Restored Globe Theatre Model on Display in the Library, Summer 2019

Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), awarded by the State Library of Ohio, CSU’s Michael Schwartz Library and Theatre and Dance Department are pleased to announce the restoration of a historic model of the Globe Theatre to be used for classroom instruction, research, and campus exhibitions.

The model, built in 1935 by H. Ernest Conklin, has been an important resource for the Theatre & Dance Department and others on campus who are interested in the history of theater, English playwriting, architecture, costume and set design, or other aspects of European history. The conservation process, performed by the Bonfoey Gallery in Cleveland, resulted in repairs to the model and allowed for its continued use as an educational resource and visual masterpiece for years to come. Questions about the model or interest in educational use are encouraged and can be directed to the Michael Schwartz Library.

The original Globe Theatre was built in London in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Shakespeare’s playing company. Until the theater closed in 1642 it served as the primary playhouse for Shakespeare’s plays, which were popular during Shakespeare’s life and beyond. Although the actual dimensions of the playhouse are not known, various literary and historical clues have allowed historians to piece together the design of this important landmark. Most scholars estimate that the building was three stories high, open air, and could accommodate about 3,000 spectators. A modern reconstruction of the theatre, to scale, was opened in London in 1997, very near to the location of the original site.
 

The year 2019 marks the 420th anniversary of the original Globe Theatre being built, a magnificent architectural achievement destined to play host to many magnificent performances. The Globe Theatre model will remain on display in the library until September 2019, after which time it will be permanently relocated to the Theatre & Dance Department in the Middough Building.

Stop in and take a look!

(Watercolor sketch of the Globe stage by Walter Hodges, from the Folger Shakespeare Library)