a visit to the theatre

The Best US Cities To Visit If You Enjoy Going To The Theater

A night at the theater is a great way to experience a far-off destination and is often a fun excuse to get all dressed up for a riveting evening out close to home. With exquisite "dinner and a show" packages, fascinating stories, and up-close seating allowing one to appreciate some of the best talents ever to grace the stage, it is not hard to see why many people adore the theater. But if you have thoroughly explored your hometown performing arts scene, maybe it's time to plan a getaway where you can branch out.

So if you are a theater lover looking to enjoy other great live performances and cultural scenes, particularly in major domestic cities, then you are in luck. With more than a dozen metropolises known for their spectacular theater and nightlife scenes, planning a quick city getaway with theatrical entertainment just got much easier. In fact, to help make your next theater-focused vacation one to remember, here are the best U.S. cities to visit if you enjoy going to the theater.

New York City

Of course, New York City is home to the legendary Broadway theater scene, so if you love all things theatrical, this city should definitely be number one on your list. Known as the cultural capital of America — New York offers everything from musicals, concerts, ballets, and performance art productions to off-Broadway must-sees and more. Likewise, this iconic theater scene is, more often than not, a stop for practically any touring theatre company worldwide.

With nightly shows in its renowned theater district, there is basically never a bad time to catch a theatrical performance or two. So, if you love the theater and want to immerse yourself in this famous mecca for the performing arts, then what are you waiting for? Book a trip and enjoy Broadway, Theatre Row, and over 41 phenomenal playhouses located in the Big Apple. What's more, the Theater District in New York is near all the major downtown attractions like Time Square, the Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Radio City Music Hall, the Empire State Building, and Restaurant Row (for delicious pre- or post-show eats) — all of which makes New York City an excellent choice for a lively, cultured, and eventful getaway.

For theater lovers who enjoy avant-garde or edgy performances and productions, Chicago is the place to be. Here, theater-goers will get a chance to delve deeper into the Windy City's cultural scene and enjoy a variety of productions, musicals, plays, and more. With renowned theaters like the Steppenwolf Theater Company, Paramount Theater, the Lookingglass Theater, the Chicago Theater, and the original Second City Theatre, visitors have plenty of performances to check out.

Tony Award-winning local acts, a robust comedy scene, and touring groups regularly making their way to the Windy City means there is a genre here for even the pickiest of theater-goers. Chicago, itself, is full of other things to add to the travel itinerary as well. With over 250 theater options in the city, there are plenty of opportunities to catch a show here. If, after the show, youare looking for something else to do, make a stop by the countless museums, check out the Navy Pier, go on a Michigan Avenue walkabout, or spend some time in Chicago's iconic parks — just to name a few options. That said, with an amazing theater scene and various top-rated points of interest , Chicago is definitely a must-visit for theater enthusiasts.

Boston is another city that is simply delightful for theater-goers. With countless Broadway shows, Boston Opera House productions, the Charles Playhouse, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Boston, the American Repertory Theater, and the Citi Performing Art Center, visitors have more than a few options when it comes to enjoying a cultured night out in Beantown. The city of Boston also has a diverse selection of theatrical productions for audiences of all ages, so there is truly something for everyone.

Besides being one more critically-acclaimed major stop for Broadway shows on tour, Boston is almost on par with New York's Theater District. Plus, this particular city has its very own wildly talented theatrical community — one that is constantly perfecting its craft. And if you have time, you can enjoy all that Beantown offers in between all the stellar performances and theater shows. From family-friendly activities, tourist attractions, and museums to shopping, entertainment, and restaurants, this city also has a plethora of other amazing things to get into before heading to the theater.

Yet another theater lover's go-to should be Seattle. Known for its risk-taking theatrical organizations, Seattle's performing art scene showcases a different side of the theater world. A truly joyful theater outing is what visitors can expect here, with blockbuster productions, historic venues, unique events like the Teatro ZinZanni experience, and so much more. So if you are looking for a theatrical destination that is not afraid to step outside of the box, then Seattle is for you.

In addition to an expectedly captivating theater scene, Seattle, of course, has a wealth of recreational activities and attractions for a well-balanced getaway. Before the show, visitors should make it a point to see the sights like the Space Needle, check out Pike Place Market, enjoy the great outdoors at Seward Park, and maybe even visit the state's oldest and most celebrated winery — Chateau Ste. Michelle. If you find yourself here in the summer, head to this prestigious winery to enjoy some wine along an outdoor musical performance as part of the winery's summer concert series.

San Francisco

Touted as one of the most exciting spots in all of the city, San Francisco's theater scene has everything one could ever need. Often referred to collectively as the Mid-Market area, three main districts make up the Theater Scene (The Civic Center, SoMa, and The Tenderloin). Though there is an endless array of entertainment choices in the Mid-Market area, performing arts fans who love a good Broadway production should head on over to the historic Orpheum Theatre.

Opera lovers can also enjoy a glorious night at the theater in San Francisco. At the San Francisco Opera, attendees are promised a night of thrilling and unique performances, no matter which shows they attend. Likewise, patrons can enjoy spellbinding live entertainment at the War Memorial Opera House with a historical flare. So, you cannot go wrong with going to the opera in this U.S. city either. And with all the major points of interest and countless other playhouses in the area, such as the Strand Theater, Castro Theatre, and the Toni Rembe Theater (formerly the Geary Theater), visitors are truly in for an amazing arts-focused vacation in the Bay Area.

Minneapolis

When it comes to the performing arts, Minneapolis is definitely a contender. With approximately 440 theaters throughout the city, theater-goers may feel a tad overwhelmed when trying to pick their evening entertainment. But, regardless of what you decide to see or which theaters appeal to you in this grand district, one thing is for sure — a lively night awaits.

That said, Guthrie Theater is a performing arts haven showcasing classic and contemporary productions. Other great venues like the Old Log Theater, Pantages Theater, and the Yellow Tree Theatre offer just about every kind of theater experience — concerts, musicals, Broadway shows, off-Broadway productions, operas, plays, choirs, stand-up comedy, dance troupes, and more. So, if you are looking for a destination where you can spend every moment at the theater, then Minneapolis can definitely accommodate you. And a possible bonus to your Minneapolis Theater District extravaganza here is that the city of St. Paul and its exciting theater district is also just around the corner. So if you are up for it, then why not experience more than just one performing arts scene while in town?

Washington, D.C.

Next on the list of best destinations for theater-goers is none other than the nation's capital. With a highly celebrated, diverse, historical, and robust arts scene, it is no wonder Washington, D.C.'s Theater District is equally incredible. Here, visitors will find a rather large theater company, pre-Broadway premieres, 80 or so legendary performance arts venues, gorgeous playhouses that showcase touring productions, and so much more.

Popular theatrical spots like the Folger Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Tivoli Theatre, Ford's Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company: Klein Theatre are just the tip of the iceberg in this showstopping town. Moreover, just this handful of historical theaters alone hosts some of the best ongoing performances that are simply unforgettable. So not only can visitors thoroughly appreciate the performing arts in all its forms and get a sneak peek of Broadway blockbusters when visiting the nation's capital, but they can also enjoy free museums , historical sites, and an incredible culinary scene — all of which makes Washington, D.C. the perfect East Coast destination for a refined getaway.

New Orleans

New Orleans might not be your first pick when you think of the theater. But with over two dozen theatrical joints and rave-worthy performances, Nola is definitely an up-and-coming theater district you want to keep an eye on. With beautifully restored Victorian entertainment venues like the Orpheum Theatre and the Civic Theatre, plus other wonderful performing arts spaces (both indoor and out), New Orleans has so much more to offer than just delicious Cajun and Creole cuisines, haunted history , The French Quarter, Voodoo, and Mardi Gras .

Other phenomenal venues for the arts, such as the Music Box Village, the Mahalia Jackson Theater, Le Petit Theatre, Blackbox Theatre at NOCCA, the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, and the Marigny Opera House, all dazzle and delight in different ways. Of course, visitors looking to experience this great destination to the fullest should also try to incorporate as much of New Orleans's culture and allure into the itinerary. The Big Easy is an excellent choice for a vacation with all the trimmings, especially considering you'll have no problem finding a rave-worthy performance at one of the theaters around town. 

Philadelphia

Similar to New Orleans, another popular U.S. destination known for a wealth of other things besides the performing arts is the city of Philadelphia. Yet, the City of Brotherly Love is also home to America's oldest playhouse — the Walnut Street Theatre. Located almost in the middle of Philadelphia's Theater District, the Walnut Street Theatre is practically reason enough to head to the land of cheesesteaks, the Eagles, and the Liberty Bell.

Philadelphia is brimming with history, and there is no denying that, but this city also has a truly vibrant performance art scene and a prominent theater district. Thanks to the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Philadelphia Ballet, the Academy of Music, The Metropolitan Opera House, and the Philadelphia Theatre Company, this destination knows a thing or two about live entertainment, storytelling, dance troupes, and the theater. In addition to these stand-out venues, this city is also home to The Proscenium at The Drake, Act II Playhouse, the Wilma Theater, and the FringeArts. Plus, with annual performance festivals, a dynamic theatrical community, the Avenue of the Arts, and more, Philadelphia is absolutely among a theater-goers' (and  history buffs' ) must-see sites on the East Coast.

Situated in the center of downtown Houston, spanning multiple blocks, and rapidly growing, the Houston Theater District does not disappoint. Offering theater-goers an edgy take on the classics and traditional forms of creative expression, many believe that The Bayou City will be the next big thing in the performance art game. With less than a dozen venues currently, visitors can manage to get in a show or two without feeling like they have missed out on hundreds of other playhouses, making this the ideal quick theater-inspired weekend trip.

Though the world is not quite yet a stage in Houston, there is still a surprising amount of variety in this theater scene — opera, ballet, musicals, orchestras, contemporary performances, Broadway hits, off-broadway productions, and more. Trendy Houston theaters to check out include the Alley Theatre, the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Jones Hall, Wortham Theater Center, and Bayou Place. After enjoying your time at the theater in Houston, you can effortlessly branch out in the way of activities by checking out the Museum of Fine Arts, the rest of the Museum District, the Space Center, or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Los Angeles

Even though the Hollywood film scene may be the real showstopper in the Los Angeles area , its theater scene definitely deserves a more in-depth look. This city is a perfect history-meets-the-theater getaway since much of Los Angeles' Historic Broadway Theatre District dates back to the early 1900s. Truly a sight to behold, these grand entertainment houses reflect the era in which they were built and offer theater lovers an overall top-tier experience in the way of live entertainment and events.

In addition to these beautifully restored theaters in the Broadway District, Los Angeles has more than a few famed performing arts venues littered about the city, including East West Players, the Los Angeles Theatre, 24th Street Theatre, Thymele Arts, Kiki & David Gindler Performing Art Center, Ahmanson Theatre, and the Fountain Theatre. And thanks to the Geffen Playhouse and The Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles visitors will not have to look long or hard for theatrical fun. Plus, with countless other grand venues, many famous actors and actresses grace this star-studded theater scene on occasion. It really does not get much better than Los Angeles.

Local talent truly shines in Atlanta's dazzling and diverse theatre scene. But that's not all that's going on, on this arena stage – Atlanta's Theater District is also a buzz with off-Broadway shows, world premieres, classic theater performances, ballet, and delightful performance art for children of all ages. So if you are looking for a family-friendly theater vacation, then look no further than A-Town. Thanks to live entertainment spots like the 7 Stages Theatre, the Alliance Theatre, West Midtown's Kings Plow Art Center, the Rialto Center for the Arts, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company, and more, patrons can be in awe of various forms of creative expression from a wildly-talented theatrical community.

On the other hand, the Horizon Theatre and the fabulous Fox Theatre will have the right playbill for more contemporary performances and Broadway productions. With an assortment of great venues for the performing arts here, this destination allows visitors the chance to enjoy a decadently rich cultural scene and cross some of the major attractions off their lists. So, while in town, catch a show or two and leave some room in your itinerary to appreciate everything else that Atlanta has to offer.

Last but not least, theater enthusiasts ready to tour the nation's largest non-profit theater organization and have a marvelous time appreciating the arts should make their way to Denver. Not only is the Denver Center for the Performing Arts larger than life, but something magical is always happening here. So, whether it is a Broadway tour, a Cabaret show, or a never-seen-before production that has piqued your interest, this theatrical venue (which is actually nine separate venues in one) is worth a visit and then some.

Besides this local gem, the Dever Theatre District (DTD) itself encompasses a sizeable section of the downtown area and is equally impressive. Full of experimental, interactive, and immersive experiences, the DTD is a culture, art, and theater lover's dream come true. The Mile High City is also home to the Ellie Caulkings Opera House, the Paramount, and the Bellco Theater — all of which are excellent options for a traditional evening at the theater. And once you have marveled at all the world-class shows, exhibits, performances, and productions here, do not forget to partake in some good old-fashioned fun outdoors because it is Denver, after all.

What It Was Really Like To Attend A Play At Shakespeare's Globe Theater

For modern people, the Globe Theater is now legendary. During the time when Shakespeare was acting and writing there, things were much different. The original Globe, built in 1599 and standing until 1613, according to the  Shakespeare Birthplace Trust , certainly garnered a lot of acclaim and respect for the playwright and actors. Rebuilt and reopened in 1997, the new Globe Theater is now in a respectable part of South London.

