Actors played all of Shakespeare's roles, because they were trained in acting.
Males
Young boys played the role of women.
my mum
In Shakespeare's time, all female roles were played by young boys or men because women were not allowed to perform on stage. This was a common practice due to societal norms and restrictions at the time.
The female roles in Shakespeare's day were performed by Boy Players: young actors who had not yet reached puberty and therefore did not have masculine voices. Some of the Boy Players were Apprentice Actors, the modern equivalent would be Interns.
Young boys.
I don't know what Elizabeth you are speaking of, but I presume it was because she was a female Shakespearean actress who was acting after the year 1660 sometime. Sometimes actresses play the male roles in Shakespeare as well.
Very few, since the leads are more often than not male roles. Not that this has stopped some actresses. Sarah Bernhart's Hamlet was much remarked on. So was Charlotte Cushman's Romeo (she preferred the male roles anyway). Diane Venora has not only played Ophelia (to Kevin Kline's Hamlet) and Gertrude (to Ethan Hawke's Hamlet) but has also played Hamlet, although on stage, not on film. The roles of Cleopatra and Rosalind (in As You Like It) are the closest Shakespeare comes to true female leads, and every Shakespearean actress worth her salt has had a whack at them.
Men and boys played these parts. It was considered indecent for women to appear on stage.
Most of the time, all roles were played by men.
Shakespeare's plays have regularly been played in London from about 1590 to the present day, with the exception of the years 1642 to 1660.
yes he was very proud of his sons job