In my mind, the Globe Theatre has always been this magical, impossible, dream of a place that was so far out of my reach that maybe it wasn't even real. I'm thrilled to say that after today, I can confirm the Globe Theatre is indeed real. 

Today our class crossed the River Thames out of London proper and into what would've been, in 1596, the hub for prostitutes, booze, and world class theatre. As we walked along the river, gazing at London's beautiful skyline of uniquely shaped skyscrapers, it was difficult to imagine what the streets would have looked like in Renaissance times. That is, until we approached a large white building with a thatched roof that looked like it had come straight out of Elizabethan England. Our group was incredibly fortunate to have had Dickon Tyrrell, a Globe Theatre actor, as our tour guide for the location. When you enter the Globe from ground level, you find yourself in a small courtyard meant for standing room tickets. Three quarters of that courtyard is encircled by three stories of raked box seating. The last quarter pushes right up to the stage that stands at about four feet tall. The roof of the stage is supported by two large pillars, and the ceiling and walls are painted with symbols of mythology. 

As Dickon lead us into the theatre I instantly became overwhelmed with emotion seeing how much there was to take in. My mind began to race with all of the shows, actors, directors, and audience members that have been both in this theatre and the original Globe (that burnt down in 1613) that was once located just down the street. I thought of the vast number of emotions felt and revelations made, right in the spot where I was standing. It was truly one of the happiest moments of my life knowing I was in a place that has produced such an abundance of sublime art.  

During the tour, Dickon took us to various places in the audience and explained how it is the actor's job to make sure they act to every single person in the space. He expressed his appreciation for performing at The Globe because of his ability to connect with the audience. Since the space is lit by sunlight, there is not a darkness that goes over the crowd that separates them from the actors; everyone in the space can see and interact with each other, and to Dickon, that's a large part of why he loves performing at The Globe. 

After taking some pictures of the theatre, Dickon took us to a rehearsal space and gave us a workshop on reading Shakespeare. He lead us in a handful of exercises and gave helpful tips on how to convey the wordy language of The Bard. Figuring out how to navigate prose and verse is something I will grapple with for years to come, so I felt lucky to receive a few pointers from someone who deals with this form of writing every day of their life. 

Our trip to The Globe reaffirmed my passion for acting and made me excited to graduate and enter the real world of theatre.