The original Globe, which stood only a couple of blocks away from its modern successor, was in a very different time and place. The neighborhood, Southwark, was then just outside the bounds of the city. Taking advantage of its somewhat extralegal situation, Southwark was packed full of less than refined entertainment and, sometimes, dubious characters.

Attending a play at the Globe Theater during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I or her successor, King James VI and I, would have been a boisterous, sometimes stinky affair. Audience members were known to talk back to actors and even throw food onto the stage when they didn't think the play was going well. On at least one occasion, they also had to flee a burning theater after a special effect had gone wrong. So, if you're planning to attend a theater performance in the manner of the Tudor and Stuart audiences that flocked to the Globe, be prepared to get loud, get smelly, and probably get kicked out of the building.

Everybody came to see plays at the Globe Theater

All sorts of Londoners, from servants to nobles, visited the Globe. To stand in the area just before the stage with the other "groundlings" would only cost you a penny, says the Folger Shakespeare Library . That meant you would be without seats, instead standing beneath an open sky in a dirt yard. To actually sit down in the balcony would have cost you twopence, or about half the average cost of food and drink for a man in one day.

For comparison, seats in indoor theaters, which would operate regardless of weather but could only accommodate a limited number of audience members, typically cost a minimum of sixpence. Theatergoers in either place could also spend their money on food and drink, as evidenced by the bottles and oyster shells excavated at historic playhouses.

Upper-class people could also be seen at the plays, says Shakespeare's Globe . A high-rolling Venetian ambassador bought out the priciest seats there in 1607 so that he and his entourage could enjoy Shakespeare's Pericles . They would have sat underneath the roofed area of the Globe, probably with cushions and most certainly with an excellent view of the stage. All the better to avoid the riffraff milling about in the yard just below them.

You would never see the Queen at the Globe

While even the stinky groundlings might see a lord or lady in the theater, they would never have seen a king or queen . Appearing in public was already a bit of an ordeal for a royal , much less slumming it with the hoi polloi at the Globe. Despite what movies like Shakespeare in Love would have you think, Queen Elizabeth I never, ever appeared at the Globe or any other public theater.

Instead, monarchs simply told the actors to come to the palace and do the play there. It was in the players' best interests to do so, given that a royal could bankroll their work for years. In 1603, Queen Elizabeth died and was replaced by her successor, James VI of Scotland and I of England. According to the British Library , James was such a fan of the theater that he became the patron of Shakespeare's theater company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. The group quickly renamed themselves the King's Men.

Royals are also said to have dictated some creative decisions. Queen Elizabeth loved the character of Falstaff so much that Shakespeare brought him back for The Merry Wives of Windsor , reports Biography . Supposedly, Elizabeth was so eager for more raucous Falstaff content that she pressured Shakespeare to finish the play in two weeks. However, the busy, Catholic-leaning Shakespeare probably wasn't best buds with the equally busy, definitely Protestant queen.

Audience members were tempted away by beer and bears

Southwark, the neighborhood of the Globe Theater, was a rowdy, turbulent place to be. According to History , this thriving entertainment center had a very seedy reputation, in part because it was technically outside of the city of London. For much of the city's history, anyone traveling south out of London had to go through Southwark. That encouraged the spread of taverns, which, in turn, gave rise to a red light district. As time went on, other entertainment options became popular, including numerous playhouses. The first, The Theatre, was built by James Burbage in 1576.

The Globe, which opened in 1599, reports British History Online , was, at the time, just the latest theater in a crowded market. During the late 16th century, visitors to Southwark would have had four distinct playhouses to pick from. This meant that the players at the Globe had to work hard to attract audience members. 

Many distractions could have kept people from buying a ticket, from the taverns, to the brothels, to the ever-popular sport of bear baiting. The activity of tormenting a captive bear was so well-known, says History , that it was even referenced in Macbeth . Bear-baiting arenas, where bears engaged in bloody fights with dogs for the amusement of onlookers, were a prime Southwark attraction. Even Queen Elizabeth I was said to be a fan of the brutal pastime, though some critics decried it as inhumane. Bear baiting was banned by Parliament in 1835.

Shakespeare's audience loved gore

Though many modern people have the impression that Shakespeare's work was a mannered, high art sort of affair, the truth is that he needed to write plays that would sell. This meant that much of what was performed at the Globe Theater had to appeal to audience sensibilities of the time. On many occasions, that meant gore, gore, and more bloody gore.

According to the Proceedings of the Modern Language Association , the blood and guts of Shakespeare's plays were a necessary thing to underscore the high drama and tragedy of works like Titus Andronicus or Macbeth . For audiences, it could have been that they would only believe something was really serious or vengeful if they saw the gory, physical evidence of a character's wrath and pain.

The Globe's audience may have also been more used to death and violence than modern viewers, says the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust . Public executions acted as a kind of twisted entertainment of the day, with beheadings and hangings often attended by large crowds. The facts of life in an agricultural setting, or an urban setting with poor medical care, could also be fairly gruesome. Other bloody entertainments, like the highly popular bear baiting arenas, were close by the Globe in the Southwark neighborhood.

Special effects were a big deal at the Globe Theater

To enhance the experience of watching a play in the Globe, and also to attract audience members away from the temptations of bear baiting, taverns, and the red light district, playhouses had to get creative. One part of their attempts to market the experience of watching a play was to pump it up through special effects.

The players of Shakespeare's day didn't exactly have electric lights or remote-controlled blood packs, but they got pretty ingenious nonetheless. According to Shakespeare's Globe , stagehands could reproduce the sound of thunder simply through drums. If they were feeling a bit more adventurous, they could also roll a heavy cannonball across the "Heavens," the covered area just above the actors' heads.

Thunder required lightning, so people behind the scenes would occasionally play with fire. A resinous powder was used with a candle to create a bright flash, or else the company would employ a firecracker. Some ingredients used here, like sulfur and saltpeter, found in gunpowder, could make a terrible stink when lit.

On a less smelly note, the Globe was also equipped with trapdoors in the Heavens and the floor of the stage. Humans and supernatural characters like gods and demons could make surprising appearances by utilizing these semi-hidden entrances and exits.

The stage was pretty empty

Though special effects and costumes could get pretty elaborate, the actual set dressing of Shakespeare's Globe Theater was quite spare. According to the Folger Shakespeare Library, there's little evidence that the acting company at the Globe put much effort into set design. Actors would have had pieces of furniture, like chairs and tables, necessary to carry out directions in the script. They would have also been given props mentioned in the play, like swords in Macbeth or the poisonous goblet in the final scene of Hamlet .

Otherwise, they had to rely on lavish costumes and Shakespeare's language to grab audience members' attention. Also according to the Folger , the actors' clothing was the real set piece in almost every London play at the time. Acting companies, including the one occupying the Globe, would have spent a large part of their budget on costumes made out of lush materials like velvet, silk, and lace. In many cases, these could be secondhand pieces from actual nobles.

This meant that a certain suspension of disbelief was required from the audience, maybe more than modern theatergoers would be willing to grant. Actors would have made their entrances and exits in plain view, without the benefit of handy props like greenery to hide behind.

The Globe Theater probably smelled awful

Attending a play at the Globe would have required something of a strong stomach. Between the hygiene standards of the day and the smell of various stage effects, the theaters of Southwark would have smelled pretty rank to modern noses. Hopefully, people of the Tudor area would have at least been used to the odors that wafted throughout the theater.

Though people really didn't bathe very often, says Shakespeare's Globe , they might not have smelled as vile as you think they did. Tudors frequently switched out their underclothes to handle body odor, frequently washed their hands and faces, and threw on a bit of perfume if it was available. Literature at the time even gave advice on how to best clean one's teeth. 

Humans still generate lots of stink, though, and the hard-working people among the groundlings might have been pretty funky. Shakespeare's Globe  also notes that their snacking added to the smell. Visitors complained of the stink of garlic and beer that came from the pit in front of the stage. Some writers, says the BBC, even called the put-upon groundlings "stinkards."

The audience didn't keep quiet

Nowadays, audiences in theaters expect a pretty quiet experience. They go into a darkened, hushed playhouse and sit patiently, enjoying the efforts of the hardworking actors onstage. There will probably be polite clapping at the end. Not so for the audiences at the Globe.

Watching a play in Shakespeare's lifetime was a pretty rowdy experience, reports ThoughtCo . From the groundlings to the fancy folks sitting above them, many people snacked on food during the performance. You wouldn't have heard the quiet crinkling of a candy wrapper coming undone but the much louder noises of someone cracking open oysters, digging into a meat pie , or loudly belching after taking a swig of beer.

If the audience wasn't sufficiently entertained by the action onstage, they might simply walk around and chat with their neighbors. According to the BBC, it wasn't unheard-of for the Globe to turn into a social affair in this manner. If the actors grabbed attention by being simply bad at their jobs, the audience could get involved in a more negative fashion. Accounts say that people sometimes threw food at the actors and spoke back to them when the mood struck them.

The Globe's actors sometimes spaced out

It wasn't easy to be an actor at the Globe Theater. Though some of best known actors could garner some small measure of fame and fortune, that wasn't the case for most players of the time. Instead, they faced hours of hard work, indifferent or even hostile audiences, and little preparation time. According to ThoughtCo , company members were expected to do a bit of everything. Newbie actors especially had to rise up through the ranks, meaning that the young man playing Ophelia one day would also be required to act as a stagehand or dresser for the next production.

Even the higher-ranking actors still had plenty of work on their plates. On average, theater companies produced a staggering six different plays a week. This tight turnaround sometimes meant that actors had only a single morning to memorize their lines. By the time the afternoon light filled the Globe and made it just right to perform, says Shakespeare's Globe , they were expected to have their parts down. Never mind the fact that they also had to juggle multiple parts and plays the entire time. No wonder that some company members lost track on occasion, spacing out right in front of a waiting audience.

No one expected to see women onstage

Women were allowed to watch plays alongside male audience members at the Globe, but they had better not dare to get up onstage and pretend to be a respectable actor. Officially, women couldn't perform onstage in England until 1660, says the Folger Shakespeare Library . Shakespeare, who died in 1616, would have never worked with a female actor at his theater. Instead, girls and women were played by boys and men.

Outside of England, women did join theater companies, though they sometimes had to deal with a bad reputation for sexual licentiousness. When those troupes did visit England, actresses and all, they faced tense opposition. The earliest recorded instance of women acting in England happened in 1629, says Early Modern Low Countries , when a French company performed at Blackfriars Theater in London and at the court of Henrietta Maria, the queen consort and a fellow Frenchwoman. 

While Henrietta seems to have behaved herself, the audience at Blackfriars booed the women offstage. One contemporary viewer wrote , "Glad I am to saye theye were hissed, hooted, and pippin-pelted from the stage." Women wouldn't be welcome on British stages for another 30 years.

The Globe Theater burned to the ground

By 1613, things were going pretty well for the Globe and its actors. Shakespeare was one of the most famous playwrights of his day. The theater company enjoyed the patronage of King James himself. Finances were great, the acting was good, and audiences flocked to the Globe. Then, the theater burned down.

The fire began on June 29, 1613, says BBC's History Extra . Audiences were watching an afternoon performance of All is True , now known as the history play Henry VIII by modern audiences. During a scene where King Henry makes a big appearance, stage direction called for cannon fire. No one would have dared to fire an actual cannonball near the crowded theater, but the company did use real cannons with real gunpowder and cloth wadding in the barrel.

When the effect went off, a cannon fired a piece of flaming wadding into the thatched roof of the theater. At first, no one seemed to notice the smoke curling up from the dry vegetation that made up the thatching, but the fire quickly drew attention. As it grew and took over the roof, the audience flooded out of the theater. After only an hour, the Globe was little more than a smoking pile of timbers.

Though the Globe was rebuilt in 1997, players were reluctant to stage Henry VIII , reports Reuters . It was restaged there in 2010, where, thanks to a modern fire alarm system and better special effects, everything was fine.

You may have seen Shakespeare himself onstage

In a busy theater company, everyone had to do their part. In smaller groups, actors would be called upon to work as stagehands, costume dressers, carpenters, and more. Even Shakespeare, at least in his early days with the Globe Theater, would step out onto the stage and play a role now and then.

Many sources seem to forget that Shakespeare was an actor as well as a playwright, says The Atlantic . That might be simply because actors were rarely high up in the hierarchies of Tudor and Stuart society. But Shakespeare was an actor for many years, apparently doing just fine in a world where the bad players got oranges and apples lobbed at them from the audience. He may not have drawn crowds like the comedic Will Kemp or leading man Richard Burbage, but Shakespeare the actor seems to have been respectable.

Maybe Shakespeare himself was a little reluctant to proclaim his past work as an actor after the critics got to him. Writer Robert Greene, a snobby Cambridge-educated man, played into the stereotype of a shady and unlearned actor in his pamphlet, Green's Groats-Worth of Wit . There, he called Shakespeare an "upstart crow" who "supposes he is as well able to bombast out blank verse as the best of you." Anyway, said Greene, he's not as good as the real artists who went to university. Ouch.

