The only difference between an Elizabethan theater and today's theater is that the stage of the former jutted into the audience.

This is not the only difference between the two theaters.

Today, men and women are active in all theatre productions. Back in Elizabethan area, only men could pursuit such careers. Men were considered superior to women and women were not allowed to play on stages in public places. Therefore, men played both male and females roles, often with teenage boys playing the roles of women, due to their not fully developed stature and built.

The Elizabethan theatre was far mor audience interactive. Some of the cheapest seats were just in front of the stage, audience members could reach out and touch the actors and even talk to them. The stage itself was more open, close to the ground, the actors performing at very close distance to the audience.

Technology is of course far more advanced in today's theaters, especially the use of lights and microphones and various sound effects. The Elizabethan theaters were open arenas where the projection of sound was not very effective.