William’s Shakespeare’s advice, "See first that the design is wise and just…do not for one repulse forego the purpose that you resolved to effect," is seeing life in plans for a new London theater. The New Inn Broadway will sit on the site of England's oldest permanent theater structure, simply called “The Theater,” where Shakespeare himself once performed.

An endeavor of the Tower Theatre Company, one of London's oldest entirely volunteer-run acting troupes, the $10-million (£7-million) project calls for a modern design that nonetheless continues the spirit of the site's theater tradition; yet its architecture will break from tradition with a modern design instead of one mimicking the original building. "We're not trying to recreate the 16th-century theater," says Penny Tuerk, chair of the troupe's trustees, in a statement. "We're trying to recreate the spirit of the 16th-century theater."

The four-story design by Bland Brown and Cole Architects (BB&C Architects) includes a 135-seat auditorium, a foyer, bar, and elevator. Upper levels will house a props workshop, dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms of 147-sq.-ft. and 262-sq.-ft., and over 400-sq.-ft. of costume storage. In a tribute to the site's history, glass displays on the first floor will showcase the remains of the original structure. The new design should be completed by the summer of 2012.

London actors have joined to support the design, while gushing over the exciting historic discovery. Actors including Paul McGann and Susannah Harker recited sections of Shakespeare's plays at the site. Famous actors such as Ian McKellan and Michael Gambon have contributed to the Tower Theatre Company's fundraising campaign for the new structure. The troupe has raised $6-million (£4-million) of the $10-million they will need to complete the project.

When the Tower Theatre Company acquired the site several years ago, it asked archaeologists from the Museum of London to examine the site and assure the Company that it could build. Surprisingly, the unused warehouse on the site covered the remains of "The Theatre” (1576), the first structure in London purposefully built as a permanent theater. Shakespeare and his colleague Richard Burbage worked there in the mid-1590s, until a dispute with the landlord in 1598 forced their acting company to secretly dismantle the building while the landlord was away for the Christmas holiday. The actors stored the wood beams until spring, then used them to construct the famous Globe theater across the river.

The Tower Theatre Company, formally titled Tavistock Repertory Guarantors Ltd. (TRGL), was founded in 1932. The broad-based company annually performs many plays within England and internationally, but never before owned a home theater. The new theater structure will allow them to continue the site's rich tradition of English drama.