Theater Experience in Shakespeare's Lifetime

Contemporary theater was very different for audiences

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To fully appreciate Shakespeare, it's best to see his plays live on stage. It’s a sad fact that today we typically study Shakespeare's plays out of books and forego the live experience. It’s important to remember that the Bard was not writing for today’s literary readership, but for a live audience.

Shakespeare was not writing for just any live audience but was writing for the masses in Elizabethan England, many of whom couldn’t read or write. The theater was usually the only place the audiences to his plays would be exposed to fine, literary culture. To better understand Shakespeare's works, today's reader needs to go beyond the texts themselves to consider the context of these works: the details of the live theater experience during the Bard’s lifetime.

Theater Etiquette in Shakespeare’s Time

Visiting a theater and watching a play in Elizabethan times was very different from today, not just because of who was in the audience, but because of how people behaved. Theatergoers were not expected to be still and silent throughout the performance as modern audiences are. Instead, Elizabethan theater was the modern equivalent of a popular band concert. It was communal and even, at times, raucous, depending on the subject matter of a given performance.

The audience would eat, drink, and talk throughout the performance. Theaters were open air and used natural light. Without the advanced technology of artificial light, most plays were performed not in the evening, as they are today, but rather in the afternoon or during the daylight.

Furthermore, plays during that era used very little scenery and few, if any, props. The plays usually relied on language to set the scene.

Female Performers in Shakespeare’s Time

The laws for contemporary performances of Shakespeare’s plays banned women from acting. Female roles were thus played by young boys before their voices changed in puberty.

How Shakespeare Changed Perceptions of the Theater

Shakespeare saw the public’s attitude towards theater shift during his lifetime. Prior to his era, the theater in England was considered to be a disreputable pastime. It was frowned upon by Puritan authorities, who were worried that it might distract people from their religious teachings.

During the reign of Elizabeth I , theaters were still banned within the city walls of London (even though the Queen enjoyed the theater and frequently attended performances in person). But over time, the theater became more popular, and a thriving “entertainment” scene grew on Bankside, just outside the city walls. Bankside was considered to be a “den of iniquity” with its brothels, bear-baiting pits, and theaters. The place of theater in Shakespeare's time widely diverged from its perceived role today as high culture reserved for the educated, upper classes.

The Acting Profession During Shakespeare’s Time

Shakespeare’s contemporary theater companies were extremely busy. They would perform around six different plays each week, which could only be rehearsed a few times before the performance. There was no separate stage crew, as theater companies have today. Every actor and stagehand helped to make costumes, props, and scenery.

The Elizabethan acting profession worked on an apprentice system and therefore was strictly hierarchical. Playwrights themselves had to rise up through the ranks. Shareholders and general managers were in charge and profited the most from the company’s success.

Managers employed their actors, who became permanent members of the company. Boy apprentices were at the bottom of the hierarchy. They usually began their careers by acting in small roles or playing the female characters.

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• The Shakespeare Authorship Controversy Continues
• Discover the Mysterious Shakespeare Lost Years
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• A Complete List of Shakespeare’s Plays
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This page last updated on March 28, 2024

What To Expect During Your Visit To The Theatre

Valid now until july 1, 2022 .

Performances in our theatres are at full-capacity seating. Proof of vac ination is not required. Masks are   required   for entry to the Mirvish theatres until July 1, 2022.

Performances in our theatres are at full-capacity seating. Masks are optional for entry to the Mirvish theatres.

All Mirvish operated theatres are mask-friendly venues. While face coverings are not currently required in accordance with the latest public health regulations, Mirvish Productions supports a patron's option to wear a mask.

Concessions & Coat Check

Bars and concessions are open at all Mirvish theatres. Food and beverage may be consumed in the theatre lobbies and auditorium and p atrons may take all products that are sold in our lobby spaces to their seats.

Outside food and drinks are not permitted in the theatre.

Shakespeare's Globe

Guided Tours

• Shakespeare's Globe Story & Tour
• For Families
• Group Guided Tours
• Themed Guided Tours
• Walking Tours
• Swan Bar & Restaurant
• Sam Wanamaker Playhouse Tour
• Plan your visit

Our Guided Tours at Shakespeare’s Globe are an award-winning experience 400 years in the making.

From immersive history to chilling true crimes, and from family-friendly to Members’ exclusive, our fascinating range of guided tours offers something for all interests, ages and availability. Scroll down to find your unique adventure and information on how to visit us as a group or school .

Winner of Best Guided Tour at the 2024 London For Groups Awards.

SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE STORY & TOUR

Be transported back to Shakespeare’s London, discover the magic of stagecraft, and explore the iconic Globe Theatre itself as part of Shakespeare’s Globe Story & Tour .

In our brand-new, walk-through exhibition space, you’ll be immersed in the sights, sounds, and secrets of Shakespeare’s London, travelling through over 400 years of fascinating history.

FOR FAMILIES

Introduce younger visitors to Shakespeare’s London and the theatrical world he created on one of our Guided Tours aimed at families with children ages 7+. Plus, enhance your experience with one of our exciting live demonstrations.

Family Sword Fighting Demonstration

Ghosts & Ghouls Family Tour

Dressing Demonstration

Group guided tours.

Visiting London as a group, society or school? Celebrating a special occasion? Create an unforgettable theatre experience by visiting Shakespeare’s Globe!

Your group of up to 30 people can enjoy Shakespeare’s Globe Story & Tour  with a discounted ticket rate, plus take advantage of special dining options at Swan Bar & Restaurant .

THEMED GUIDED TOURS

Our special themed Guided Tours allow you to experience the magic of our wooden ‘O’ through different lenses, allowing you to dive deeper into Shakespeare’s history and plays.

Pride Guided Tour

Heaven to Hell Tour

The Comedy of Errors: Guided Tour

Much Ado About Nothing: Guided Tour

Richard III Guided Tour

The Taming of the Shrew: Guided Tour

Antony & Cleopatra: Guided Tour

Walking tours.

Step away from the Globe and let our expert Guides show you around Bankside and beyond, and learn about the intriguing, entertaining and surprising history of our local area.

Shakespeare's True Crimes Walking Tour

Twilight Walking Tour

Swan bar & restaurant.

Swan is set over two floors, with stunning views of the Thames and St Paul’s.

Explore the bar and restaurant opening times, read menus and familiarise yourself with Swan’s Covid policy online .

SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE TOUR

Opened in 2014, and named after the Globe’s founder, the  Sam Wanamaker Playhouse  explores the experiences of actors and audiences in indoor playhouses in contrast to the more expansive, public spaces of the open-air theatres like the Globe.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Everything you need to know to plan your visit to our Guided Tours .

Opening times, information about getting here, our recently-published Covid-19 safety measures, and more.

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Learn English Vocabulary: Going to the theatre

Test your understanding of this English lesson

42 comments.

We enjoy your lesson. Could you do the same lesson related to the cinema? Thank you very much.

Hi Gill, thank you for this highly interesting lesson, however, at this moment, unfortunately, for the rest part of the world, it is quite unnecessary. All the amenities (schools, museums, shops, theatres… ) are closed because of the coronavirus, all the streets are empty and scary. There is strict curfew here. That said, in two or three weeks, we could it need again. I hope so strongly. Adriana

Thank you so much, Gill. Take care CONVID-19

Hi Gill, many thanks for your lesson. It was very helpful, easy to understand, enjoyable and informative. I’ve learned new words and improved my pronunciation and did the quiz achieving a great 100% result.I’m sure that I will enjoy all your lessons. Would you be happy for me to suggest any new topics, please? Best regards

Hi Simona. Amazing photo!!! Let’s practice English together?

Thank you Gill!

IMO The Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow is the best theatre in the world. What do you think about it?

what makes you state that it is the best in the world? I just think that it will be good if you can back up your statement wiht few arguments and comparations and then I’ll be able to aggre or disagee and explain my rational :)

Hi Simona! Thank you for your reply. I made my state relied on memorial history ofThe Bolshoi Theatre and plenty of talented dancers famous around the world. One of them was Maya Plisetskaya. Her skills as a dancer changed the world of ballet. She set a higher standard for ballerinas, both in terms of technical brilliance and dramatic presence. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world. It is by far the world’s biggest ballet company, with more than 200 dancers. Have you ever been in Moscow? My Skype is radydin, you can write me and I will tell you more interesting about that theatre and about Moscow.

Very nice lesson!

Many thanks.. it was very enjoyable lesson to me because i like going to theatre very much , ana i’ve learned alots of new words .

i like going to theatre very much .. and i’ve learned alot of things about theatre ..thank very much

Very interesting lesson. Can I get access to real time english lessons, so I can have a conversation with english teachers?

Thanks Gill, good lesson!!, new vocabulary..It’s great! for continue practice english..

thank you Gill! QUIZ: the question six ,I find the meaning of “interlude” that also means has a rest in the play ,and maybe equal to “interval”, is it right? somebody who knows. thank you !

thanks for the lesson!! it was enjoyeble!! I work in a theater so was exciting take this lesson! thanks again

I would like to say this lesson really captivated me ,and the explanation more more attractive , It’s really haven’t see like this before it’s amazing !

I would like to say this lesson really captivated me ,and the explanation more more attractive , I really haven’t see like this before it’s amazing !

Thank you Gill

10 Gill you are really amazing

Thank you teacher!

Thank you teacher, for the lesson.

thanks you, it is very use for me.

great job Gill, thanks

Thank you!!

you explain the lesson very well. you are an extremely excellent teacher. you follow the good steps to reach your target.thanks a lot.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

One of the best lessons, I’ve got 10 of 10. Thanks Gill.

Thank you! Great job! I really appreciated it!

Thank you Gill, your lessons are very useful and your explications are very simple to understand. When will you do new video lessons?

thank you, a very interesting lesson

thank you very much . it was good lesson

I enjoy this lesson.amazing.I got it all.

I got full marks.

Hi Gill excellent as ever, God bless you

9/10 Thank you Jill, hugs. (Kazakhstan, 10 october2021); i benefit so much from your lessons

9/10 i benefit a lot, thanks for your effort

Thanks Gill.

Hi Teacher Gill, i have your lesson again, thank you so much

This teaching has been so helpful to me Thanks so much Ma Gill

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‘The Visit’: Theater Review

Lesley Manville gives a chillingly brilliant performance in Tony Kushner's grand, flawed adaptation of the Dürrenmatt play.

By David Benedict

David Benedict

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Director Jeremy Herrin’s extraordinary take on Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s 1956 play “ The Visit ” is less of a production and more of a show. A wordy one, to be sure, which is no surprise since it’s an adaptation by Tony Kushner that, including two intermissions, comes in at three-and-a-half hours. It’s never going to be described as fleet-footed, and there are undeniable longueurs, but with a 28-person cast, five musicians, 12 child acrobats, 16 supernumeraries and a 30-person choir, fascinatingly theatrical it most certainly is. And it’s topped off by a chillingly brilliant lead performance from Lesley Manville .

Rather like Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh,” but with more laughs, the first part of the play consists of the entire cast anxiously awaiting the arrival of the key character, in this case, the fierce and fabulously wealthy Claire Zachanassian (Manville). For the first time since she left as an adolescent 45 years ago, she’s returning to her fast-fading hometown of Slurry — in Kushner’s hands, we’re outside New York — which has not so much fallen on hard times as become bankrupt.

Her only real friend from her past, the family man Alfred Ill (the nicely shambling, but doughty, Hugo Weaving ) with whom she once had a secret, passionate affair, has been strong-armed by the mayor (Nicholas Woodeson, amusingly inept, but punchy) into heading the revved-up reception committee planning to greet her upon her arrival at the rickety train station. They’ll serenade, flatter and woo her into, what, filling the town’s coffers? Rebuilding it from the ground up?

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In the first in a succession of directorial triumphs from Herrin, his set designer Vicki Mortimer, lighting designer Paule Constable and sound designer Paul Arditti, we hear the screaming brakes and billowing clouds of steam as the (unseen) express train screams to a halt. And there, as the clouds part, is Manville’s Claire.

A dazzling cross between Eva Perón and Elaine Stritch, with a side order of Bette Davis, the glitteringly bitter Manville doesn’t so much walk the cavernous stage of the Olivier Theatre as stalk it. Backed up at every turn by her entourage of flunkies led by an erstwhile judge-turned-butler, plus her pretty-but-vacant seventh husband  — not to mention an ominously empty coffin — she is commanding in every sense.

Initially playing her cards close to her lavishly dressed chest (the exquisite costumes are by Moritz Junge), she holds not just the townsfolk in thrall, but the entire audience. Having quizzed everyone about the state of affairs, she declares she will be the town’s savior and donate a billion dollars. But universal rejoicing is stopped in its tracks by her announcement of a single terrifying condition: At the climax of the lengthy first act she demands justice. For her, justice is retribution of the worst possible kind, and she has Alfred in her crosshairs.

