Final answer:
The inns in Spain were called corrales, which were the open-air theatres of Spain where plays known as Comedias Nuevas were performed. These theatres included actors of both genders and mirrored some aspects of Elizabethan playhouses, but were distinct in terms of including women in the cast and production styles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inns in Spain were called corrales, and this name was also given to the theatres that developed there during the 15th century. The corrales were public, open-air courtyards situated between houses, which provided a space for theatrical productions.
These spaces were used for performances of Comedias Nuevas (New Comedy), which were secular plays in three acts drawing upon history, popular culture, mythology, and Bible stories for their narratives. Unlike English theatres, where women could not perform, women were included in the cast in Spanish production, although they faced certain restrictions over time, including a prohibition on cross-dressing.
Spanish theatres during this period also produced religious dramas known as autos sacramentales, which were performed on large moveable wagons called carros. These productions were similar to the Mystery Cycles and Morality plays of England and aimed to instruct the audience in moral and spiritual lessons, featuring allegorical characters like Sin, Faith, and Death.
Overall, the Spanish theatre of the Renaissance period was influenced by various factors including the expansion of professional playwrights, the patronage of the aristocracy, and the impact of classical artistry and writing brought to Italy by scholars from the Eastern Empire after the fall of Constantinople.