In Shakespeare’s time, London was home to many famous theatres like the Rose and the Globe. So, when following Shakespeare’s trail, checking out some of London’s theatres is a must!

First stop: Shakespeare’s Globe. The original Globe is where most of Shakespeare’s plays were performed during his lifetime. Sadly, the original Globe no longer stands, but just a few hundred yards from the site of the original, a new theatre has been built. Just like the original, the new Shakespeare’s Globe is an open-air theatre. This means if you are a groundling and it rains, you will surely get wet! It is exciting to be a groundling and see a play the way people did hundreds of years ago. It is unlike any other experience and each performance is unique.

Next: The Old Vic, another theatre located on the south side of the Thames River. The Old Vic has been through many changes over the years and remains famous for its Shakespearean productions. It is on this stage that some of the most famous actors in England got their start: Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellan have tackled Shakespeare here. The Old Vic still gets some of the best known actors; American actor Kevin Spacey now appears on this stage. He is also the Artistic Director.

And, Then: We all crammed into the design room at the Royal Shakespeare Company to meet Tom Piper, Associate Designer. My favorite part of our conversation was when Tom talked about building tree houses as a little kid. Now, as a designer, he gets to create the grown-up versions of tree houses - sets for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His office is full of little models of the stage, with cardboard chairs and foam props, which help him get a sense for what the real thing will look like.

Finally: Rounding out our behind-the-scenes theatre experience is director Darko Tresnjak. By the time we met up with Darko, he was in the final days of rehearsals for Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. His team of actors, fight directors, set designers, voice coaches, lighting designers, producers, costume designers, and stage managers had already worked together to create a unique production. Now, the final details were being worked out before performing for the audience.

In the spotlight: Time to take the stage!