The Global Theatre

The Globe was built using timber from an earlier theatre, The Theatre that had been built by Richard Burbage's father, James Burbage, in Shoreditch in 1576. The Globe's actual dimensions are unknown. The evidence suggests that it was a three-story, open-air amphitheatre between 97 and 102 feet (29.6 - 31.1M) in diameter that could house up to 3,000 spectators.

At the base of the stage, there was an area called the pit, where, for a penny, people would stand to watch the performance. Around the yard were three levels of stadium-style seats, which were more expensive than standing room. Large columns on either side of the stage sup

The back wall of the stage had two or three doors on the main level, with a curtained inner stage in the center and a balcony above it. The doors entered into the "tiring house" (backstage area) where the actors dressed and awaited their entrances. The balcony housed the musicians and could also be used for scenes requiring an upper space, such as the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet.