Elizabethan Theater Slideshow Notes (Highly Supported)
Introduction
● Throughout the middle ages plays were performed by workers in towns and
were _________________ based, often retelling stories from the Bible.
● However, this ended after Henry VIII’s break from Rome and formation of
the Church of England.
● His daughter, Queen _________________________ I, ruler of England
(1533-1603), encouraged the formation of the theatre and acting
● At the beginning of Elizabethan times, there were
○ Strollers
○ _________________
○ Jugglers
○ Musicians
The Evolution of the Elizabethan Theatre
● Inn-Yards
○ “____________ players” – performed in different places,
earning money
○ Inn-holders offered shelter to the Strolling Players
○ Temporary stages were erected by the actors here
○ The capacity of inn-yards was ___________ people
○ First form of commercial Elizabethan theatre 1576 – 1594 – peak of Elizabethan
inn-yard theaters
Amphitheaters
● James Burbage built the first Elizabethan theatre, “the
____________.” Construction was similar to the Roman
amphitheatres.
● Social status and ______________ determined the seating in
Elizabethan theatre.
● Like the inn-yard, the rich would watch from the windows &
_______________, ordinary people from the inn-yard.
Elizabethan Playhouses
● Provided _____________ venues for the production of Elizabethan plays
● The Playhouses were more comfortable and luxurious than other theatres
● Public performances would cost between ________ pennies, while private theatre cost
was 2 to 26 pennies.
● Suitable for winter and _______________ performances because they were roofed
● Food and drink was served.
Actors and Acting Companies
● Traveling __________________ performed wherever they could find
audience
● Notorious reputation of vagabonds and thieves
● Two kinds of acting companies – adult companies and __________
choirs
● No ____________ were allowed onstage
● Four major acting companies: Lord Strange’s Men; Lord
Chamberlain’s Men; Admiral’s Men; King’s Men
Actor-Audience Relationship
● The __________ stage of Elizabethan theatre, meant that the audience was right up in the
action of the play. This made for a much more intimate experience of the delivery.
● Audience were involved in the play– shouting suggestions, encouragements, or curses to
the actors
● ___________________ revealed to the audience the time and place of the action, the
characters’ identities and even their physical appearances
Stage Design and Sets
● In Elizabethan times there was one ________________
set.
● The back wall could serve as a castle, house, palace, town,
etc.
● An ____________ stage was located at the back of the
stage which could be closed from view with a curtain or
used to represent inner rooms, caves and hiding places.
● Above this inner stage was a balcony or upper-stage.
● There was a ______________ gallery and high above the
stage was a turret from which a trumpeter announced the
start of the play.
Costume
● Were very important to actors and crucial to a performance
because there was little scenery.
● More well-established actors owned their own costumes/acting
groups owned costumes that were appropriate for many
______________.
● Audience could distinguish the more important roles by what the
actors wore.
● __________________ with braid, embroidery, pearls, jewels, lace, and artificial flowers.
Costume and Make-up
● Strict laws about dressing during the Elizabethan Age – Sumptuary Law
● Make-up used by boy actors was lead-based and highly ____________________.
● They used __________, masks, and different colored suits/spent a lot of money on
clothing.
Lighting and Properties
● Plays were always acted in _______________; at this time there was no artificial
lighting.
● Props were simple.
● Chairs would be used to indicate the scene as being indoors, if a
___________ was carried, it was night or a character wore riding
boots, they’d been traveling. Common props were _____________
and banners.
The Playwrites
● Playwrights took inspiration from the _______________ theatre and writers like Seneca,
who wrote about crime, revenge, witches and ghosts.
● Elizabethan writers introduced theatre audiences to _________________, the
supernatural and GORE . . .
● Famous playwrites included Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, John Lyly and Thomas
Kyd. The most well known playwright of Elizabethan times is
William ______________________.
Elizabethan Theater Slideshow Notes (Moderately Supported)
Introduction
● Throughout the middle ages plays were performed by ___________ in
towns and were __________________ based, often retelling stories from
the ______________.
