First Theatre Research Paper

Before the first theatres, playwrights and actors performed in towns, college halls, inn courtyards, and private houses (“The Original Globe”). When the Globe was built, theatres had only been around for roughly five years. Not only was William Shakespeare an amazing playwright, he helped design one of the first theatres! The beautiful Globe Theatre lied on the south of the river Thames (Mabillard). One woman described it as “one of the most elaborate and attractive theatres built.” The Theatre, The Globe, and The Second Globe were beautiful and exceptional buildings during the life of William Shakespeare.
To understand the history of the Globe, one must first examine the history of The Theatre. Built by James Burbage in 1576, The Theatre provided a permanent location for actors during the Elizabethan times. Shakespeare joined the resident troupe in the 1580’s where he and the company flourished for 20 years. In 1596, when the lease expired, a dispute arose. James Burbage died in February of 1597, leaving The Theatre to his two sons, Cuthbert and Richard. This dispute dragged on for nearly two years. While the dispute was being settled, the resident troupe performed at The Curtain, a nearby playhouse. (“The Original Globe”) Finally, on December 25, 1598, the company leased the Rose …show more content…
Instead of exhausting funds, these five men demolished the Theatre and illegally took the wood to build their new theatre. The design of the original theatre resembled a mix of traditions. First of all, the name drew attention to Roman theatre tradition because before it was used for atlases, not playhouses (Gurr). Secondly, the shape bore resemblance to the gatherings of crowds in a circle around the actors when performing in a market. All of the actors had previously been trained in this fashion. Finally, the Globe opened in