Founded around 1594 under the patronage of Henry Carey, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men became William Shakespeare’s principal acting company. Richard Burbage played its greatest tragic roles, while Shakespeare contributed many of the plays that defined its reputation.
The troupe performed first at The Theatre, moved to the Curtain, and then helped build the Globe in 1599. It toured Britain and even visited France and Belgium. Its membership included actors such as William Kempe, Augustine Phillips, Henry Condell, and John Heminges. Kempe’s departure brought the contrasting talents of Robert Armin.
The company survived political controversy, including an association with the 1601 Essex rebellion, and continued performing at court. When James I became king in 1603, it was renamed the King’s Men. Its legacy was preserved when Condell and Heminges helped publish Shakespeare’s First Folio.