Elizabethan Theater
Much of the Elizabethan Theatre’s popularity had to be accredited to Queen Elizabeth herself. She was very much into plays, so much so she would often help finance these theaters so that her people could come and appreciate the art that is theater performing. Elizabeth was known to keep a company of writers, playwrights, artists, and musicians in her circle. An actor would have reached the apex of his career if he was able to perform before the queen.
Queen Elizabeth also dictated which plays could be shown. Plays that had any sort of religious views or focused on any politics or political figures were considered taboo and were not permitted to be performed. The civilians were able to see the plays that the queen approved of and much of the actors were willing to bring the plays to public and private playhouses alike. In those times, women were not allowed on stage and were often played by men or young boys. The advent of these large public theaters was a decisive factor in the success of English Renaissance drama.
The structure of these theaters excavated through out London varies slightly in design, but they all share the same core architectural functionality. All the public theatres were three stories high and built around a large stage area centered in the middle. The three levels of seats were all faced to the center and the center stage was surrounded by the audience on three sides. The back of the stage was reserved for entering and exiting the stage, seating for the actors and performers, as well as a place for musicians to be placed. The upper level behind the stage would be a stage balcony reserved for the actors and performers to use as part of their performance. These theaters were built primarily of wood and were very susceptible to fires.
