Burbage was the family name of an English theatrical family.
James Burbage
(?-1597) built the first theater in England, just outside the City of London, in 1576. It was an enormous success and was quickly copied. By the time he built The Theatre, he had been an important actor for many years. He may have been born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
Richard Burbage
(1567?-1619), James’s son, was born in London. He acted in the same company as the famous playwright William Shakespeare. Burbage was a powerful tragic actor, and the parts he played included Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear. He also acted in plays by Ben Jonson.
In 1599, together with his brother Cuthbert, Burbage built the Globe Theatre. Burbage probably started his acting career in 1590 with the Lord Admiral’s company. In 1593, he became a member of the Lord Chamberlain’s company.
