One penny was about a days wage for
shepherds or unskilled laborers.
Galleries formed a “U” shape in front of
the stage with the central yard in the
middle.
The galleries had seats and a roof
A seat cost 2 pennies, if you
wanted a straw cushion for the
seat you paid 3 pennies
The stage was a thrust stage
All parts were played by men
A woman acting in a play would
have been shameless and a
serious breach of social custom
Actors sometimes wore masks
Theater burned down when a
cannon was fired during a play
and hit the roof
When entering a production you
receive a Playbill.
The cost of tickets today are
usually over $50 for balcony seats.
Shakespeare would be making
over $25,000 a week today in
royalties.
Theatre vs. Theater
• In the United States
Theater =building (movies)
Theatre =stage productions
• In Canada, the UK, Australia, and South
Africa, Theatre covers all performances
Theatres
The Globe Theatre and The Rose Theatre
were the two most popular theatres of the
time.
http://americanshakespearecenter.com/qui
z/
Which Shakespeare Character are you?