What is the name of the theater that many of Shakespeares plays were first performed?

Answer 1

Unfortunately they did not keep track of premieres, so we cannot be sure that the plays were first performed in a theatre at all, as opposed to someone's house, or at court, or some other venue. Before 1594, Shakespeare did not belong to a particular company, so a number of companies based in a number of theatres may have seen the first performances of his early work. After 1594, when he joined the Lord Chamberlain's Men, they and their successor company the King's Men had a theatrical home, first at Newington Butts (1594) then the Theatre (1594-6), The Curtain (1596-1599), the Globe (1599-1609), and from 1609 to 1613 when Shakespeare stopped writing, the Globe and Blackfriars theatres both.

Answer 2

After Shakespeare joined the Lord Chamberlain's Men in 1594, his plays were only presented at five theatres between that time and 1642 when the theatres were closed. These were The Theatre (to 1597), the Curtain (1597-1599), the First Globe (1599-1613), the Second Globe (1614-1642) and the Blackfriars (1608-1642). Prior to 1594 we know that Henry VI and Titus Andronicus werre performed at The Rose because of the extensive records kept by its owner Philip Henslowe. Others of Shakespeare's early plays may have been performed at other early theatres around London for which we have no record.

The theatre called Shakespeare's Globe in London is a replica of the first Globe. The theatre set built for the film Shakespeare in Love is an attempt at a replica of the Rose. There is a theatre built at the Folger museum, Washington D.C. in the Elizabethan style but not intended to be a replica of any particular building; it is an indoor theatre and so might approximate the experience of being at the Blackfriars.

Answer 3

Shakespeare's plays have been played in all kinds of theatres over the years. During his lifetime they were played at the Theatre, Rose, Curtain, Globe and Blackfriars. Since then they have been played in many others including the Old Vic, the National Theatre, the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Covent Garden, Drury Lane and The New Globe Theater (built 1997), otherwise known as Shakespeare's Globe.

Answer 4

Shakespeare began writing plays toward the end of the 1580's but the Golbe Theatre was not built until 1599, ten years or more after he began writing plays. Before 1594, we do not know what theatrical company Shakespeare was associated with. He may have been a hired actor. As he was not an established playwright, he may have written plays and then tried to sell them to acting companies. This is why his Titus Andronicus was reported to have been performed by Lord Pembroke's Men, Lord Derby's Men, and Sussex's Men.

We know that Titus was played at the Rose Theatre early in 1594 by Sussex's Men. Richard III and Henry VI parts 2 and 3 may also have played at the Rose. Although Shakespeare's plays went on tour with various companies before 1594, we do not know what theatres they played at.

When Shakespeare and others formed the Lord Chamberlain's Men in 1594, the company included Richard and Cuthbert Burbage, sons of James Burbage owners of the Theatre playhouse. Shakespeare's plays may have been played at the Theatre with Lord Strange's Men previously, but once the Lord Chamberlain's Men were formed, they played exclusively at the Theatre. When the Theatre closed, the company played at the Curtain Theatre nearby until the completion of The Globe.