From that point onwards, it becomes clear that “The Visit” is more of a fable than a play. An eventful plot is replaced by a premise: How far will people go in pursuit of wealth and prosperity? In the second and third acts, everyone makes the right noises, but they’re simultaneously preparing for what they argue is the best and which we know is the worst. It’s like a reverse spin on “It’s A Wonderful Life,” with the town slowly weighing up Claire’s utterly extreme demand and allowing greed not just to thrive, but, possibly, to win.

Alongside the increasingly vivid dramatization of the implications of her demand, Kushner builds a few too many opportunities for himself to debate the ideas behind it all. As a result, he slows proceedings down with well-written but static disquisitions. Yet Manville gives her character an unimpeachable self-confidence, filling the auditorium with such voice and staring demeanor that audiences are carried along. And speaking of impeachment, is it any wonder that the play set in the ’50s about the lure of money and the selling of a place’s soul resonates so strongly now?

One of the night’s biggest surprises is a song between Manville and Weaving that pops up, seemingly out of nowhere. She drops her fire and frost, he relinquishes his anger and distress, and, in the context of the nightmare surrounding them and engulfing the town, their singing in the atmospheric woodlands of their youth is shockingly tender. This gear change, so late in the dark proceedings, really ought to not work. It’s a hallmark of the production’s winning self-confidence that it so manifestly does.

Herrin’s production expertly balances small-town detail with epic sweep, the division between the two punctuated by woozy ’50s jazz played live by a quintet, highlighted by Miles Davis-like muted trumpet. Mortimer’s multiple sets, suggestive and enhanced with piquant detail, rise up and drop down through the Olivier’s giant central turntable, constantly turning to change locations, while Constable’s lighting swings expertly from the ache of nostalgia to the viciously hard chill of the baldly and boldly staged finale, supposedly “live on TV.”

Beyond the two leads, it’s the very definition of an ensemble production. Sara Kestelman and Joseph Mydell make strong impressions as the elderly schoolteacher with a moral sense and the local minister who sees things similarly, but also rather likes the idea of his church bell being replaced.

It is by no means a flawless evening, but the sheer scale of the production, unimaginable outside of the massively resourced National Theatre , fills gaps in the dramatic writing. Once any desire for an eventful story has been parked, audiences are left to revel in the playing out of a grand idea in a theatrical style rarely seen today.

Olivier, National Theatre, London; 1,129 seats £89 top ($116). Opened, reviewed, Feb. 13, 2020. Closes May 13. Running time: 3 HOURS, 30 MIN.

• Production: A National Theatre presentation, originally commissioned by and produced in association with David Binder of a play in three acts based on the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt adapted by Tony Kushner.
• Crew: Directed by Jeremy Herrin. Sets, Vicki Mortimer; costumes, Moritz Junge; lighting, Paule Constable; movement, Aletta Collins, music, Paul Englishby; sound, Paul Arditti; production stage manager, Tariq Rifaat.
• Cast: Lesley Manville, Hugo Weaving, Troy Alexander, Charlotte Asprey, Jason Barbett, Sam Cox, Bethan Cullinane, Paul Dodds, Ian Drysdale, Richard Durden, Michael Elcock, Paul Gladwin, Mona Goodwin, Garrick Hagon, Liz Izen, Sara Kestelman, Joshua Lacey, Simon Markey, Louis Martin, Kevin Mathurin, Alex Mugnaioni, Joseph Mydell, Stuart Nunn, Simon Startin, Tony Turner, Douglas Walker, Flo Wilson, Nicholas Woodeson.

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Behold this magnificent venue

Have you ever wondered how many light bulbs are in each chandelier in the Grand Lobby? How has the seating capacity changed over the years? What event attracted the biggest crowds? Which Broadway show brought 12 semi-trucks full of scenery, sets, and costumes? Learn these details and more about the history, performances, and complete renovation of the Official State Theatre of Tennessee. You’ll go to areas not usually open to the public and walk away with a better understanding and appreciation for this architectural and cultural gem. 

Check back soon for updates about our summer tour schedule, or request a private tour for your group.

Minimum of 10 participants required. Advance reservations are required and will be confirmed no earlier than one month out.

• School tours and field trips

Are you interested in helping to lead our tours and open houses? Sign up to be a Tennessee Theatre docent!

Your Complete Guide To Visiting The Shakespeare Globe Theatre, London

Things to do in London London Attractions Landmarks in London Shakespeare Globe Theatre Tours & Tickets

Get ready to witness the greatest of Shakespeare's plays at Shakespeare's Globe including Much Ado About Nothing , Henry VIII , The Tempest , Julius Caesar , and King Lear. A new play about Joan of Arc called I, Joan will also be staged at Shakespeare's Globe in summer 2022. Watch the bard's greatest works the way they were intended to be watched in the majestic wooden 'O'.

Shakespeare Globe Theatre London - In a Nutshell

Opening hours.

Monday to Friday: 11 AM - 6 PM Saturdays: 10 AM - 6 PM Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM

Know before you go

Best time to visit: June - August Starting Prices for Shakespeare Globe Theatre London Tickets cost £30 for an adult Suggested duration: Most plays are about 1 hour duration Location: London

21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT, United Kingdom Just a 3-minute walk from the Millennium Bridge. Get there

Book Shakespeare Globe tickets and save £7 using promo code GOLDN

Where can I buy London Shakespeare Globe Theatre Tickets?

You can purchase Shakespeare Globe Tickets online and skip the hassle of waiting in queues at the ticket counter. Once you complete purchasing the Shakespeare Globe Tickets, you will receive your tickets via email. This ticket must be printed and presented at the counter for entry. Unfortunately, e-tickets are not accepted here.

Plays at Shakespeare Globe Theatre

Check out the plays currently running at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre and grab your tickets before they sell out!

Shakespeare Globe Theatre Tour Deconstructed

• The Shakespeare Globe Theatre is the ultimate ode to Shakespeare and his body of work. A perfect tour for literary and theatre enthusiasts, a visit to the theatre offers a fascinating peek into the history of English Theatre.
• The theatre is an authentic replica of the original Globe, right down to the materials used and the architecture. The building uses just wood and plaster and is closest to the historical description and archaeological remains of the old structure.
• Learn about Elizabethan Theatre and how plays were performed in the 16th century in the open-air theatre. From the creation of sound effects to the costumes and makeup, the tour offers an insight into the working of theatre.
• Discover objects, costumes, documents and other unique artefacts related to Shakespeare and the Globe in the exhibition, which is the largest exhibition dedicated to Shakespeare.

Shakespeare Globe Theatre London History

The 16th century was a dark period for theatre as it was associated with pleasures of the lowly classes. Yet, it didn’t stop the people from creating their own spaces for plays across the River Thames, outside the City walls. In 1599, Shakespeare’s play company ‘Lord Chamberlain’s Men’ built the Globe Theatre, which was burned down in a fire. The company resurrected the theatre in the same location but had to be destroyed by the Puritan government in 1642.

In 1997, Sam Wanamaker worked against the odds and replicated the Theatre in Southwark about 230 metres away from the original Globe Theatre. Today, it is a living shrine dedicated to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre history and continues to perform Shakespeare’s best plays!

Plan Your Visit

• The schedule varies on the performances and plays held in the theatre.
• However the general timings are from 11 AM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday .
• On the weekends the theatre opens at 10 AM and closes at 6 PM on Saturdays and 5 PM on Sundays .

Getting to Shakespeare Globe Theatre

By Train and Underground

Closest Underground Stations to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre - Mansion House (District & Circle Lines), Southwark (Jubilee Line), London Bridge (Northern & Jubilee Lines), and St Paul’s (Central Line)

Closest Overground Station to the Shakespeare Globe London - Cannon Street, Waterloo and London Bridge

The closest bus station is the Southwark Street stop, however these other stops are convenient and within 0.5 miles of the theatre.

• 381 to Southwark Street
• 45, 63, 100 to Blackfriars Bridge
• 15, 17 to Cannon Street
• 11, 15, 17, 23, 26, 76 to Mansion House
• 344 to Southwark Bridge Road
• RV1 to Sumner Street

By Boat Bankside Pier located near Southwark Bridge is just 10 metres from Shakespeare’s Globe, and has services every 20 minutes until late night. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is available at 24 piers throughout London. They are accessible via prams, wheelchair and mobility scooters except for the London Bridge, Wandsworth Riverside Quarter and Cadogan piers. Book online to save your time and dime!

• Those with a blue disability card can access the limited parkings at the New Globe Walk.
• There is an NCP car park on Thames Exchange just a 10 minute walk away from the theatre

Best Time to Visit Shakespeare Globe Theatre

The warm weather and longer days make summer - June to August the best time to visit the Globe Theatre. You can enjoy outdoor performances of Shakespeare's plays, as well as other live entertainment. The theatre is also a great place to explore on a sunny day, with its thatched roof and open-air design. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, autumn - September to November is a great time to visit the Globe Theatre. The weather is still pleasant and you can avoid the crowds that flock to the city in summer. You can also take advantage of the many Halloween events and activities that take place in London at this time of year.

Shakespeare Globe Theatre: Map

Get Directions on Google Map

Insider Tips for Visiting the Shakespeare Globe Theatre

• Since the Shakespeare Globe Theatre is a working theatre, you cannot enter without a ticket to the tour or a ticket to a show. Hence, it is a great idea to purchase tickets to the tour to experience it at any time of the year.
• The Shakespeare Globe Exhibition is access friendly and has wheelchair and lift access to all parts of the exhibition and tour. There are audio guide headphones, printed transcripts, and Braille panels all over the exhibition. There is also a dedicated Access Helpline and Desk for further assistance.
• Time your visit so you can enjoy the Afternoon Tea at Swan, the in-house restaurant at the Globe. The tea menu is inspired by Shakespeare’s popular play A Midsummer’s Night Dream
• Don’t forget to stop at the gift shop, literature enthusiasts will find a lot of quirky souvenirs and Shakespeare merchandise.
• If you are visiting the theatre only for the exhibition and tour then go early, preferably for the 9:30 AM tour as you can avoid the theatre crowds.

FAQs: Shakespeare Globe Theatre, London

Is the globe theatre in london the original from shakespeare time.

We think that the first Shakespeare play to be performed at the original Globe was Julius Caesar, in 1599. Other playwrights wrote for the Globe too, including Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker and John Fletcher. The Globe Theatre you see today in London is the third Globe.

What Shakespeare plays were performed in the Globe Theatre?

What plays were performed at the Globe? Probably the first Shakespeare play to be performed at the Globe was  Julius Caesar , in 1599. Some other Shakespeare plays first performed there are: As You Like It; Hamlet; Measure for Measure; Othello; King Lear; Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra.

Where was Shakespeare's Globe Theatre?

What was special about shakespeare's globe theatre.

The first Globe, based on the skeleton of the original Theatre of 1576, was unique not just as the most famous example of that peculiar and short-lived form of theatre design but because it was actually the first to be built specifically for an existing acting company and financed by the company itself.

Why is Shakespeare's theatre called the Globe?

By May 1599, the new theatre was ready to be opened. Burbage named it the Globe after the figure of Hercules carrying the globe on his back - for in like manner the actors carried the Globe's framework on their backs across the Thames.

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The Visit Broadway Reviews

Reviews of The Visit on Broadway. See what all the critics had to say and see all the ratings for The Visit including the New York Times and More...

Critics' Reviews

Review: 'The Visit' on Broadway is chillingly good

Trust a John Kander-Fred Ebb musical to make the sunny color of vitality and youth positively menacing...[Kander's] music is wonderfully complicated; some are fully fleshed out numbers and others seductive sketches that pull you in...Hould-Ward...has a surreal retinue of three men in tuxes and black hats who wear sunglasses, caked-on makeup and extravagant yellow shoes. They sing in falsettos and are utterly chilling...Rivera is as elegantly regal, funny and sly as always. Her billionaire is haughty and irritable but there's simply no denying her...'The Visit' is sophisticated and beautiful and yet has that typical glorious chilling view of man that you expect from a Kander and Ebb show.

'The Visit': Theater Review

It's an arresting vehicle for the indomitable Chita Rivera...she remains a uniquely steely stage presence at 82 -- graceful, dignified and commanding...The dramatic weak point is Anton. While Rees is a fine, sensitive actor, there's something unsatisfying about the way his role is drawn...Doyle and company access the mordant absurdist humor of Durrenmatt's work, but the chilling social and political critique...is diluted in the streamlined show...The big issue is one of repetitiveness, as McNally treads similar ground from character to character, without much complexity...Even Kander's score, with its lethargic but insistent Kurt Weill-style oom-pah circus rhythms, has a sameness at times...One of the production's rewards is the thrilling choral singing and exquisitely textured harmonies. But unquestionably, the reason to see The Visit, even with its flaws, is the star, whose brittle vocals cut like ice.

'The Visit' review: Chita Rivera in a stunning show

'The Visit' is a haunting, haunted knot of Expressionist storytelling, a masterly 100-minute powerhouse with liltingly gruesome songs that create their own macabre world unlike anything onstage in recent memory. This will not be everyone's idea of a night on the town. But Rivera, an astonishing 82, is riveting as the mysterious, vengeful grand dame...Roger Rees is shattering, brimming with hapless vanity, as the pathetic shopkeeper who broke her heart so many years ago. Under John Doyle's taut, unflinching and strangely enchanting direction...the chamber work has the feel of a dark European fable -- albeit one with timeless theatricality. The music is woozy with disturbing dance rhythms, dripping with music-box sarcasm...Then there is Rivera, with her steely, gravelly voice and the resolve of a character who says, 'I am unkillable.' We dare you to take your eyes off her.

