8-4Actors

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These lead actor was considered the best actor of his time. His name was Edward Alleyn. According to the Glode Theater website, under the section of __Edward Alleyn,__ “Edward Alleyn was the most famous actor in Elizabethan England, rivaled only by Richard Burbage. He was with Worcester's Men in 1583, and joined the Admiral's Men at the Rose around 1587. He was first to play such towering characters as Marlowe 's Tamburlaine (which was a play by one of the best writers of his time, Christopher Marlowe), Doctor Faustus, and The Jew of Malta, and Greene 's Orlando Furioso (which was a plat by another one of the best writers of his time Robert green). His performances brought him universal admiration and praise from contemporary authors such as Thomas Nashe and Ben Jonson. In 1592, Alleyn married Joan Woodward, the step-daughter of his friend and employer Philip Henslowe, owner and manager of the Rose Theatre. Alleyn retired from acting in 1597, and entered into a partnership with Henslowe.” They ran the Bear Garden, a site for bear-baiting, possibly from as early as 1594. In 1600, Alleyn and Henslowe constructed the Fortune Theatre north of the city to compete with the Globe. The Globe Theater is a stage in London, England where all of the most famous plays are held. When this new home for the Admiral's Men opened, Alleyn returned to the stage. He soon died of a unknown cause in 1626 on Christmas day.======

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Another great actor of his time was Richard Burbage. Burbage was born in 1568. He was one of the first great English actors. He was the younger brother of Cuthbert Burbage, and they were both actors in drama. On the Globe Theater website, under the __Richard Burbage__ section it stated that “The leading tragedian of the Chamberlain's Men (which was a group of the most well- known actors founded by Lord Strange), he originated the title roles in Shakespeare's //Hamlet, Lear, Othello,// and //Richard III.// This is one of the things that made him most famous. He also have appeared in many of the first productions of plays by Thomas Kyd, Beaumont and Fletcher, Ben Jonson, and John Webster. By contemporary standards, his acting style was considered realistic. Burbage's father, James Burbage, had built the first permanent theater in London in 1576, called the Theatre.” In 1598 the building was removed to Bankside and set up as the Globe Theatre by Richard's brother, Cuthbert, on the death of their father. The brothers also inherited shares in the Blackfriars Theatre, built by their father in 1596, which became the winter home of the company. This father had planned on making the theater but when he passed away his sons help make the theater their father always wanted. It was a winter home of the company because the Globe was the summer place for the production. He soon died in 1616.======

The last great actor was Robert Armin. He was born in 1563. He was an English actor, a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men. He became the leading comedy actor with the troupe associated with William Shakespeare following the departure of Will Kempe around 1600. The Globe Theater website, under the section of __Robert Armin__, stated that “Also a popular comic author, he wrote a comedy, //The History of the Two Maids of More-clacke//, as well as //Foole upon Foole//, //A Nest of Ninnies// and //The Italian Taylor and his Boy//. These were his most famous. Armin changed the part of the clown or fool from the rustic serving man turned comedian to that of a high-comedy domestic wit so he could use his comedy skills to perform it great. In non-Shakespearean roles, he played Pasarello in John Marston 's // The Malcontent //. Indeed, Marston may have added the part for him when the play was produced by the King's Men. Armin appears in the cast list for Ben Jonson 's // The Alchemist], //he played Drugger. He is also presumed to have been the clown in //The Miseries of Inforst Marriage//.” He died in 1615.

Caption: Edward Alleyn Caption: Richard Burbage

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