Civilopedia Entry
Most of the plays of William Shakespeare were first performed on the stage of London's Globe Theater during the 1600s. Theaters offered people a diversion from their everyday lives by allowing them to enjoy comedies, tragedies, and triumphs acted out on stage. Similar theaters, such as the Comedie Francaise in Paris, and La Scala in Milan, fulfilled similar roles by offering entertainment to the citizens of their cities. Although the original Globe Theater burned down, Shakespeare's plays are still performed in a new theater bearing his name, and in other theaters throughout the world.