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shakespeare scripts for performance

  • 1.  shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-19-2016 21:09

    Hello,

    I am planning on doing Midsummer Night's Dream next year and am just curious if there are public domain, royalty free versions of the script out there?  I am willing to pay royalties,  that's not a problem---but if I can save a bit of cash--that's always good.

    For comparison, Sam French has the script for 8.95 with royalties starting at 75/performance.  

    Thanks.

    ------------------------------
    Holly Thompson
    Worthington OH
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 06:01
    Edited by David Montee 05-20-2016 06:03

    All Shakespeare scripts should be royalty free, unless they are specifically re-written adaptations--then, of course, they're not really Shakespeare, but only the story with different text.  Is that what you're looking for?  If so, I'd consider doing the play as originally written, or simply abridging it yourself if running time is a concern.  The language in MIDSUMMER is not difficult to comprehend for focused, curious and adventurous young actors, especially when their teacher/instructor patiently helps them through it.  And the results of taking that time could open up for them the fun and the pride of tackling a genuine Shakespeare play, or an abridged version that they put together themselves.

    As for scripts, there are several websites offering printable versions of the entire Shakespeare canon.  I like The Complete Works of William Shakespeare offered by MIT.  I use their versions to begin with when preparing my own cuts for staging.

    Mit remove preview
    The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
    Welcome to the Web's first edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. This site has offered Shakespeare's plays and poetry to the Internet community since 1993.
    View this on Mit >

    .  

    ------------------------------
    David Montee
    Director Theatre Division
    Interlochen MI

    Author of Translating Shakespeare:  A Guidebook for Young Actors

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 07:51
    I used a nice edited version from a college professor by the name of Bob Gonzalez.  He shared his edit with no royalties, asking only that I give him credit in our printed materials.  Email him here:  

    ​Rick Osann
    Bonny Eagle HS 
    Standish, ME​


    The information transmitted herein is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the e-mail and any attachments from any computer.

    ******************************    ********************
    MSAD #6 - Bonny Eagle Schools
    Buxton - Hollis - Limington - Standish - Frye Island, Maine
    Helping all students to reach their full potential




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  • 4.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 08:02

    The best way to get a good, shortened version of a Shakespeare play is to read it and cut it. The second best way is to have the students read the play and do their own cutting. Often students will have some excellent ideas that you never thought of. 

    Why purchase a cutting when Shakespeare's plays are free?

    ------------------------------
    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 08:01

    I agree with David, do NOT pay royalties for Shakespeare. Back in the day, I would type up the script from my anthology.

    Another thing to consider adding to your list, Shakespeare Made Easy which has a simple translation on the opposite side. I do not always agree with the translation, however, it helps actors to understand the Bard better as they memorized their lines.  Also it gave me opportunities to discuss interpretation, when I disagreed with the simplified side. The books don't hold up to a rehearsal process, but did help immensely.

    ------------------------------
    Valerie Farschman, Drama Director
    MLS Theatre Company
    Marion L Steele High School
    Amherst OH

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 08:27

    I have an edit I did for our performance two years ago email me. Happy to share - nelllynch@aol.com

    ------------------------------
    Nell Lynch

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 08:51

    I love Midsummer!

    Don't forget, there is also No Fear Shakespeare.  It is similar to Shakespeare made easy.  but it is also free online to read if not to print.  As was said earlier, I don't always agree with the translation, but it is an excellent resource that they can pull up on a tablet or cell phone as well as having printed copies.

    ------------------------------
    [Jordan] [Love]
    [Director of Theatre]
    [Bettye Myers Middle School]
    [Denton] [TX]

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 08:48
    Royalty must be for their edition as Shakespeare's works are public domain. Use the Folger student editions. Folger is the largest Shakespeare library in the world and has amazing resources on their website.  A first folio is touring the country, too, and their is a series of fantastic workbooks for young actors by professional Shakespearean actors Fredi Olster & Rick Hamilton called 

    Discovering Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Workbook for Students and Teachers


    I've done it three times now. Once set in its Shakespearean period, once in the Victorian era with steampunk fairies and a working stream and pond, and most recently for the Shakespeare in the Swamp Festival which took place in the round in an old barn and set the show in the post-Civil War South with mechanicals with Cajun accents and fairies as Voodoo folk... Such great fun!

    Break a leg!
    Kate Arthurs-Goldberg, M.A.
    Jesuit Philelectic Society

    Sent from my iPhone



    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 09:22

    I have the version I have always used, that I cut, many years ago.  You'd be welcome to take a look at it.  You can email me at carolyn.greer@owensboro.kyschools.us - Happy to share! 

    Carolyn

    ------------------------------
    Carolyn Cork Greer
    Owensboro KY

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 10:57

    My version is $9.95, no royalties. See Community Shakespeare Company. The adaptation is very faithful and runs about 90 minutes.

    ------------------------------
    Richard Carter
    Author/Director: Community Shakespeare Company;
    MS/HS Teacher, Lopez Schools
    Lopez Island, WA

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 11:35
    You shouldn't pay royalties for Shakespeare, unless you're doing someone's adaptation.
    I like downloading scripts from the MIT site http://shakespeare.mit.edu/ and editing them myself.

