This is the first book on staging and stage décor to focus specifically
on early modern Spanish theater, from the 16th to the early 20th
centuries. The introduction provides an overview of Spanish theater
design from the 16th century, with particular attention to the corral
theater and Lope de Vega. The scope of the book is vast. Some of the
articles deal with early modern stagings, while others deal with
contemporary productions. The collection contains articles by an
international array of specialists on topics such as scenography and
costuming, lighting, and performance space. It also broaches
little-studied areas such as the use of alternative performance spaces,
most notably prisons. The book provides in-depth analyses of particular
archetypes - the melancholiac, the queen, the astrologer - and how they
were, and are, staged. The focus on performance and performance space,
costuming, set design, lighting, and audience seating make this a truly
unique volume. This book is designed for students of Spanish literature
and theater, researchers interested in theater history and early modern
Spain, as well as theater professionals.