Kander & Ebb’s ‘The Visit’ And D’Amour’s ‘Airline Highway’ Send Broadway Into Tony Season On A Dark Note – Review

...the show has deepened greatly since that first preview, resulting in a genuinely disturbing show that also will satisfy fans of Rivera, who at 82 can still belt it out to the far reaches of the balcony...Rivera is an incomparable trouper but I must admit her vocal charms are lost on me. The greater disappointment, however, is Rees, whose singing is simply painful to endure. His Anton is a small, broken man...Kander's music has never stopped evolving in its beauty, complexity and breadth, and the melodies here get under your skin even if the lyrics are not up to Ebb's best. McNally's compressed book does the job elegantly.

Broadway Review: ‘The Visit’ Starring Chita Rivera

The show is more literary piece than conventional musical. But it has a dark, sinister beauty -- and who could resist a visit from Chita?...And what a commanding figure she strikes...Like the play, McNally's musical treatment of the central dilemma doesn't add much tension to what seems a foregone conclusion. And, like the play, it begins well and ends well, but sags in the middle. The real problem, it seems, is the inadequacy of Anton's soul-searching about his own guilt. Rees looks very much like someone who's going through hell, and he expresses it well in 'Fear.' But this morally shabby character hasn't got an ethical leg to stand on. Kander just can't help himself. Even in what may well be his darkest work, he writes beautiful romantic melodies.

Chita rises again in 'The Visit'

The excellent Roger Rees gives a nuanced, moving performance as the older Anton, and John Riddle embodies masculine grace playing him as a young man. But as Riddle and Veintimilla watch and shadow the more mature stars -- dancing and sometimes singing -- the mood becomes one of melancholy longing, bordering on melodrama. This seems at odds with the Brechtian vibe established by the severe-looking townsfolk surrounding them...In 100 minutes, Doyle thoughtfully touches on a range of subjects: mortality, bigotry, greed, revenge, regret...Ultimately, the show's most valuable asset is Rivera. Walking with a cane, the 82-year-old powerhouse expertly conveys her character's fragility and acerbic wit. Yet even while playing a woman who has been broken by bitterness, Rivera can't help but be a transcendent force. Her presence alone makes The Visit worth the trip.

‘The Visit’ Review: As Long as the Lady is Paying…

'The Visit' is a cynical tragicomedy whose score is as gorgeous as its heart is hard...Kander's soaring, waltz-scented love songs are harmonized in an off-center manner subtly suggestive of dirty work at the crossroads...As for Ms. Rivera, who sounds like a cross between Hermione Gingold and Rex Harrison and is made up to resemble a walking mummy, she's all too terrifyingly believable as Claire...Mr. Rees, by contrast, is rather too ingratiating, and Mr. McNally's jokey book softens the impact of the play...But 'The Visit' is horrifically potent in every other way...'The Visit' isn't for everyone. But Mr. Kander and his late, lamented partner never wrote a finer score, and...you'll thrill to their cruel tale of what men who dare to call themselves decent will do to one another if the price is right.

Chita Rivera Pays an Eerie "Visit" to Broadway

Never trust a woman who travels with her own coffin. That's one big takeaway from 'The Visit,' the thought-provoking and -- there's no other word for the experience -- bizarre musical...Rivera is provocative as Claire. The venerable actress is on stage for most of the production, and gets in a few chorus line kicks here and there...The two-time Tony winner has an entrance, in billowy white fur coat and hat, that's as thrilling as you'd want it to be...Rivera is solid, but it's the melancholy and soulfulness in Rees's performance that holds back 'The Visit' from any risk of sliding into a parody of itself...Do everything in your powers to avoid having the ending spoiled.

'The Visit': Chita Rivera stars in Broadway musical about revenge

Watching Rees and Rivera...On Broadway, it feels far sadder and more plaintive, and perhaps a commentary on Europe's less than stellar record with outsiders. Most of all, though, 'The Visit' now feels to be about the pain of growing older and, however rich we may or may not have grown, our inability to assuage our past mistakes, or even stop the demons that thud in our chests...It remains a weird musical, of course...Rivera is older now, and thus her Claire's determination for finality, her lack of any fear of anyone's death, makes more sense, especially when surrounded by Rees' cagey sadness (his performance is so complex and credible, it unlocks much previously hidden). Doyle, as one might expect from his past work, eschews literal staging. That works for this piece, aside from a few too many swings of a coffin.

Chita Rivera gets her diva Broadway return in ‘The Visit’

It's Chita Rivera's world: We just live in it. This works out very well for the Kander and Ebb musical 'The Visit,' in which the charismatic star plays a billionairess who buys her hometown...It being by John Kander and the late Fred Ebb...delights in uncovering greed, hypocrisy and the perversion of justice. Admittedly, this isn't their strongest score...The ensemble is impeccable, save for Rees, who looked visibly uncomfortable at a recent performance and whose singing is serviceable at best. But 'The Visit' is Claire, and Rivera...'I'm unkillable,' Claire says. And you may find yourself wishing Rivera could also go on forever.

Theater Reviews: Airline Highway and The Visit

...the version that has now arrived at the Lyceum represents not only a triumph of persistence but a distillation of many years' worth of theatrical savvy. It is as lean and as sere as a skeleton...Doyle is expert at stripping away the surface decoration and audience sops that can detract from the seriousness of the form...With The Visit, this creates a certain tension, though. You have, on one hand, the unimpeachably cold -- almost terrifying -- production design...On the other hand, you have Rivera, whom everyone adores and hopes to see succeed in a challenging role at age 82. This a tension that's useful, at least insofar as it puts the audience in sympathy with the devil...The songs, too, pull in two directions...The better the songs are, the weirder the show gets...Alienation and gregariousness make strange co-stars, but then so did Kander and Ebb. What a joy to have them back on Broadway and to think that, even half-dead, they're unkillable.

‘The Visit’ Theater Review: Chita Rivera and Roger Rees Perform a Gripping Dance of Death

Claire is Durrenmatt's vengeful god, out to make life a living hell for the townspeople who done her wrong long ago...The billionaire Claire is anything but a dame or a broad and she's certainly no Broadway gypsy. Which is what gives Rivera's performance such resonance and power: She's cast way against type, and at age 82 she exposes a facet of her stage persona never seen before. Amazing! Rivera is well matched by Rees...Rees's Anton gets it coming and going. Rees doesn't possess a good singing voice...His acting, though, carries the performance.

Review: Chita Rivera Stars in Kander and Ebb’s ‘The Visit’

...despite a score that at its best has the flavor of darkest chocolate...'The Visit' only rarely shakes off a stasis that suggests a carefully carved mausoleum frieze. Nor does the show ever quite make peace between its uneasily twinned strands of merciless cynicism and a softer sentimentality...The show's cynical and morbid components are more persuasive, if a tad monotonous...That 'The Visit' still holds the attention has much to do with Ms. Rivera's command of the stage and her ability to find a concerto of feelings in what might have been a single-note role...Her singing voice, sharp-edged and resonant, is identifiably that of the original Anita in 'West Side Story' but invested with an authoritative, all-knowing world-weariness.

'The Visit' theater review

Although it makes for a provocative thriller, the score is weak, dreary and derivative of Kander and Ebb's earlier work. Considering how Rivera and Rees are limited vocally, it may sound better with stronger singers. Doyle's streamlined and ultra-stylized production...is visually striking, but perhaps too ghoulish for its own good -- to the point of being excessively creepy and gloomy. Take, for instance, the two blind eunuchs who follow Clara around, wear clown makeup and speak in falsetto. Rivera, unquestionably a Broadway treasure, has the star quality and grand composure to play the diva-like Claire. By comparison, Rees portrays Anton as a sad, broken man, all too willing to meet his dismal fate.

Chita Rivera stars in the Kander and Ebb musical 'The Visit' on Broadway

The work is both recognizable Kander and Ebb style and a departure and is the last they created together...it comes across as something of a morality play or fable. Its book by Terrence McNally relies on symbolism and ideas more than multifaceted characters. Director John Doyle's staging and the music both call to mind a contemporary oratorio, with the company facing front for much of the staging and a score that pulls in dissonance, percussive noise and intricate textures. The form is fascinating, as are the central issues and the strangeness of the piece...But the book and lyrics can be blunt and redundant...As Claire...Rivera...savors her dry punch lines. Still, at this stage in her venerable career, she's mostly speak-singing, even when there's an appealingly eerie chorus of her countertenor eunuchs to back her. Roger Rees telegraphs excitement in his scenes with her, and we feel the weight on him as he considers his possibilities.

The Visit review – vengeful Chita Rivera sharpens Kander and Ebb’s dark vision

The pleasure in her performance and in Rees's and of Jason Danieley in the small role of the schoolmaster eclipse the blurriness of the story The Visit wants to tell. But only for a while. Though the show runs only 100 minutes, there's surely room for more plot and more emotional arc than it provides. And despite the omnipresence of a young Anton and a young Claire, sighing and swaying and occasionally screwing in the background, it can't really sell itself as a swoony weepie, however nice the ballads, particularly as it's in the more macabre numbers - 'Yellow Shoes', 'I Will Never Leave You' - that the tone seems most confident. However fine the songs and the set, it may not be visiting Broadway very long.

‘The Visit’ review: Chita Rivera stars in shoulda-been-better Kander and Ebb musical of revenge

Revenge is a dish served tepid in 'The Visit.' The warmth hobbles this stark musical fable by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally. With this team, the show is certainly worthwhile. But it could really send shivers -- and doesn't. 'The Visit' pulls its punches...The score echoes earlier rhythms and melodies of Kander and Ebb and provides an evocative backdrop. Rivera's husky voice and high-watt charisma go a long way here. And it would have worked even better if director John Doyle's staging was less polite. Scott Pask's skeletal set and Ann Hould-Ward's raggedy clothes scream decay. But the performances don't go there...Wildcat? No. Claire and 'The Visit' are too domesticated for their own good.

The version now on Broadway is the same I caught last summer at Williamstown Theatre Festival, and it remains fascinating and alluring, if finally repetitive and frustrating...studded with Kander & Ebb's Weill-and-vamp song stylings (however sleek and insinuating), it becomes a musical where the numbers retard the forward motion, which is, anyway, linear and predicable: Claire will have her revenge, and corruptible society will help her. Great acting wouldn't turn the mismatch into a great musical, but it also wouldn't hurt: Rivera, of course, is naturally commanding and regal, but a better dramatic actor would squeeze more mileage from Claire's mix of sadism and self-pity. Rees does well playing Schell as a husk of a man, but his Rex Harrison school of speak-singing drains power from the songs.

Aisle View: The Final Visit

What remains--from my seat on the aisle, anyway--is non-gripping, non-chilling and non-savage; a toothless shell of the Dürrenmatt, with the bite removed. We do get four characteristically interesting Kander & Ebb songs ('I Walk Away,' 'You, You, You,' 'I Will Never Leave You,' 'Love and Love Again'), and the 82-year-old Chita in what could well be her final Broadway musical. Not enough. An interesting show, to be sure; but in this crowded April, with at least ten intriguing new productions on view, I wonder whether this Visit is quite worth the visit.

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A VISIT TO THE THEATRE IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME

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27 August 2014

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A great worksheet for independent study/homework.

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My Visit to the Theatre

Have you ever been to the theatre? Tell about your last visit, will you?

Two years ago I was in Kyiv and my aunt took me to the theatre. It was a comedy but unfortunately I don’t  remember the title.

We didn’t buy tickets beforehand but bought them in the box office  right before the performance.

The show started at 7 p.m. When we entered the foyer  we saw that it was not very big. We left our coats in the cloakroom.

Then we showed our tickets to the usher and entered the theatre hall.

It wasn’t difficult to find our seats. I was disappointed that our seats were quite far from the stage.

When the curtain went up we saw the colorful scenery on the stage.

That was a fantastic performance! I couldn’t take my eyes from the stage.

I enjoyed the acting and the colorful costumes. I think the play was worth seeing.

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The Visit review – Tony Kushner's plodding revenge epic falls flat

Olivier theatre, London Lesley Manville excels as the billionaire returning to her small town but even she can’t save this bloated adaptation

T he Visit (or The Old Lady Comes to Call) is a 1956 tragicomedy that has shades of ancient Greek drama alongside its laughter. A billionaire visits her hometown, 45 years after leaving, to settle old scores with a former beau who served her a grievous injustice. Claire is both a prodigal daughter, returning with riches, and an avenging Greek fury who offers the down-at-heel town a transformation of its fortunes in exchange for her murderous revenge.

Tony Kushner’s adaptation transposes the original setting of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s play from central Europe to an American backwater, aptly called Slurry, which is reminiscent of the tumbleweed landscapes from a Coen brothers film in its evocative opening scene at a decrepit railway station.

