A Stratford parish register records William Shakespeare's baptism on April 26, 1564. Why can't historians use it to prove his exact birthday?

Marriage records from 1582 connect Shakespeare with Anne Hathaway near Stratford. Which claim fits the documentation?

Stratford records list Susanna and the twins Hamnet and Judith as Shakespeare's children. What do those records document?

In 1592 Robert Greene mocked an “upstart crow,” a phrase usually taken to refer to Shakespeare. What does that show about Shakespeare's career by then?

Shakespeare was a shareholder in his acting company, not only a hired playwright. What advantage did that give him?

In 1597 Shakespeare bought New Place, a large house in Stratford. What does that purchase mainly show?

Shakespeare died in 1616 and was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. Which event could he not have overseen?

The Globe was built in 1599 on Bankside, across the Thames from the City of London. Why was that location typical for public theaters?

The Globe's stage projected into an open yard with galleries around it. What staging result followed?

The Globe's central yard had no roof. What did that mean for ordinary public performances?

The cheapest spectators at the Globe stood in the yard near the stage. What were they commonly called?

Behind the Globe stage stood the tiring house, with doors and an upper playing space. What could that structure support?

The Globe burned in 1613 when a stage cannon set the thatch on fire during Henry VIII. What does that incident reveal about the building?

On playing days, a public playhouse such as the Globe flew a flag above its roof. What was the flag for?

Shakespeare's main company was the Lord Chamberlain's Men before 1603 and the King's Men after James I's accession. What changed?

A noble or royal patron's name was attached to a playing company. What did patronage mainly provide?

Richard Burbage, a leading actor in Shakespeare's company, was famous for tragic roles. Why does that matter for company authorship?

In Shakespeare's public theaters, female roles were performed by boys or young men. What effect could this have on staging?

A repertory company might perform different plays on different days rather than run one play for months. What did that demand?

Actors often received only their own part with cue lines, while the company kept the full playbook. What did this practice help protect?

With little scenery, a scene's place in Shakespeare often comes from what characters say. What must the audience do?

A soliloquy lets a character speak while alone or unheard by others. In a crowded playhouse, what convention makes it work?

An aside is heard by the audience but not by some characters onstage. What does it often create?

Elizabethan costumes were often rich contemporary clothing, not museum-style historical realism. What should a viewer not expect?

Public playhouse audiences included standing yard spectators and seated gallery spectators. What does this tell us about the experience?

Before the First Folio of 1623, many of Shakespeare's plays appeared in print as quartos. What was a Shakespeare quarto?

The First Folio was published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death. Who prepared it for print?

The First Folio gathered 36 plays in a large folio volume. Why is it essential to Shakespeare studies?

Some plays survive in both quarto and Folio forms with different wording. What do modern editors compare?

Ben Jonson's poem and other prefatory material appear in the 1623 First Folio. What role do those pages serve?