James Burbage

James Burbage was a contemporary of William Shakespeare.

A publication which published much of the Shakespeare Notebooks stated it "appear[ed]" that under pressure from Burbage to "make dark tragedie light", Shakespeare prepared a second version of his play Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending, which he dubbed "the story as it did truly unfold, by misfortune unmarred". However, this alternative draft never made it to the stage as the more tragic version was ultimately retained. (PROSE: The True and Most Excellent Comedie of Romeo and Juliet)

Behind the scenes
Although not stated in The True and Most Excellent Comedie of Romeo and Juliet, Burbage was the father of Richard and Cuthbert Burbage.