The+Globe+Theater

Intro
 * The Elizabethan Era took place in 1550-1650 and was named after Queen Elizabeth. The theater played a big role in this time period. People of all sorts loved the theater and the Globe in particular. The theater was a very nice size and well put together, the audience was great even after it had burned down and been rebuilt. Even though the first or the second Globe doesn’t stand anymore, the new Globe is just as swell. **


 * The Original Globe **


 * The Globe was where Shakespeare performed his latest two plays every year (Morley 28). The Globe was not only a theater, it was also a brothel and gambling house (History). Shakespeare wrote twelve of his finest play at the theater (Langley 22). His description of Globe was the "wooden O" ( Greenwood 621). The Globe was built from a previous theater named Theatre (Langley 14). The theater's name was meant to announce the whole world could be represented by the players inside it. (Langley 18). Going to the Globe was one the most thrilling entertainments during the Elizabethan time period (Morley 28). It was built in 1599 (Langley 7) during the winter (Fitzpatrick 149). It was a 20 sided building and about 100 feet across. It was about three times as it was high, and held over 2000 people (Morley 28). The players (actors) came in through two entrances and the curtains between the two doors could be drawn back (Morley 29). The stage was sheltered from rain with a ceiling although the yard was not (Morley 29). Above the stage was a gallery or balcony, and behind the stage was a tiring stage where players and props were kept (Fitzpatrick 149). Backstage was between the stage wall and the rear of the building (Morley 30). Although their are descriptions of what the original Globe Theatre looked like there are on existing pictures of it (History). **

Audience


 * During the Elizabethan Era everyone loved the theater. People paid a penny to get in the theater and stand in the yard. The audience that viewed the play from the yard were usually shopkeepers and their family, young apprentices, household servants, soldiers, sea men, fish wives, apple sellers, etc (Morley 30). Those who paid an extra penny got seats (Morley 28). These were usually the courtiers, merchants, lawyers, craftsmen, idlers, and roughs (Morley 32). Another penny got you good seats with cushions (Morley 28), which is usually in the galleries where the rich sat (Morley 32). Women never attended the plays by themselves unless they were selling something (Morley 32). **


 * Londoners of all kind loved the theater (Morley 32). They loved it so much, while waiting they would get impatient and start throwing apples at the stage (Morley 33). That was the sign for everyone backstage that it was time to start the play. The audience would buy the apples refreshments from hawkers along with nuts (Morley 33). **

Tragic Ending?


 * Some day in June 1613 while showing the play Henry VIII a spark hit the thatched roof (Aliki 31). The spark came from a cannon that was being used as a prop. It took two hours for the building to completley burn to the ground. It was quickly rebuilt but was taken down in 1644 for housing ( Langley 7). Even though the Globe was rebuilt by the summer, by that time Shakespeare had retired (Fitzpatrick 150).

Now their is a new Globe Theater which was built in the 1900's because of Sam Wanamaker. In 1947 Wanamaker decided to rebuild the Globe. But in 1993 Wanamaker died and berfore his dream camr true (Fitzpatrick 149). Today that Globe is still standing and resembles the Globe from the past, thatched roof and all **