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Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

  • 1.  Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-13-2018 10:45
    Hi all- 
    I'm directing Macbeth for the fall play next year, and wonder if any of you have a great cut of the script? I'm hoping for a 70- 90 minute version. 
    If anyone needs a 30 minute for their lower school, I have a copy I can share. 
    Thanks!

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    Nicole Tremblay
    Director of Theater
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 2.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-13-2018 15:48
    I did Macbeth about 4 years ago, and while I don't still have a cutting of the script, I can tell you at least some of what we cut.

    The Ross/Old Man bit from Act 2 Scene 4
    All of Act 3 Scene 5 (Hecate)
    Some of Act 4 Scene 3. I cannot remember what off-hand, but it is a LONG scene. Some of the interaction between Macduff and Malcolm can be cut. We did cut the bit with the doctor in that scene.
    I think we cut a good portion of Act 5 Scene 2.

    I hope that helps. It won't quite get you down to 90 minutes, but it'd be a start.

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    Christopher Hamilton
    Drama Teacher
    Kennewick WA
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  • 3.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-14-2018 10:15
    We developed a production based on Macbeth, called "A Scottish Play". All dialogue was from Shakespeare, but we created it as a ritual theatre piece, with the witches at the center of the production. The entire company played witches, and the other characters "morphed" out of the witches as necessary. The run time was a little over an hour. I think I still have the script, if you'd like to try something a little different. I could also write up some notes about our approach and the rituals that we developed in conjunction with the production. (Lots of stage blood involved!)

    Michael Bergman

    "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time" 
    ― Thomas Merton











  • 4.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-18-2020 00:42
    I would love a copy of this if you still have it.

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    Jeffrey Wienckowkski
    Lake balboa CA
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  • 5.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 08-13-2020 04:24
    Dear Michael,

    I read your post and I'm very interested in your 'A Scottish Play'. 
    I will do a MacBeth-project this winter with 3 classes and would like to try something a little different.
    May I read your script?

    Kind Regards, Liesbeth
    Haarlem, The Netherlands

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    Elisabeth Rood
    Haarlem
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 08-13-2020 18:03

    I don't have a copy available to me where I am located at the moment. Below is a link to the production on YouTube. Let me know what you think and if you still would like a copy of the script. Obviously the script will be missing some of the blocking choices, music, etc. Let me know if you need anything else?  Much love and light. 


    Macbeth: The Scottish Play in a Galaxy Far, Far Away



    ------------------------------
    Scott F. Cooney
    "Lover of Life"
    NJ State Thespian State Board
    CTE Acting/Theatre Instructor
    BCIT Medford Academy of Performing Arts
    Medford, NJ
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-10-2021 11:35
    Hello!
    Would you still be able to share this version of Macbeth? I'm hoping to do a Macbeth-ish show for competition next year

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    libby hollinger
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  • 8.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-11-2021 14:43
    You can do almost all of Macbeth and bring it in at 90 minutes. It's the shortest Shakespeare tragedy.

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    Billy Houck
    Theatre Teacher, Retired
    Northern Rep to the California Thespian State Board
    Carmichael, CA
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-11-2021 17:04
      |   view attached
    Attached is a copy of an hour long version of Macbeth that I adapted for our students.
    Sam

    Sam Robinson

    Theatre Teacher

    Rolling Hills Prep School &

    Renaissance School 

    One Rolling Hills Prep Way | San Pedro, CA 90732

    P: (310) 791-1101 x113 | F: (310) 373-4931 
    srobinson@rollinghillsprep.org
    www.RollingHillsPrep.org

    www.RenaissanceSAS.org




    Attachment(s)



  • 10.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-14-2018 15:06
    Last summer I was on a production team that produced a 90-minute cut version of of Macbeth without an intermission.  I can talk to the director and see if he's willing to share his cut script. I'm pretty sure we have it in digital format.  It might take me a few days to get a hold of it though!


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    Rachel Ferrari-Engel
    Pittsburgh Pa
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  • 11.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-15-2018 18:32
      |   view attached
    I am attaching a cutting that I did two years ago for my upper school students.   It worked well for us and we had a blast with the production!  Hope you find it useful!





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

    Attachment(s)

    doc
    Macbeth Script.doc   316 KB 1 version


  • 12.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-16-2018 09:36

    Why don't you start with the 30 minute version you have already and keep adding to it to make the 70- 90 minute version you want?

