In Elizabethan times, only men could perform in the theater because it was not a respected profession. Adolescent boys who had not yet gone through puberty dressed up and played women. Because it was not a well-paid or respected profession, actors were usually seen as troublemakers who promoted "hard living" and sin. The actors traveled on a wagon looking for audiences to pay to see them perform. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayNowadays, men and women can perform in stage plays. Acting is now a well-paid profession and is appreciated and respected. Theaters are now set up in a permanent location and people pay to go and see shows. Probably the most famous building you will think of when someone mentions "Elizabethan theatre" or "16th century theatre" is the Globe Theatre, which was the theater built for playwright William Shakespeare. The architect was probably a man called Peter Street. Most shows were seen in the afternoon because there was nothing to light the theater in the evening. If they had used candles, the stage could have caught fire because it was made of wood. Going to the theater was not considered a fantasy thing. Theaters often competed with other entertainment such as bear baiting (which involved watching and betting on bears killing dogs). People expected to see a new play in theaters every day. Other theaters included The Swan and The Rose. A theater now "runs" a show for weeks, months or even years, a much longer period than in Elizabethan times. The form of theater is now very different. Now they are shaped like a box. The stage is on one side and the seats are on the other three surrounding the stage. Although there are still some afternoon shows, nowadays people go to the theater mostly at night. In this photo you can only see men on stage. In this image you can see men and women on stage. This is an Elizabethan theatre. This is a modern theater. The most expensive seats in the theater were in the top row of the theater, furthest from the front. The cheap seats were directly in front of the stage, although people in that area were standing. The rich would like to have the most segregated and exclusive seats in the theater, away from all the poor and rowdy people. Going to the theater was a very lively event. The poor people usually talked, shouted and even threw things (especially rotten products) during the show. If the poor people didn't like the show or the actors, they would let the rest of the theater know. Rich people would even sit on stage and make comments to the audience during the show. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Now, the most expensive seats are the ones that are near the front rows and the cheapest seats are at the back due to the bad view of the stage. Going to see a show is now a more serious event. The audience is expected to remain silent during the performance. They are reminded several times to be respectful and quiet. Going to see a show is now a sophisticated and elegant event, and people usually go to dinner before or after the show. Typically, going to a show is associated with the rich. Tickets are generally more expensive for the average person.