Theater and Stage

By:Ryan Driggs

Maritza SanchezJustin Moon

Goldameir Wu

Elizabethan theaters first started in the courtyards of Inns, called “Inn-yards”

Traveling acting groups sought lodgings in town inns or taverns and they often performed at their place of stay. People were charged upon entering, and an additional fee for a balcony seat.

Birth of Elizabethan Theaters

Famous Elizabethan Inn-Yards

The Bull Inn The Bel Savage Inn The Cross Keys The Bell The Saracen's Head Inn The Boar's Head Inn

Hundreds of people would gather for these Inn-yards and entrepreneurs soon realized that these plays yielded considerable profits.

Due to the rise in popularity of plays, the staging of plays moved from Inn-yards to playhouses and amphitheaters

Playhouses and amphitheaters were new innovations for entertainment, it was exciting, popular, and the place to go for.

This lead to a booming new industry that gave birth to many great actors and play writers

Transition into Playhouses and Amphitheaters

Playhouses

Compared to the huge amphitheaters, playhouses were small, indoor and private.

Audience capacity of 500 people Open for business year round Admission was generally more expensive, this

weeded out most common-folk. All audience members have a seat Generally more comfortable and luxurious, and

high class

Amphitheaters

Mostly made out of wood and in a circular or octagonal shape

Audience capacity of 1500-3000 people Only open during summer No toilet One main entrance, no heating, no artificial

lighting Attracted all audiences including common-folk.

Famous Playhouses and Amphitheaters

Playhouses Paul's Playhouse Blackfriars Playhouse The Cockpit Salisbury Court Playhouse Gray's Inn Playhouse Middle Temple Inn

Playhouse Whitehall Playhouse Whitefriars Playhouse

Amphitheaters The Theater

Newington Butts Theater

Curtain Theater

Rose Theater

Swan Theater

Fortune Theater

Boars Head Theater

Red Bull Theater

Bear Garden

Bull Ring

Hope Theater

Globe Theater

Component Parts of The Elizabethan Theater– Origin and Survival

• An enclosed space in which to erect a stage and house an audience.

• Entrances to and exits from the theater for the audience and actors.

• Sitting and standing accommodations for the audience.

• Platform stage.• Traps.• Background for the stage with entrance and

exits doors .

• Curtain alcove.• Curtained balcony stage.• Terras.• Window stages.• Gallery for musicians.• Overhead shelter for actors.• The “huts.”• Bell tower and flagstaff.• Dressing rooms, property room and wardrobe

room.• A swinging sign.

Component Parts of The Elizabethan Theater– Origin and Survival (cont.)

Globe Theatre

Built in London's Bankside district in 1597-1598 by Williams company

Seating capacity = 3000

3 stories high with a diameter of approximately 100 feet

One of four theatres in the area, along with The Swan, The Rose, and The Hope

6 owners of the Globe Theatre: Cuthbert Burbage (25%) ,Richard Burbage (25%) ,William Shakespeare (12.5%) ,John Heminges (12.5%) ,Augustine Phillips (12.5%) Thomas Pope (12.5%)

Architect- Dr. John Dee

Why was the Globe Theatre built?

*James Burbage obtained lease and permit to build, the first theatre, “the Theatre”

*Owner, Alan Giles, disapproved of the theatre and the Chamberlin acting company (company to which William Shakespeare belonged)

*Burbage opened negations to renew the lease but when all failed the Globe Theatre was built

* A clause in the original agreement allowed the actors to tear down the Theatre and transport the timber to the site of the Globe Theatre

Interesting Facts

The Globe was built in a similar style to the Coliseum, but on a smaller scale

Also used for gambling and for immoral purposes The Globe Theatre was demolished by the Puritans. On 15th

April 1644 landowner Sir Matthew Brend demolished the playhouse and built tenement houses on the site

First Globe theatre burnt down in 1613 Theatrical Performances were so popular that in 1591 the

growing popularity of theatres led to a law closing all theatres on Thursdays so that the bull and bear baiting industries would not suffer

Flags were used to advertise the themes of plays. black flag indicated a tragedy, a white flag indicated a comedy and a red flag indicated a History

The Staging

• The product of the actors work and the structure of the stage.

3 categories of Amphitheater and Hall staging:Stage RealismStage Business and EffectsProperties, Costumes, and Perspective Scenery

Modern Theater vs. Elizabethan Theater

 The director's function is to ensure the quality and completeness of a theatrical production and to lead the members of the creative team into realizing his artistic vision for it. The director therefore works with a team of creative individuals and other staff, coordinating research, stagecraft, costume design, props, lighting design, acting, set design, stage combat, and sound design for the production.

A modern director

An Elizabethan “director”From Renaissance times up

until the 19th century, the role of director was often carried by the so-called actor-manager. This would usually be a senior actor in a troupe who took the responsibility for choosing the repertoire of work, staging it and managing the company.

Modern lighting and sound

Most theaters have scores of lights and legions of microphones

Shakespearian lighting and sound

Theater Etiquette

1 Don’t just switch off your mobile in response to what’s very likely a cute invitation from some fake-friendly voice. Make sure it’s off before you enter the theatre.

2 Never whisper, let alone talk, during the performance. If you’re hard of hearing, don’t bother your companion for info about the plot. And don’t hum along with songs, even if they’re by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

3 Don’t bring picnics. In fact, don’t eat anything, not even your fingernails, even if the play is, well, nail-biting. If you must buy an ice cream in the interval, make sure you finish it and dispose of the carton before the restart. The scraping at remnants sounds like scratching on a wall.

4 If you fear that you’ll cough, bring a handkerchief to smother your mouth and pastilles to put in it. Considerate theatre goers would rather asphyxiate than interrupt a good actor.

5 Always apologize if someone is forced to stand as you make your way to your seat, but if you are late (and you should never be) reduce your apology to a quick, sorrowful nod.

Elizabethan Theater Etiquette

• Gambling – the Elizabethans loved to gamble

• Fights and brawls

• Drinking (there were no toilet facilities in the theatre)

• Theft

• Fruit and nut sellers

• Prostitution

Target Audience • Modern plays and films are made

for a relatively narrow demographic

• In Elizabethan theater, the plays needed to appeal to all walks of life