 William Shakespeare is the most notable of the early modern playwrights, but numerous others made important contributions, including Molière, Pierre Corneille, Jean Racine, Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, Christopher Marlowe, and Ben Jonson.From the 16th to the 18th century Commedia dell'arte performers improvised in the streets of Italy and France.Some Commedia dell'arte plays were written down.