Question

Identify each characteristic as common to elther modern theater or Elizabethan theater.

modem theater


Elizabethan theater


performed in courtyards


crowds cheer and boo actors during the performance


most expensive seats are in front of the stage


microphones used to help the audience hear


crowd maintains silence during the performance


actors rely on the power of their voices to reach the audence


lighting is artificial


lighting is natural

Answer 1

Performed in courtyards: Elizabethan theatre.

Crowds cheer and boo actors during performance: Elizabethan theatre.

Most expensive seats are in front of the stage: modern theatre.

Microphones used to help the audience hear: modern theatre

Crowd maintains silence during the performance: modern theatre

actors rely on the power of their voices to reach the audeince: Elizabethan theatre.

lighting is artificial: modern theatre

lighting is natural: Elizabethan theatre.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

ELIZABETHAN THEATER

• Performed in courtyards. Theaters, during the Elizabethan time, had a roofed and unroofed area, the cheapest area would be the latter, on this yard is where people would be watching the play (that lasted 2 hours or so) standing, and they would stay there in spite of a rainy weather, for example. The people occupying this place were called groundlings.
• Crowds cheer and boo actors during their performance. The Elizabethan audience had no issues in reacting towards something that was happening on stage, they would even throw things to actors. In fact, theaters would be located away from the palace and the city, because sometimes riots, fights would start as a result of something that happenned during a play; so Elizabeth preferred theaters to be as far away as possible from her, although she loved watching private performances!
• Actors rely on the power of their voices to reach the audience. Elizabethan theater was greatly influenced by Shakespeare. One of the main theaters of this period belonged to him: The Globe. Actors relied on the power of their voices and the acoustic of the place to reach the audiene.

• Lighting is natural. When it came to setting and special effects, Shakespeare preferred to paint the scenery with his words instead of using artificial effects. Aside from that, electricity didn't exist during Elizabethan times so there were not too many options. Performances took place during day time.

MODERN THEATER

The Modern theater is completly different because of technological advances such as the use of lighting and microphones, and the seating arrangement evolved compared to that of the Elizabethan period.

• Most expensive seats are in front of the stage
• Microphones used to help the audience hear
• Lighting is artificial