Dwayne Lee Yancey
Dwayne Yancey can still remember all the lines from his debut performance on stage - both of them. In eighth grade. Many decades later, he is a journalist by profession but a playwright by avocation. By day (and sometimes by night), he is a senior editor at The Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Va. On the side, he writes plays. Many of his scripts reflect his interest in Shakespeare and bringing Shakespeare to the masses, even if that does mean a few, um, script changes for a modern audience. Yancey comes from a theatre family. His wife acts and directs in community theatre and both his children are stage veterans. They live in Fincastle, Va.
Hit the Books
Comedy by Dwayne Lee Yancey
24 pages
1 m, 4 w
Molly, a college student studying for exams, becomes so frustrated she hits herself in the head with her art history textbook. Suddenly, she thinks she’s the Mona Lisa. Her roommate, Abby, becomes frantic. A suitemate, Zoë, arrives who thinks the logical thing to do is to hit Abby on the head with another book. Soon, Brittany, an airhead, and Jeremy, Molly’s boyfriend, are on the scene. Throughout, every time someone gets hit in the head with a book, they instantly acquire command of the subject matter: from art history to the laws of physics, from phone book...
Code 40: Verona
Drama by Dwayne Lee Yancey
44 pages
6 m, 2 w, 14 flexible
This play begins at the ending of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" but envisions a modern twist - it's a police drama, in which incompetence and political pressure rule the day. Balthasar and Friar Lawrence still flee the bloody scene in the Capulet family tomb and are apprehended by church security guards. But this time, security calls the police, who proceed to investigate the crime. The police release the friar because they can't imagine how he would be involved and instead try to pin the crime on Balthasar. The mayor, Escalus, is under political pressure ...
Day The Church Picnic.
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
7 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
A young lawyer has come to try to spring his/her client from the county jail. The client is a prim and proper older woman who has been charged with assault, malicious wounding, destruction of property, and even resisting arrest! And all at the church picnic!
Macbeth Goes Hollywood
Comedy by Dwayne Lee Yancey
61 pages
4 m, 4 w, 5-19 flexible, extras
Shakespeare's agent options his script "Macbeth" to a Hollywood producer who wants a "few" changes to make the play more contemporary. The trouble is the producer isn't sure what changes exactly should be made. Soon Shakespeare is casting the poor witches alternately as country singers, rappers, and punk rockers, while Macbeth and Lady Macbeth perform their lines as gangsters, farmers and Goths. A member of the audience is even pulled onstage at one point to help Macbeth rehearse a murder scene. If that's not bad enough, the final showdown between Macbeth and...
Father, I Cannot Tell A Lie
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
3 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
The question, "Who chopped down the cherry tree," is answered by George Washington as well as several other former presidents and even a few well-known entertainers of today!
Shakespeare Sells Out
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
12 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
Shakespeare is a guest on a TV talk show to promote his updated classics: no more archaic references to fishmongers and codpieces. Instead, as various scenes are acted out, we see product placement now plays a huge part. There's a soft drink logo on Yorick's skull in "Hamlet"; the Weather Channel is plugged by the three witches in "Macbeth"; and a GPS device helps keep tab on Romeo. Where will it all end?!
One-Word Hamlet, The
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
6 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
Are your student actors daunted by the thought of memorizing lines of Shakespeare? Erase their fears with this incredible version of "Hamlet" where actors only have to memorize one-word sentences!
Game Day Decisions
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
6 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
Stan and Tony are rooting for the Jets while John, who's just arrived, starts rooting for the Steelers. When they ask him why, he says he never roots for "Northern" teams. As the guys question him further, John reveals his complicated method of determining which team to support. It seems totally illogical until Trisha enters and starts rabidly rooting for one of the teams for her own reasons.
First Impressions Can Be...
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
3 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
A SPACE ALIEN with green skin has landed near a beach on earth. Now he or she radios to the mother ship to report his or her findings that these primitive people lather themselves with some kind of cooking oil, then proceed to bake themselves alive!
Efficiency Expert, The
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
6 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
E-mail means better communication: it's more efficient than long-winded meetings, less effort than formal business letters, and much faster than laying telephone tag. But not always! This poor office worker finds tips from an e-mail efficiency expert really equals more errors!
Day The Circus Tigers.
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
2 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
Two tigers are in their cages backstage at the circus. The ANGRY TIGER is pacing nervously back and forth; the LAZY TIGER is taking things easy. The Angry Tiger is frustrated how he will have to jump through a hoop and balance on a ball. The Lazy Tiger reminds him he'll at least get a treat. The Angry Tiger decides it's time to get his own "treat."
Copyright Violation, The
i-Scene by Dwayne Lee Yancey
5 pages
By Dwayne Yancey
Alicia's new cartoon tattoo, done on a somewhat private place on her body, violates Mega Studio's copyright. All the studio requires is that she display the tattoo whenever they specify! Characters include Alicia, the attorney, and the "repo" man. Aghhh!
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