Lesley Manville, as Claire, is inspired casting: she excels at the role of the charming villain and prototype feminist avenger, channelling Bette Davis in her haughty disdain, 1950s glamour and acerbic one-liners: “You look like you’ve swallowed a hatbox,” she tells one townswoman who is dressed up.

Jeremy Herrin’s production pulls out all the stops in its scale and aesthetics: Vicki Mortimer’s design is lavish with exquisite, atmospheric sets, from romantically lit woodland to a cemetery. The cast is large – including a 30-strong choir – and their poised, choreographed movements give the production a sense of a musical without the song and dance.

In Kushner’s hands, however, Dürrenmatt’s brisk script mushrooms into a production that is almost four hours long with two intervals. It takes on a portentousness and the overall effect is of slow, soporific drama that lacks chemistry in its cast.

Perhaps because of its length and plodding pace, it fails to conjure the tautness that is vital to make the story work. Claire’s former lover, Alfred Ill, is played by Hugo Weaving as an unremarkable man in the throes of rising panic. Weaving’s performance feels bland and cannot match Manville’s; he leaves us feeling little for Alfred though he speaks repeatedly of his terror as the town shows signs of its murderous mob mentality. This aspect of the play has shadows of Shirley Jackson’s iconic New Yorker story The Lottery , written less than a decade before Dürrenmatt’s play, but again we feel no building tension.

There is gentle humour and some kookiness but the play tends to flag whenever Manville is not on stage. “Nothing could harm this comedy with a tragic end more than heavy seriousness,” wrote Dürrenmatt in the postscript to his play. This adaptation, for all its grandness, feels crushingly heavy by the end.

On the National theatre’s Olivier stage until 13 May .

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Eva Noblezada and Jeremy Jordan arriving at "The Great Gatsby."

Broadway just got busy. Really busy.

Seven musicals and five plays opened in just nine days, scrambling to beat an April 25 deadline to qualify for this year’s Tony Awards.

We sent a reporter and a photographer to chronicle the crush of openings.

Even at a challenging time for a pandemic-weakened industry, they found razzle-dazzle.

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Broadway Opened 12 Shows in 9 Days. Here’s What That Looked Like.

It’s a challenging time for the theater industry, but as the Tonys deadline approached each new show had reason to pause for a moment and celebrate.

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By Michael Paulson

Photographs by Landon Nordeman

Reporting from dressing rooms, red carpets, after-parties, a backstage ball-toss and a cherished robing ritual, all over Broadway.

Broadway is in the midst of a rolling celebration — of artistic expression, of audience enthusiasm, of song and dance and storytelling itself.

The overlapping runs constitute a risky bet by producers and investors, who have staked tens of millions of dollars on their ability to sell seats. Even in the best of times, most Broadway shows fail, and these are not the best of times: Production costs have soared, and season-to-date attendance is 18 percent below prepandemic levels.

But the shakeout comes later. First: fanfare and flowers, ovations and optimism.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

Easing on down the road … to Broadway

A revival of a 1975 musical that reimagines “The Wizard of Oz” for an all-Black cast.

Of course “The Wiz” was going to have a yellow carpet. The show’s recurring song is “Ease on Down the Road,” and that road is the yellow brick one — the path to Oz, but also, to self-discovery.

So there, on a rainy Wednesday evening, was a 100-foot stretch of yellowness in a breezeway outside the Marquis Theater.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and the rapper Common smiled for the cameras, as did the original Wiz, André De Shields ; Dee Dee Bridgewater, who won a 1975 Tony as the good witch Glinda; and Stephanie Mills, who played Dorothy.

“I was a young girl — I was 17 — and I could have never thought that the show would last this long,” said Mills, now 67. And why does she think the story endures ? “Everyone needs courage, everyone needs a heart, and everyone needs brains to get through this world.”

Thursday, April 18

A treasured tradition to celebrate ensemble members

A musical about the fight for women’s right to vote in early 20th-century America.

One of the quirkiest traditions on Broadway is the Legacy Robe , an opening-night, musicals-only ceremony in which the chorus member who has worked in the most Broadway choruses dons a patchwork robe with appliqués from other musicals, circles the stage counterclockwise three times, and then visits dressing rooms to bestow a blessing. It’s one of the rare Broadway ceremonies that celebrates ensemble members, and it’s treasured.

So two hours before curtain, the “Suffs” cast and crew gathered onstage at the Music Box Theater to holler as Kirsten Scott, a swing in the company, received the robe in recognition of her five ensemble roles on Broadway.

Scott, teary and giddy, accepted the robe from Judith Franklin of “The Wiz,” who had received it just the night before (the garment passes from show to show as each new one opens). Scott raced around the stage as the cast, crew and the show’s creators (including its writer and star, Shaina Taub ) touched the robe seeking good luck. Then, Scott rounded the dressing rooms, returned to the stage, and stretched out her arms as she gazed across the empty theater and offered a prayer.

“Let us be here for a very long time,” she said. “Theater gods, smile upon us.”

Friday, April 19

‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’

Stepping out to an ’80s beat (Walkman not included)

A musical comedy, set in 1987, about love, family and cardboard manufacturing, powered by the songs of Huey Lewis and the News.

Pity the red carpet. Once the ubiquitous sign of an opening, now timeworn and ready for a refresh.

After “The Wiz” went with yellow and “Suffs” with purple ( for suffrage ), “The Heart of Rock and Roll” went with hot pink, a homage to fashion of the 1980s, when Huey Lewis and the News had its run of hits. The show leans hard into ’80s-core, with neon colors and aerobics and the Walkman.

The pink carpet, along with the celebrity guests (Cyndi Lauper, Ben Vereen), the curtain speeches and the after-party (at the Hard Rock Cafe, natch), was held three days before the show’s official opening (April 22) to avoid conflicting with the first night of Passover (also April 22).

Lewis, whose songs make up the score of the musical, arrived at the James Earl Jones Theater well before showtime, rocking a burgundy suit, hanging with his friend Jimmy Kimmel and signing autographs for fans.

“It feels great to have the songs have this other life that I never considered,” Lewis said, “and to see them all reimagined — I learn things about myself I didn’t even know.”

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

‘Stereophonic’

‘I don’t know how this happened’

A behind-the-music play, set in California in the 1970s, about a fictional band making an album.

“Stereophonic” isn’t a musical. It’s a play. With music.

But music is the play’s subject, and it features original songs, performed by the cast , and written by Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire.

So on opening night, the invited audience was treated to an encore of sorts — an original song played by the cast, joined by Butler, on the stage of the John Golden Theater, which now features a remarkable facsimile of a recording studio.

The playwright, David Adjmi , who has long labored in the nonprofit theater world, found himself a bit overwhelmed at having arrived on Broadway with a play he had been developing for about a decade .

“Hello?” Adjmi said as he haltingly accepted the microphone at the opening night curtain call. “Oh boy. I’m a playwright, and we don’t like getting on stages, but I’m going to do this, because this is such a profound moment for me.”

He noted that, for a time, he had considered giving up on playwriting, and he marveled at the moment — his play, with no major stars, minimal action, and a single set, is now a leading contender for the best play Tony Award. “I was so scared to do a commercial production,” he said as the crowd cheered encouragement, “because I am not a commercial guy, and I don’t know how this happened.”

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

‘Hell’s Kitchen’

‘Finally here’

A musical from Alicia Keys — it uses her songs and is loosely based on her life — about a 17-year-old girl growing up in Manhattan, finding her voice as an artist.

Alicia Keys has been developing “Hell’s Kitchen” for 13 years, so when she finally got her Broadway opening, she pulled out all the stops. Guests included Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. A prop piano sat on the carpet (this one was blue) and bucket drummers performed at the Pier 60 after-party where Keys’s husband, Swizz Beatz, D.J.ed and their youngest son, Genesis, danced.

“We’re finally here!” Keys said outside the Shubert Theater, feeling all the feels.

“I feel grateful. I feel blessed. I feel excited. I feel triumphant. I feel like dreams are possible. Man, what-what! I feel enchanted disbelief. That’s how I feel.”

Among those posing for pictures with Keys was Linda Aziza Miller, who was one of Keys’s early piano teachers, and who is now making her Broadway debut playing in the “Hell’s Kitchen” band. “I came out of retirement when Alicia called me,” Miller said. “I said, ‘Alicia, I’m retired!’ She said, ‘You need to come and do this.’ So here I am.”

At its core, “Hell’s Kitchen” is a mother-daughter story — filled with tension, but redeemed by love — and Keys closed by addressing her own mother, who was in the audience. “Every sacrifice that she ever made, and every dream she ever had is here tonight,” Keys said. “I love you, Mommy.”

Sunday, April 21

Willkommen!

A revival of the 1966 musical, set in Berlin in 1929 and 1930, about the community in and around a seedy nightclub as the Nazi party accumulated power.

“Cabaret” is one of the season’s biggest productions — costly, because the producers remade the August Wilson Theater into the Kit Kat Club where the show is set, and starry, with Eddie Redmayne as that club’s impresario. The opening was so big it was spread across two nights — with two red carpets, two groups of celebrity attendees, and two after-parties.

Both Redmayne and his co-star Gayle Rankin, who is playing the nightclub performer Sally Bowles, have histories with the musical — he had performed the same role as a student, and she played smaller roles in a revival a decade ago.

“Who gets this chance, 10 years apart, to mark your own growth as an artist and as a person?” she asked while walking the show’s second carpet. “It’s going to take me a long time to process. But it’s the biggest privilege of my life.”

And why do theater makers keep returning to this musical? “It’s deeply entertaining,” she said, “and it shakes us awake.”

‘Mary Jane’

Party first, then the (actual) opening night

A play about a single mother caring for a small child disabled by cerebral palsy and other disorders.

This year’s string of opening nights was shaped not only by congestion — there were three days featuring two scheduled openings, which is not ideal, because each show wants its own moment in the sun — but also by another complication: Passover came unusually late, during the Broadway season’s closing days. So some shows moved their start times or their party dates to minimize overlap and to avoid the first two nights of Passover, which is when Seders are held.

That’s how “Mary Jane,” which stars Rachel McAdams , wound up having its party and celebratory performance on a Sunday night, even though it was opening on a Tuesday night.

And what is a non-celebratory opening night? It’s a regular performance, with a paying audience (attendees at celebratory opening nights are often invited guests); the only distinguishing feature is it’s the night that press embargoes lift and reviews are published. At the Samuel J. Friedman Theater, where “Mary Jane” is running, the official opening was just like any other performance, but for one unsettling moment, when a woman in the audience shouted at the stage, “I love you, Rachel McAdams.” Unsettling, because unruly audience members can get out of hand — earlier this month, a woman was ejected after grabbing Eddie Redmayne’s skirt at “Cabaret.”

Happily, the disruption was fleeting, and McAdams, who an hour later would get positive reviews for her performance , stayed in character and kept going.

MONDAY, April 22

Before curtain time, it’s game time

A play about an oligarch’s role in the rise of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the businessman’s mysterious death after falling out with the autocratic leader.

“Patriots” is a high-octane ride through a portentous historical episode, and to get ready for that journey, the play’s company has developed an unusual warm-up: Before each show, they play a backstage game with a Koosh ball.

The play, a late addition to the season, opted for a rare Monday matinee as its opening performance. So after the unorthodox warm-up at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, the cast walked a red carpet (on-brand, given the color’s prominence in Russian culture), followed by a number of actors from the casts of Broadway shows (here’s looking at you, Sarah Paulson) who were able to see a play without missing their own.

Also on the red carpet: Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive of Netflix, which is making its Broadway debut as a producing entity with “Patriots.” “One of the things I learned from Norman Lear early, early on: I said, ‘What was your secret sauce back then, when you dominated television?’ and he goes, ‘I knew Broadway. I knew Broadway actors. I knew Broadway writers. And no one else did.’ That always rang in my head.”

Netflix has another reason for supporting “Patriots” — the playwright, Peter Morgan , created “The Crown,” one of the streamer’s biggest successes. Netflix is already seeking to develop “Patriots” for the screen.

Morgan noted ruefully “a sad currency to this play,” which he had written several years ago, but which is being staged in New York following the death in February of Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny. “It’s just become more urgent and more timely,” Morgan said.

But Morgan, who also wrote “The Audience” and “Frost/Nixon,” said he worries about the economic viability of plays on Broadway. “I just hope plays like this can survive,” he said.

WEDNESDAY, April 24

‘Uncle Vanya’

‘You can’t hide anything’

A revival of the 19th-century Russian play about a family whose equanimity is upset when an elderly professor and his young wife come to visit their farm.

Chekhov’s classic drama first arrived on Broadway in 1923, and has been revived 10 times since, including this current production, with a new, idiomatically contemporary translation by Heidi Schreck .

The “Uncle Vanya” opening, at Lincoln Center Theater, was low-key, with a small step-and-repeat beforehand, and then post-show cast interviews before a private party.

The show’s star, Steve Carell, is making his Broadway debut, and drawing crowds thanks to fame earned from years on “The Office.”

“What am I going to say? It’s incredibly exciting,” he said. “It’s what everybody says when they appear on Broadway. It’s exhilarating.”

