Development of elizabethan theater timeline

The history of Elizabethan Theatre is very interesting and fascinating. The first plays were produced in the yards of inns. The history of theatres is full of ups and downs. It is important to note that the rise of theatres in England has much to do with entertainment and pleasure. The rise of Theatres is also attributed to William Shakespeare, The most famous playwright of all times.

The Rise of Theatres

The success of the Elizabethan theatres owes much to the playwrights, the wealthy entrepreneurs who invested money and capital in the construction and maintenance of the theatres.

For example, The Globe which is one of the most popular Elizabethan Theatres was constructed during this time. It went ahead to be very successful and staged many plays.

The Theatre Companies

The theatres were funded by rich entrepreneurs because they saw a margin of profit in the staging of plays.

In fact, at one point in time, many people stood in big lines to purchase and watch the plays being staged. This led to the immense popularity and rise of the Theatre Industry.

The Globe Theatre

The Globe theatre was Shakespeare’s prodigy and was also called Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. It was built in in London by Shakespeare’s Playing company for staging plays written by different playwrights and dramatists.

The globe was an open theatre and could accommodate over people. It was grand. Like all the theatres in London, it was closed down by the Puritans in It was fully destroyed in

The Enmity and Shunning of theatres by the Puritans

The Puritans were against the theatres as they felt that it was degrading the society and making the people pervert and frivolous. The Puritans did not like the story of the plays and its themes which were generally light-hearted and for entertainment purposes.

Therefore, the Puritans began massive efforts to destroy and dismantle all the theatres in England. They were totally averse to the staging of plays. Puritans did not support the playwrights and the theatre companies.

The Globe was completely destroyed. It went up on flames in the year It was a huge investment by Shakespeare and because of its shutting down, Shakespeare had to suffer huge losses.

The Entire Timeline

• Shakespeare was born
• James Burbage, father of the actor Richard Burbage got the rights to build a theatre, called, ‘THE THEATRE‘ in Shoreditch, London. Lord Chamberlain’s men used it for staging plays from
• The open-air-amphitheatre, ‘The Curtains’ open in Finsbury fields
• The open-air theatre ‘The Rose’, opens
• The theatres close due to Bubonic Plague also called the Black Death
• The Lord Chamberlains Company was formed
• The first document mentioning Shakespeare connected with the company
• The London authorities banned the staging of plays in the City’s limits from
• James Burbage purchases ‘ The Black Friars’ and make it a theatre
• There was a dispute over the lease of The Theatre. The Puritan owner Giles Allen disapproved The Theatre
• The company actors moved to the Curtain Theatre
• Christmas Timber was used from the old theatre to make a new theatre- The Globe
• The Globe Theatre is opened on the backside
• James Burbage is forced to lease out  The Black Friars
• The bubonic plague kills people and causes chaos. All theatres close down
• June 29th, Fire at the Globe theatre
• The Globe was built again on the original platform
• – The Burial of William Shakespeare on April 25th
• The English Civil War between The Puritans and The Royalists
• September 2nd, The Parliament issues an ordinance suppressing all plays
• The Globe theatre demolished by the Puritans
• Full restriction on plays
• All plays and theatres pulled down and levied a fine of five shillings
• The Civil War leads to the execution of King Charles by the Puritans
• Oliver Cornwell becomes the Lord protector
• Cornwell dies and the Puritans decline in power
• King Charles II restored to the throne
• The Restoration and the decline of the Puritans. The  Theatres reopened.