All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players''' As You Like It, II'vii'139140

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All the worlds a stage, and all the men and
women merely players... (As You Like It,
II.vii.139-140)
Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player who
struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then
is heard no more. (Macbeth, V.v)
My dismal scene I needs must act alone. (Romeo
and Juliet, IV.iii.23)
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Todays Objectives

• To construct an image of the Globe Theatre from
  a text description.
• To understand how theater-goers of different
  classes experienced plays during Shakespeares
  time.
• To imagine what its like to act in and write
  plays for the Globe Theatre.
• To create questions for the Globe Theatre
  historians about Shakespeare and his times.

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The Globe When and Where
3000
2004
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The Globe
Read the description, and draw here what you read
to the best of your ability.
The design of Shakespeares Globe Theater that
we may carry in our minds eye taken from early
sketches or picture books or eve the
reconstructed Globe on the south bank of the
Thames in greater London today is essentially
that of a round theater with three tiers of
galleried seats on three sides. Along the fourth
side a great stage just out to cover nearly half
the open yard raised nearly to the eye-level of
standing spectators, whom the Elizabethans called
groundlings or sometimes standlings. At the
back of the stage is a wall separating it from
the tiring room (or attiring room, where
constumes and props were kept) with two doors for
entrances and exits, usually unlabelledBetween
the doors is a third door, or curtained space, to
admit entrance to, or to conceal, large props
such as a banquet table or a large bed to be
revealed and wheeled out when called for. Above
the rear of the stage is a balconywhile over the
stage is a roof decorated with stars (known as
the heavens) above which was a primitive
pulley machine for slowly lowering the eagle of
Cymbeline or Juno in The Tempest. Two large
corinthian columns support the roofIn the
stage floor itself is a trapdoor large enough to
accommodate two men that serves for further
entrances and exits and supplies symbolic
potential from Arthur Kinneys Shakespeare by
Stages
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Class ActsTheater Seating by Social and Economic
Status
Each link below gives the 360-degree perspective
of a different class of people who might attend a
play at the Globe Theatre. Write below each link
what unique perspective each has by imagining
that you are watching a play from the position
shown. What might you get to see that others
dont? Where are other people from other classes
watching the play in relation to you? What lines
or scenes that youve already read might resonate
differently with one group than another?
Actors Stage Groundlings Yard For More
Money Lower Gallery For Even More Money
Middle Gallery (Central)Middle Gallery (Side)
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Imagining acting in and writing for the Globe
Theater
Follow the stage link again and look around. On
the following slides, imagine different ways you
could use the stage in telling a story. Think
about the stories weve already staged Greek
stories (Pyramus and Thisbe, Phaethon, Baucis and
Philemon) and Bible stories (Lazarus, Jesus
Calming the Storm, the Loaves and the Fishes,
Jesus and Forgiveness). Think about stories we
havent staged Cain and Abel, the near-sacrifice
of Isaac, Ramayana moments. Annotate how you
might use the state or design a set.
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Shakespeare Resources
Consider your style identified during our study
of the Gospels. Lets brainstorm the parts of
Shakespeares plays, and particularly Romeo and
Juliet, on which youll want to focus.

• Action
• Words
• Relationships
• Structure

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Questions for the Globe
Write down three questions you have for the Globe
theater. Share them with me, then hit the next
slide.
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Good in word, indeed!
Well spend time looking at good online resources
for Shakespeares plays. Until then, enjoy two
sites that focus on the word play the Bard so
much enjoyed.
Instant Shakespearean Insult
Poetry fun
or exuent, if more than one of you are leaving