Carell added that he has been wanting to work in theater, but waited until his children were grown. “I waited to go back and do anything onstage until we were empty nesters,” he said. “I just didn’t want to skip out on any moments with my children.”

He said he thinks theater will benefit at a time when artificial intelligence is causing people to doubt what they see on screens. “Live performance is indisputable. You can’t hide anything. And I think people are going to seek it out even more than they have in the past, because it’s pure.”

‘Illinoise’

Taking the fast lane to Broadway

A dialogue-free musical that uses dance and song to tell a coming-of-age story inspired by a Sufjan Stevens album.

“Back. Front. Back. Front. Other leg! We slide to the side! Yes! Hit It!”

In a basement below the St. James Theater, Craig Salstein, a dance captain, was leading the cast of “Illinoise” through an exuberant preshow warm-up. The production had installed a bright yellow sprung dance floor, coated with slip-resistant vinyl, and the performers, some wearing socks and some barefoot, were dancing in circles, jumping up and down, stretching on the floor, and beaming. (“Smile,” Salstein reminded them. “Show me attitude!”)

“Illinoise,” a narrative dance show from the choreographer Justin Peck and the playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury, took the fast lane to Broadway. It was playing Off Broadway at the Park Avenue Armory until March 26, and, after getting strong reviews, opted for a transfer so speedy that there was no time for previews.

That meant the first performance — a Wednesday matinee — would also be the official opening, and partying would wait until May. But the company gave Peck and Drury framed miniatures of the theater facade, and Peck gave the company a short hosanna, ending with “Let’s do this thing!”

The cast is filled with performers making their Broadway debuts. Among them is Gaby Diaz , a winner of “So You Think You Can Dance,” who said she didn’t think she’d make it to Broadway because she’s not a singer. “I’m very overwhelmed. I’m very emotional. But there’s a real sense of safety and community in getting to do this with so many people for the first time — it feels much bigger than me.”

Diaz said she had begun the day by taking time to thank an early mentor. “I called my dance teacher from growing up, who flew in to come see me,” she said. “I just said, ‘Thank you for watering this seed inside me for so many years.’ It’s led me to here.”

THURSDAY, April 25

‘Mother Play’

A playwright’s turn to speak at the Seder

A play about a family in which a gin-swilling mother struggles to accept the homosexuality of her two children.

Paula Vogel, the playwright whose own life story informs “Mother Play, ” has been on Broadway twice before — with “Indecent” and “How I Learned to Drive” — but this is the first time she has written a play to be staged on Broadway without a previous production, and on opening day she was riding high.

“It’s pretty exciting to open cold on Broadway,” she said, “and I feel good.”

She also feels a sort of catharsis, seeing some of her own experiences exorcised on the stage of the Helen Hayes Theater.

“I’ve tried to craft a funny, secular, ritual of forgiveness, and I’m really feeling released,” she said. She added that she took particular joy seeing a version of her mother played by an accomplished actress. “There is a matter of turning over what was weight to other people. I couldn’t pay for all the therapy in the world to equal one night of watching Jessica Lange.”

Vogel was more sanguine than some about this jam-packed season. “I keep thinking back to a time when this is the way it was — we’ve atrophied in terms of the number of openings in the commercial market, and I think the good thing about having this density of imagination and creativity is that we all have to concentrate on our own work ahead,” she said. “I know every writer of a new play on Broadway, and I respect them and love them. This feels like getting your turn to speak at the Seder dinner, and that’s really nice.”

‘Great Gatsby’

Green light

A musical based on the classic novel about a millionaire’s tragic determination to rekindle a lost love.

Cars play a notable role in “The Great Gatsby.” They are displays of affluence, objects of desire, and, in the end, an instrument of death.

So it made sense for the producers of “The Great Gatsby” musical to lean into the car motif for their opening night celebration. The show rented two antiques, a Hudson Greater Eight and a Chevrolet Superior K, and used them to ferry the principal actors on a one-block journey so they could arrive in style.

The theme almost backfired, because as the stars posed for pictures on a red carpet outside the Broadway Theater, a Tesla slammed into a pedestrian just a few feet away, at the intersection of Broadway and 53rd Street. Police officers staffing the opening responded, and the pedestrian was able to walk and talk; many of the celebrants, surrounded by well-wishers and besieged by cameras, didn’t even notice.

The show’s stars, Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada, worked the crowd — patiently posing for pictures and pausing for interviews.

“It’s weird being in a season with so many shows — I think it’s unprecedented, especially the tide of them that has come in this past week,” said Jordan, a fan favorite thanks to “Newsies” and “Smash.” “It just feels like this weird alignment. And it’s scary — I can’t lie and say that it’s not nerve-racking to know that all of these shows are coming at once, and probably not all of them are going to make it.”

Michael Paulson is the theater reporter for The Times. More about Michael Paulson

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6 must-visit things to do on the Greek Peloponnesos

W elcome to the enchanting Greek Peloponnesos, a region steeped in history, myth, and natural beauty. Nestled in the southern part of Greece, this captivating peninsula offers a treasure trove of experiences for all kinds of travelers. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an adventure seeker, or a lover of picturesque landscapes, the Peloponnese has something extraordinary in store for you. Let’s inspire you to not only visit the well-known and famous Greek islands , but also explore the more hidden gems of the Greek mainland .

#1 Monemvasia

Monemvasia is undeniably one of the most stunning attractions in the Peloponnese region, and even throughout Greece. This charming destination owes its picturesque character to its exceptional location and atmospheric old town. Situated on a small island off the coast, Monemvasia remained hidden from view on the backside of a rocky islet, making it less accessible to adversaries and easier to defend. It was only later that a bridge connected the island to the mainland, transforming it into a captivating peninsula.

With a rich medieval history and a remarkably well-preserved city center, taking a stroll through Monemvasia’s quaint streets feels like embarking on a voyage through time. The lower town – which is where to stay in Monemvasia –, comprised of a maze of narrow streets adorned with historical buildings, churches, restaurants, residences, hotels, souvenir shops, and ruins, beckons exploration. 

Where there is a lower town, an upper town awaits. At the pinnacle of Monemvasia’s rocky plateau lies the ancient upper town. Dominated by ruins, the upper town was once home to affluent residents, although little remains of their opulence today. Nevertheless, a must-visit highlight is the Agia Sofia Church, an awe-inspiring Byzantine architectural marvel that has withstood the test of time and stands as one of Monemvasia’s most splendid attractions.

Step into the enchanting world of Monemvasia, where history comes alive, and immerse yourself in the captivating ambiance of this remarkable treasure in the Greek Peloponnese.

#2 Epidaurus Theater 

Immerse yourself in the wonders of ancient Greece by visiting the breathtaking Theater of Epidaurus, a must-see attraction nestled in the picturesque Greek Peloponnesos region. Regarded as the finest preserved theater from ancient times, this architectural marvel captivates visitors with its awe-inspiring grandeur. Built in the 4th century BC, the theater has stood the test of time, preserving its original form to this day.

Prepare to be enchanted as you step onto the theater’s stage, a perfect circular expanse spanning an impressive 20 meters in diameter. Encircling it are 55 magnificent semi-circular rows, meticulously designed to accommodate an astounding audience of 12,000 spectators. Imagine the ancient Greeks, gathered in this very space, witnessing mesmerizing performances that continue to grace the stage during the summer months. You can experience the magic of exceptional acoustics that have been celebrated for centuries, but you’ll have to book your ticket for these summer performances well in advance.

This architectural masterpiece is not only a testament to Greece’s cultural heritage but also holds profound historical significance as part of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the revered Greek demi-god of medicine. 

While the theater steals the spotlight, we encourage you to explore the captivating surroundings, including the Sanctuary itself. Often overlooked by visitors captivated by the theater’s fame, the temple complex holds its own enchantment. Let your imagination soar as you stroll through its historic grounds. Informative signage provides invaluable insights into the purpose and function of the various structures. 

Nafplio is an absolute must-visit for anyone exploring the Peloponnesos. As the former capital of independent Greece, Nafplio – also known as Nafplion, Nauplion, or Nauplio – exudes an undeniable charm that sets it apart from the current capital Athens . Its captivating historic center, adorned with atmospheric streets and offering stunning sea views of ancient forts and castles, is a sight to behold.

The centerpiece of Nafplio is its historic center, perched on a delightful peninsula jutting into the sea. Take a leisurely stroll from the promenade, where the imposing Bourtzi Fortress commands attention, and immerse yourself in the narrow lanes of the old town. This pedestrian-friendly quarter boasts a unique ambiance, featuring charming shops and picturesque buildings. 

No visit to Nafplio is complete without exploring its remarkable fortresses. The beautifully preserved Bourtzi Castle, only accessible by boat, sits majestically on a sea island and offers a captivating experience. However, the true highlight is the Palamidi Castle, perched atop a hill with breathtaking views. While wandering through the oldest part of Nafplio, the Acronafplia Hill, you’ll encounter remnants of another castle, offering glimpses into the city’s storied past.

Immerse yourself in Nafplio’s rich history, scenic beauty, and architectural marvels. With its optimal blend of historical significance and natural splendor, Nafplio is truly a Greek paradise that should not be missed.

Nestled on the Argolis Peninsula, Methana is a captivating volcanic peninsula with a rich history and breathtaking natural wonders. Despite the closure of its renowned spa, Methana continues to attract visitors with its therapeutic hot springs and scenic hiking trails. Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes and discover the healing powers of this hidden gem in the Peloponnesos.

Methana’s geological marvel is a testament to its volcanic origins. Formed by powerful volcanic eruptions, this peninsula offers a unique and enchanting landscape. The remnants of this ancient activity are evident in the soothing hot springs that still exist today, providing a glimpse into Methana’s fascinating past. Explore Methana’s picturesque hiking trails, which offer unparalleled views of majestic mountains and lush greenery. Each step immerses you in nature’s beauty, creating unforgettable memories along the way.

For many years, Methana was celebrated as a top-notch spa destination renowned for its medicinal hot springs. Although the main spa facility has unfortunately fallen into disrepair, visitors can still indulge in the therapeutic benefits of Methana’s hot springs. Adjacent to the abandoned spa, a staircase leads to the sea, where the volcanic activity beneath Methana gently warms the seawater. 

For a more rejuvenating experience, the “Radon Thermal Spring” awaits a short distance away. Although not scalding hot, the warm waters provide a soothing and revitalizing soak for both body and soul. 

Additionally, on the opposite side of the island, a well-built bathing facility houses the most beautiful hot spring. Unfortunately, during our visit, the pump was out of order, preventing us from enjoying a warm bath. The best part is that all three locations offer free admission, allowing you to embrace the therapeutic allure of Methana’s natural hot springs without any financial burden.

#5 The Didyma twin churches

Hidden within the unassuming village of Didyma lies an enchanting secret: a captivating spectacle of two majestic craters, adorned with two charming churches. These remarkable dolines, or sinkholes, offer a sense of intrigue, heightened by the mysterious descent down a staircase that leads to the very walls of one of these natural wonders. Nestled within the rocky facade, the presence of two petite twin churches adds an air of mystique, completing this extraordinary destination.

While the locals are well-acquainted with the allure of Didyma’s dolines, this hidden gem remains undiscovered by most tourists. It’s easy to overlook this village, but the Small and Great Doline are truly worth a stop. Even the entrance appears unassuming. Yet, a white-washed staircase descending into an underground tunnel beckons the curious, leading them to discover the marvels that await within the craters.

Didyma’s Dolines are a sight to behold. As you stand on the edge of the lushly vegetated crater, a well-marked footpath guides you to the minuscule twin churches embedded in the rock face. One church stands adjacent to the staircase, while its counterpart sits opposite. During our visit, one of the church doors remained closed, but we had the privilege of exploring the other. Inside, the pristine white walls served as a canvas for an array of intricate miniatures, a hallmark of Greek Orthodox traditions. These artifacts harken back to the Byzantine era, when spiritual seekers sought solitude in remote locations, much like the revered monasteries of Meteora.

For a truly captivating experience, plan your visit to Didyma in spring, when the surrounding fields burst to life with a vibrant tapestry of wild tulips in shades of fiery orange and rich red. 

In a country renowned for its Greek monuments and ancient ruins, the extraordinarily ruined city of Mystras stands out as a captivating anomaly. Unlike its ancient Greek counterparts, Mystras emerged during the Byzantine era, several centuries later. Nestled amidst the picturesque mountains at the heart of the Peloponnesos, Mystras boasts a unique charm that sets it apart from the coastal attractions. Despite its slightly off-the-beaten-path location, a visit to this remarkable place is an absolute must!

Mystras is a captivating sight, perched gracefully on a scenic slope. At its highest point, an ancient castle proudly stands, believed to be one of the oldest sections of the city, dating back to the 7th century. This predates Mystras’ golden age, which occurred during the 13th and 14th centuries when it served as the fortified stronghold of a prominent Byzantine general overseeing the region. During tumultuous and uncertain times, the town drew in a multitude of newcomers seeking refuge and security within its walls.