    Billy Houck
    Fremont High School
    Sunnyvale CA






    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-20-2016 19:04

    Hello again, Holly.

    I usually don't contribute to one of these threads more than once; but I want to strongly encourage you to grapple with any Shakespeare text on your own time and terms, and share the results with your students rather than resorting to any abridgment or adaptation by someone else.  That process will reward both you and your students in important ways.  MIDSUMMER was the first Shakespeare play that I directed for high school students (in 1990), although I had acted professionally in several before that.  I painstakingly compared Quarto and Folio texts; it opened my eyes to the wonder of Shakespeare's writing, and It instigated my lifelong love affair with directing the Bard that eventually led to my book on teaching Shakespeare to high school students and the direction of half of the Shakespeare canon over the course of my teaching career.

    High school students CAN understand and relate to Shakespeare if their teachers are able and willing to take the time to do the prep work to help them through that journey.  MIDSUMMER is an excellent play to use in introducing them to the English language's greatest dramatic author; its themes of magic, parental domination, and out-of-control adolescent hormones are themes that they should relate to easily with your patient and thoughtful guidance. Don't resort to modernized adaptations; they are capable of learning to love the original with your inspired help.

    ------------------------------
    David Montee
    Director Theatre Division
    Interlochen MI

    Author of TRANSLATING SHAKESPEARE: A GUIDEBOOK FOR YOUNG ACTORS

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-21-2016 09:08
      |   view attached

    Holly - I emailed you a copy of a cutting I did for a production at my school about five years ago.  It worked well for us.  I'm attaching it here as well.  Ran about one hour, 45 minutes, with one intermission. 

    ------------------------------
    Susan Speidel
    Chairman of the Performing Arts Department
    Morristown-Beard School
    NJ

    Attachment(s)

    docx
    REVISED MIDSUMMER SCRIPT 4.docx   161 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-22-2016 06:20
    Hi Susan,
    I thank you for your cut version. I apologize for not getting back to you. (Senior exams--ugh!). Thank you so much. It was so generous to share. I received several cut versions from others on the forum as well. I'll be looking more closely at them once we close the eend of the school year this week.

    Thanks again,
    Holly


    To create one's own world in any of the arts takes courage.--Georgia O'Keefe
    Sent from my iPad


    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-23-2016 09:50

    If you can find a bit of time this summer, I encourage you to download a copy of "Midsummer" and cut it yourself.  I have learned more about Shakespeare by cutting the plays than I every learned in any class on Shakespeare.  

    I find a copy online--I like MIT's copies usually, but I've used others--and either download it or copy and paste it into a Word document.  

    As I read it through multiple times, I change the text color on chunks of dialogue.  I make parts I lean toward deleting one color, usually where monologues go on and on without furthering the plot, or where there are jokes that must have been hilarious in Will's day, but fall flat now.  Parts that I might delete, but am on the fence about, I make another color.  

    Eventually, I start cutting out those pieces of colored text, saving the document with "abridged" added to the document name, so I can go back and look at the complete version, should I reconsider.

    I usually call on my Thespian troupe to read it through using the data projector to let me get a good sense of the length, and I solicit their advice on any parts they felt still need to go to have a good arc to the play.

    Once I have a script, I format it in landscape, bookfold, and add page numbers.  Then I photocopy it, using card stock for the covers.  

    No royalties.  No cost for scripts, if I print them at school.  

    ------------------------------
    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC

    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-24-2016 06:02

    Thank you! a really fantastic idea on how to handle and track changes.  I will definitely be using that.

    Holly

    ------------------------------
    Holly Thompson
    Worthington OH

    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: shakespeare scripts for performance

    Posted 05-28-2016 12:21

    I just want to second what others said. There is no need to pay for Shakespeare. It is SO much fun to work on by yourself. Just like others have said, I have cuttings that I would be happy to share. But each time I do a Shakespeare play that I have directed before, I do a different cutting. When I look at other people's cuttings, I often want to make changes. Many times, they have cut lines that I think are important. And the longer I teach, the more of the play I end up doing. I directed A Midsummer Night's Dream for the third time last year. We did the whole play without any cuts. It was a blast!

    It takes a lot of time to go through the script, but it is totally worth it. After I have "cut" the script for my production, I spend about two weeks teaching the script to the kids before I even start blocking. It is so fun to debate the meanings of lines, look up the history of words, and find the innuendo and humor that is in many of his plays (like A Midsummer Night's Dream). 

    I use shakespeare.mit.edu. I will often use other sources as I adapt the script for our production, like Folger, No Fear Shakespeare, movies, etc. 

    The only bad side of doing Shakespeare is that I think it takes more time to prepare. But is totally worth it! We do Shakespeare almost every year. My students want to do it.

    ------------------------------
    David Tate Hastings
    Kansas Thespians
    Co-Chapter Director
    dhastingsos@olatheschools.org
    913-481-1868

    Original Message


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