Celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

 

Honor the Bard and entertain your audiences.

 

Thinking about producing a Shakespeare adaptation? This spring is the perfect time to honor the Bard and entertain your audiences. Why not celebrate Shakespeare's birthday with a show?  (Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated on April 23rd.)  

We have so many adaptations from classic to funny and re-imagined to post-apocalyptic.  Our different Shakespeare adaptations have everything from vampires to Shakespeare-loving dragons!  The hardest part is deciding which show to do.  

 
 

Adapted by Eric L. Magnus

Cast: 10 m, 3 w, 11 flexible, extras

The Taming of the Shrew

This adaptation of William Shakespeare's zesty classic comedy remains true to the original, but with its tighter construction is more easily accessible to junior and senior high school actors.

A lively, colorful and energetic play that actors and audience alike will enjoy.

 
 

Adapted by Patricia B. Melehan

Cast: 9 m, 8 w, 5 flexible, extras

The Tempest

This stunning theatrical version of the Shakespeare classic remains true to the original poetry and language but has been modified to make it more easily produced. The role of Prospera has been created to provide a strong leading female role and several additional girls' parts have been added as well. The fabric of Shakespeare's vision is designed with a wonderful cast of comic characters, and there's plenty of room for extras as sprites, reapers and nymphs. 

 
 

Adapted by Wade Bradford.

Music and Lyrics by Rachel Greenlee and Wade Bradford.

 11 m, 10 w, 3 flexible, 1 boy, extras

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Whimsically adapted from Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy, this musical features the usual magical forest and spellbound lovers, but also an upstart Puck who decides to liven things up by modernizing the dialogue and adding song and dance numbers. It's all fun and games until William Shakespeare, fresh from spinning in his grave, leaps onto the stage, demanding to know what on earth is going on!

Although this musical version may be a bit more madcap than what the Bard had intended, this show still captures the wonder and the romance of the original play.