The affluence and prosperity of Mystras are beautifully reflected in the awe-inspiring structures that still adorn its landscape. Among the city’s standout attractions are the majestic mountaintop castle, the remnants of an ancient palace complex, and, above all, the multitude of Byzantine churches and monasteries. These architectural marvels, constructed in the distinctive Byzantine style, are scattered throughout the city, offering glimpses into a bygone era. Thanks to diligent restoration efforts, many of these historic buildings have been preserved, allowing visitors to marvel at their grandeur and immerse themselves in Mystras’ rich heritage.

20 Most Beautiful Greek Islands

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I recommend using Expedia.com or Hotels.com for most hotel bookings. I prefer to book directly with Marriott when I stay there because of their excellent military discount.

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To find great activities in any area I use Get Your Guide and Viator . If we are visiting a city with lots of popular attractions I always check CityPass and GoCard to see if they have discount cards available.

When I want to book a full-on multi-day tour I use TourRadar . They’ve got fantastic weekly deals.

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STATE! Musical Theatre Summer Program

Immersive theatre training.

Summer Theatre Artistic Training Experience (STATE) is an intensive two-week musical theatre summer program for high school students about to enter 11 th or 12 th grades.

To give focused and talented young artists a two-week immersion in collegiate musical theatre training at Penn State. Students will get a sample of the rigors of artistic training as well as an idea of the unique components of integrated training that are the hallmark of Penn State Musical Theatre . Practical classes and advice in navigating the college audition process as well as the professional musical theatre industry will also be included.

Students will train with Penn State faculty, guest professionals, and noted alumni in all three areas of musical theatre (voice, acting, dance). Individualized attention and private instruction are also included. Days also include the integrated approach to musical theatre unique to Penn State through studio classes. Evenings include master classes, cabarets, and a menu of offerings for the serious musical theatre student.

Program Details

• Dates: June 30 – July 12, 2024
• Cost: $3150 ( Includes instruction, private lessons, master classes, housing, and food )
• Participants: 30–35 ( Acceptance is by audition; students interested in applying should be entering the 11th or 12th grade in Fall 2024 )

Information for Parents

Important Program Details

Important Information for Parents Please read the standards of conduct before submitting your registration.

Confirmation Parents of accepted students who submit the registration form will receive confirmation by email.

Refunds If your request to withdraw is received at least 15 business days prior to the first day of the program, we can issue a partial refund. Send your written request by fax to 814-863-5190 or by email to [email protected] . A $50 administrative fee will be charged for each withdrawal.

S.T.A.T.E. will follow all University COVID-19 guidelines that are in place at the time of camp. You can learn about Penn State’s current COVID response and view up-to-date policies and frequently asked questions on the Coronavirus Information site . Additional COVID guidelines specific to residential camps are currently under development and will be shared in the near future. Anyone who registers before the guidelines are announced will have the option to cancel their registration with no penalty if they choose.

Confidentiality For legal reasons, the University cannot release the names or phone numbers of other participants, not even to those who want to carpool.

Access Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the conference planner at 814-863-5100 at least two weeks prior to your arrival.

Staff members will refer medical emergencies and illnesses to University Health Services or the Emergency/Outpatient Department of Mount Nittany Medical Center. A parent or guardian must sign the “Medical Treatment Authorization” portion of the registration form to grant permission for any medical attention required during the program.

Health Notice Please help lessen the spread of any contagious diseases. The exclusion of ill persons from public, school, and group gatherings is key to lessening the spread of illness. If you are ill, please remain at home during your illness and recovery. If you have a fever (100˚ F or higher), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting contact with others until you have been without a fever for at least 24 hours.

For additional information, visit Penn State’s University Health Services , or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention .

Medical Fees and Insurance The University does not provide medical insurance for campers.

In the event of illness or injury requiring treatment, hospitalization, or surgery, family medical insurance must be used. Parents or guardians will be billed directly for any medical care given at University Health Services, Penn State Hershey – State College Orthopaedics, or Mount Nittany Medical Center.

University Health Services does not have contracts with any health insurance companies and does not send bills to insurance companies. Patients will receive an itemized bill at the end of a visit and will receive a statement from the University Bursar as well.

The University urges that participants be covered by some form of personal medical insurance. Be sure to provide your insurance company’s information where indicated on the registration form.

The parent(s) or guardian(s) of a participant requiring medical treatment at University Health Services, Penn State Hershey – State College Orthopaedics, or Mount Nittany Medical Center will be notified of the treatment within 24 hours. We know how important timely notification is for insurance claims, so it is extremely important for you to list the following in the designated areas of the registration form: the numbers of your daytime phone, home phone, and cell phone, and your family physician’s name and phone number.

This program will be conducted in classroom facilities on Penn State’s University Park campus. Camp participants will reside in the Penn State residence halls while the camp is in session. If campers arrive prior to the first day of camp, or need additional lodging after the camp concludes, those additional arrangements for lodging are the responsibility of the camper.

Housing, Food Services, and Residence Life offers a secure and friendly environment for youth. The residence hall community also offers an excellent atmosphere for fun, learning, and growth. University policy requires that youth groups provide a minimum of one staff member for every 8 residential campers age 9 through 14 and one staff member for every 10 residential campers age 15 through 17. Residential counselors must be 18 years or older, of the same gender as the participants, and are required to successfully complete background clearance and mandated reporter training. The housing office also provides one conference assistant per building for youth programs. Our conference assistants can help participants who need directions, experience homesickness, have roommate issues, etc.

All residence hall areas have television lounges and pay laundry facilities. Pay phones are available in the commons areas. Bed linens are provided. Participants should bring the following items:

• Clothes hangers
• Portable fan
• Alarm clock,
• Other personal items

Attendees may indicate one roommate preference on the registration form. Each roommate must list the other on their registration form . Listing a roommate preference does not guarantee enrollment of the roommate in the program. If no preference is indicated, a roommate will be assigned.

Each hall has 24-hour door-card access for assigned residents. Only residents can access the hall. The doors are always locked.

Because the security and safety of youth participants are important, youth attendees must be in their assigned residence halls by 11:00 p.m. University-student auxiliary police monitor the residence halls and surrounding areas overnight.

Additional information about drop-off and pickup, and other important logistics, will be provided by email to enrolled campers and their parent or guardians about 2 weeks before camp starts.

By Air: The State College/University Park Airport (airport code: SCE) is located near the conference site. Call 814-865-5511 or visit the State College/University Park Airport website for information on flights.

By Car: The Penn State University Park campus is located within driving distance of many major cities, including Harrisburg (1.5 hrs., 90 mi.), Pittsburgh (3 hrs., 137 mi.), Philadelphia (3.5 hrs., 194 mi.), Baltimore (3.5 hrs., 155 mi.), Washington, D.C. (4 hrs., 190 mi.), New York City (5 hrs., 250 mi.), and Toronto (6.5 hrs., 304 mi.).

See our Visitors and Neighbors website for detailed visitor information, including maps.

Faculty for our STATE. program will be updated as we get closer to our Summer 2024 program, but will likely include both current faculty members in the School of Theatre at Penn State, as well as alumni and other industry professionals.

• John Simpkins , Head of Musical Theatre at Penn State
• Cecil Blutcher, Acting
• Gwen Walker, Voice
• Raymond Sage, Voice
• Michele Dunleavy, Dance

Past Guest Artists and Master Class Instructors have included:

• Joe Iconis – Tony-nominated writer of “Be More Chill”
• Lauren Marcus – Broadway performer
• Maria Wirries – Broadway performer, Penn State Musical Theatre alumnus
• Rachel Hoffman – Casting Director, Telsey and Co.
• Talia Suskauer – Broadway performer, Penn State Musical Theatre alumnus
• Ixchel Cuellar – Broadway performer, Penn State Musical Theatre alumnus
• Nathan Lucrezio – Penn State Musical Theatre Alumnus and Broadway performer
• Natalie Weiss – Penn State Musical Theatre Alumna and star of YouTube hit series “Breaking Down the Riffs”
• Jason Sparks – Penn State Musical Theatre Alumnus, Broadway Choreographer
• Mary Saunders-Barton – Penn State Musical Theatre Voice Faculty (Retired)
• Beth Burrier – Music Director
• Adam Jepsen – Penn State Musical Theatre Alumnus – “Frozen”, Broadway
• Paul Jordan Jansen – Penn State Musical Theatre Alumnus
• Sean McKnight – Dance Masterclass

Applying for STATE!

Deadlines and decisions.

Applications will be accepted from January 1 – March 1, 2024. Decisions will be sent via Acceptd on March 15, 2024. The registration and health forms will be due – along with payment in full – by April 1, 2024.

Application Materials

All students interested in applying online for the Musical Theatre Intensive at S.T.A.T.E. must submit the following via digital upload at the Penn State Theatre Acceptd website .

• Headshot/Photo
• Four video clips ( requirements follow )

Video Requirements

• Acting: A memorized monologue no longer than ninety seconds from a contemporary script.
• Voice: Two contrasting vocal pieces (no longer than one minute each). One ballad, one uptempo. One of your songs must be written prior to 1970. Please use live or recorded accompaniment.
• Dance: 30-60 seconds of dance, in whatever dance discipline you are most comfortable with: tap, jazz, ballet, modern, African, hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary. No barre work. Please stick to vocabulary and steps you are familiar with and can execute well. We just want to see where you are in your dance training. Give us a minute of what will show us YOU through your dance.

Submit your application via Acceptd

All materials must be uploaded no later than March 1, 2024 to be considered. For questions or more information contact Shannon Ritter .

About Penn State Musical Theatre

The Musical Theatre B.F.A. degree program is an intensive pre-professional training program with alumni working around the country and the world.

Our faculty is made up of artists dedicated to both the profession and the academy. As working actors, dancers, music directors, choreographers, and directors, we bring our students Broadway, national tour, regional theatre, and film and television experience. With a ratio of thirteen faculty to forty-nine students, the training is individualized, specific, and demanding.

Students accepted into the program will receive specialized training in singing, acting, and dance. In addition to this training, Penn State Musical Theatre offers signature initiatives like the New Musicals Initiative (which commissions musical theatre writers to write for our students), the Master Class Series, and our unique Musical Theatre Wellness Center – which assists our students in the areas of Mental, Physical, Vocal, and Nutritional Health during their training.

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When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life. When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life. When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.

• Kelly O'Sullivan
• Alex Thompson
• Keith Kupferer
• Katherine Mallen Kupferer
• Tara Mallen
• 3 User reviews
• 14 Critic reviews
• 87 Metascore
• 4 nominations

• Janitor Fran

• Joan Spencer

• Principal Santos
• (as Charín Alvarez)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia The song "That's Enough" that Sharon's elementary school class sings in the film's opening half hour was written by the musician Sad Brad Smith, the stage name of actor Bradley Grant Smith. Smith was cast in Alex Thompson's thesis film, as well as two roles in Saint Frances and a supporting role in Thompson's Rounding. He lives on Nantucket Island.

User reviews 3

• Apr 28, 2024
• June 14, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Little Engine
• Runaway Train
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 1 hour 50 minutes

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Russia’s Putin to visit China in first foreign trip since re-election

The Russian leader’s May 16-17 visit aims to underscore the deepening ‘no limits’ partnership with China’s Xi Jinping.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China this week, both countries announced, using the first foreign trip of his new six-year term to underscore the deepening partnership with China’s Xi Jinping.

China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine.

Keep reading

Russia’s vladimir putin visits ‘dear friend’ xi jinping in china, china’s defence minister visits russia and belarus in show of support, russia’s bolshoi theatre performs in china amid western sanctions.

“At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China on May 16-17 as his first foreign trip after taking office,” the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement that the two will discuss “bilateral ties, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common interest”.

It will be Putin’s second visit in just over six months to China, an economic lifeline for Russia after Western nations imposed sanctions over its military offensive in Ukraine.

China has rebuffed Western criticism of its ties with Russia, but their economic partnership and military cooperation have come under increasing scrutiny in the West.

The United States’s latest punitive measures, announced this month, targeted more than 280 entities in their latest effort to paralyse Russia’s military and industrial capabilities, including 20 firms based in China and Hong Kong.

US-China rivalry

The US casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its largest nation-state threat while US President Joe Biden argues that this century will be defined by an existential contest between democracies and autocracies.

Putin and Xi share a broad worldview, which sees the West as decadent and in decline just as China challenges US supremacy in everything from quantum computing and synthetic biology to espionage and hard military power.

During the visit, Putin will meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss economic cooperation. Putin will also visit the northeastern city of Harbin, which has strong ties to Russia, for a trade and investment exposition.

Putin pivoted to China after the US and its allies tried to isolate Russia as punishment for the war in Ukraine.

China-Russian trade hit a record of $240.1bn in 2023, up 26.3 percent from a year earlier, Chinese customs data shows.

Top crude oil supplier

Russia has become China’s top crude supplier, with its oil shipments to China jumping more than 24 percent in 2023 despite Western sanctions.

The Kremlin said the two leaders would “identify key areas for further development of Russian-Chinese practical cooperation” and would sign a joint statement after the meeting.

Putin, 71, and Xi, 70, will take part in an event celebrating 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People’s Republic of China which was declared by Mao Zedong in 1949.