● However, this ended after Henry VIII’s break from Rome and formation
of the __________ __ _______________.
● His daughter, Queen ____________________ I, ruler of England
(1533-1603), encouraged the formation of the theatre and acting
● At the beginning of Elizabethan times, there were
○ ________________
○ ________________
○ ________________
○ ________________
The Evolution of the Elizabethan Theatre
● _________________
○ “____________ _____________” – performed in
different places, earning money
○ _______ - ________________ offered shelter to the
Strolling Players
○ _____________________ stages were erected by the
actors here
○ The capacity of inn-yards was ______________
○ First form of __________________ Elizabethan theatre _______ - ______ –
peak of Elizabethan inn-yard theaters
Amphitheaters
● James Burbage built the first Elizabethan theatre, ______________.
Construction was similar to the ____________ amphitheatres.
● _____________________ determined the seating in Elizabethan theatre.
● Like the inn-yard, the rich would watch from the windows &
________________, ordinary people from the _______________.
Elizabethan Playhouses
● Provided ____________ venues for the production of Elizabethan plays
● The Playhouses were more comfortable and ________________ than other theatres
● Public performances would cost between ________ pennies, while private theatre cost
was _________ pennies.
● Suitable for _________ and ______________ performances because they were roofed
● ___________ and __________ was served.
Actors and Acting Companies
● Traveling ____________ performed wherever they could find audience
● Notorious reputation of __________________ and _________________
● Two kinds of acting companies – ________________________ and
_________________
● No ____________ were allowed onstage
● Four major acting companies: Lord Strange’s Men; _____
____________________ Men; Admiral’s Men; King’s Men
Actor-Audience Relationship
● The _________ stage of Elizabethan theatre, meant that the audience was right up in the
action of the play. This made for a much more ________________ experience of the
delivery.
● Audience were involved in the play– shouting _______________, ________________,
or ___________ to the actors
● ______________________ revealed to the audience the _____________ of the action,
the characters’ _____________ and even their __________________ appearances
Stage Design and Sets
● In Elizabethan times there was one ________________
set.
● The ________ _________ could serve as a castle, house,
palace, town, etc.
● An _______ ________ was located at the back of the
stage which could be closed from view with a curtain or
used to represent inner rooms, caves and hiding places.
● Above this inner stage was a ___________________ or
upper-stage.
● There was a _________________ ________________ and
high above the stage was a turret from which a trumpeter announced the _____________
of the play.
Costume
● Were very important to actors and crucial to a performance because
there was little _____________ ________________.
● More well-established actors owned their own costumes/acting
groups owned costumes that were appropriate for _____________
_______________.
● Audience could distinguish the more ___________________ roles by what the actors
wore.
● ____________ with braid, embroidery, pearls, jewels, lace, and artificial flowers.
Costume and Make-up
● Strict ____________ about dressing during the Elizabethan Age – _____________ Law
● Make-up used by boy actors was ____________-based and highly _________________.
● They used ____________, ____________, and different colored suits/spent a lot of
money on clothing.
Lighting and Properties
● Plays were always acted in _______________; at this time there was no artificial
lighting.
● ____________ were simple.
● _______________ would be used to indicate the scene as being indoors, if a
__________ was carried, it was night or a character wore riding boots,
they’d been traveling. Common props were ___________ and
___________.
The Playwrites
● Playwrights took inspiration from the ___________ theatre and writers like Seneca, who
wrote about crime, revenge, witches and ____________.
● Elizabethan writers introduced theatre audiences to ______________, the supernatural
and ____________ . . .
● Famous playwrites included Christopher ________________, Ben Jonson, John Lyly and
Thomas Kyd. The most well known playwright of Elizabethan times is ____________
___________________.
Elizabethan Theater Slideshow Notes (Minimally Supported)
Introduction
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The Evolution of the Elizabethan Theatre
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Inn-Yards
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Amphitheaters
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Elizabethan Playhouses
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Actors and Acting Companies
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Actor-Audience Relationship
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Stage Design and Sets
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Costume
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Costume and Make-up
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Lighting and Properties
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The Playwrites
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