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The Globe was a famous Elizabethan open-air playhouse where many of Shakespeare’s plays were first performed. Its design influenced the experience of playgoers and the performance of plays.

A leading company of actors for whom Shakespeare wrote for most of his career. It later became the King’s Men under James I and was a major force in the Elizabethan theatre.

Notable figures such as William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson were the backbone of the era, penning plays that are still performed today.

Actors in Elizabethan times often had precarious lives, with little social standing. Acting was not seen as a reputable profession.

Monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth I and later King James I were patrons of the theatre, providing vital support and protection for the company and the art form.

Before permanent playhouses, actors would perform in the courtyards of inns, surrounded by galleries of spectators.

Part of the stage structure where actors dressed and prepared for their performances. It also served as a backdrop for the stage action.

The term used for the audience members who stood in the 'yard' of the Globe Theatre. They paid the least but made up a significant portion of the viewers.

A famous indoor theatre where Shakespeare’s company performed during the winter. It was known for its more exclusive and expensive audience.

The canopy above the stage that protected actors from the elements and was painted with stars and clouds to represent the sky.

Elizabethan plays often used innovative effects like trapdoors, flying machinery, and pyrotechnics to amaze audiences.

Women were not allowed to act; male actors played female roles, a practice that influenced the writing and performance of plays.

Acting companies would perform a different play each day of the week, requiring actors to have a large repertoire of roles at their disposal.

Theatre troupes were sponsored by wealthy patrons who provided financial support in exchange for prestige and entertainment.