English Renaissance theater was also known as early modern English theater or Elizabethan theatre. This occurred during the Reformation and in 1642 when they were discontinued. There were many types of plays ranging from mystery, tragedy, masques to morality, most had biblical themes. Permanent theaters were soon established after performances were banned in 1572 in an attempt to contain the spread of the plague. With the construction of permanent theaters came regular performances and famous playwrights, many of whom were well educated but others not. This gave birth to William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Ben Johnson. The Theatre¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬________________________________________________________________________The English Renaissance theater became a reality when it was first founded by James Burbage, in Shoreditch in 1576. They followed the “ Curtain Theater (1577), the Rose (1587), the Swan (1595), the Globe (1599), the Fortune (1600) and the Red Bull (1604)( Encyclopedia of the New World)”. Once the theater had a permanent home it became a very profitable enterprise. The theater was a unifying experience for everyone in attendance. Both young and old, rich and poor, witnessed and enjoyed the dramas. It was a means of spreading knowledge and morality to those who would otherwise have no such exposure. It was aimed primarily at the wealthy, but with their patronage they would not be able to prosper in such a society. Public theaters were built to certain specifications, most were round in shape and three stories tall. Many were built of wood and plaster, but this changed after one of the theaters was destroyed by fire. “Usually built of wood, lath and plaster and with thatched roofs, the first theatre… medium of paper… if they had a passion for it not to make money. This means that they truly believed in what they wrote, making it irreplaceable. Works Cited "English Renaissance Theater - New World Encyclopedia". Information: Home Page - New World Encyclopedia. Np, nd Web. July 1, 2011. Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton anthology of sixteenth-century English literature; the beginning of the 17th century. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2006. PrintLicht, Meg. "Elysium: a prelude to Renaissance theatre". Renaissance Quarterly 49.1 (1996): 1-36. Research Library, ProQuest. Network. July 1, 2011.OUTLAND, ALLISON M. "'Ridden with a Welsh Goat': Parson Evans's Correction of the English Windsor Condition." English Literary Renaissance. 301-331. 2011. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Network. July 1st 2011.