     

    Kelly M. Thomas

    Department of Theatre

    Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School

    3300 Poteet Drive

    Mesquite, Texas 75150

    972-882-5300

    Kthomas@mesquiteisd.org

     

     






  • 13.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-18-2020 08:58
    I just did the Macbeth: The Scottish Play in a Galaxy Far, Far Away this past fall and could help you cut the play down to 70-90 minutes.  How many cast members do you expect as there are certain roles you can combine? I do still have my copy of the script and it is in an editable format, but I combined several soldiers into one "Rosse".  I would love to help you with this process, your concept and editing a copy of the text specifically for your needs.  The brilliant part about Shakespeare is you can make it your own as you can see from the links of my version this past fall below:

    Final Fight:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7up7ssPfksk

    Youtube link to full play:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT3gjM6N-KQ&t=387s

    ------------------------------
    Scott F. Cooney
    "Lover of Life"
    NJ State Thespian State Board
    CTE Acting/Theatre Instructor
    BCIT Medford Academy of Performing Arts
    Medford, NJ
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-19-2020 12:01
    Check out the Shakespeare Free Library out of Vermont. All their versions are abridged and they are absolutely free. All they ask is acknowledgement in your program.  I have used both their Tempest and Macbeth. With our Macbeth I added one scene back in and did not use the "news crier" suggestion. It should have been 90 mins but I had a great fight choreographer and we made the most of him in Acts 1 and 5.

    ------------------------------
    Susan Rhoden
    Senior Project Coordinator
    Sr. English Teacher
    ITS Troupe 6616 Sponsor
    Edgewood Jr/Sr High School
    ------------------------------



  • 15.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 04-20-2020 06:05
    Would love a copy the the 30 minute Macbeth for our middle school is you would like to share!!
    THANKS!

    ------------------------------
    Claire Cronin
    Woodlands Middle/High School
    Greenburgh Central School District
    Hartsdale NY
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 08-17-2020 12:02
      |   view attached
    I just did a cutting that wound up being 51 minutes long...but would probably be closer to 60 if performed live with transitions and such.  We did it virtually - so I'll also share the final product:
    https://vimeo.com/manage/447272300/general

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    Morgan Hicks
    Fayetteville AR
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    Attachment(s)

    docx
    macbeth academy cutting.docx   790 KB 1 version


  • 17.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-11-2021 11:52
    I am attaching the abridgement I did for our high school.  It ran about 90 minutes, not counting the intermission.  

    By the way, the main weapons we used for the soldiers were "quarterstaffs" made of curtain rod dowels, which we painted on each end with metallic paint to look like metal ends.

    ------------------------------
    CJ Breland
    Retired Theatre Arts Educator
    ------------------------------



  • 18.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-11-2021 11:53
      |   view attached
    Someday files will attach just because I say they are attached.

    ------------------------------
    CJ Breland
    Retired Theatre Arts Educator
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)



  • 19.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 05-11-2021 12:44
      |   view attached
    Sure thing.  Attached is the final script and below is a link to the final staging of the production.

    Macbeth: The Scottish Play in a Galaxy Far, Far Away Final Script

    Video of Final Production

    All the best!

    ------------------------------
    Scott F. Cooney
    "Lover of Life"
    NJ State Thespian State Board
    CTE Acting/Theatre Instructor
    BCIT Medford Academy of Performing Arts
    Medford, NJ
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)



  • 20.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 07-17-2022 08:25
    Hello Nicole- Could you send me your 30 minute script?  Thank you
    Walker T Ryan

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    Walker Ryan
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  • 21.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 07-18-2022 10:32
    Hi there!

    Don't know if you know about The Globe's "Shorter Shakespeare" series but I believe this is a 90 minute version:

    Globe Education Shorter Shakespeare: Macbeth
    Amazon remove preview
    Globe Education Shorter Shakespeare: Macbeth
    Amazon.com: Globe Education Shorter Shakespeare: Macbeth: 9781471896675: Globe Education Shakespeare: Books
    View this on Amazon >

    Hope this helps!




    ------------------------------
    Joan Jubett
    (she/her)
    Director of High School Fall Play and Spring Festival of Plays
    High School Theater Teacher
    LREI
    New York, NY
    ------------------------------



  • 22.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 07-18-2022 11:03
    Thank you.
    Walker






  • 23.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 07-19-2022 08:24
      |   view attached
    I did my own cut back in 2020 when I directed a movie version of Macbeth at my school ... you are welcome to it. It's about an hour.  Some scenes are quite short - which can work when doing a film, but may not work as well on stage, depending on your vision and choices. The link is here for anyone who finds it helpful. It's 23 pages long.

    Click here for the link:
    Macbeth - draft #8

    All the best,
    Becky Beth Benedict


    ------------------------------
    [Becky Beth [Benedict]
    [Theater Teacher, Director & Arts Dept Chair]
    [The MacDuffie School
    [Granby] [MA]
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    docx
    -8.docx   55 KB 1 version


  • 24.  RE: Macbeth- any great cut scripts out there?

    Posted 07-24-2022 00:23
    I have a cut that runs about 1 hr 15 mins. It was performed by middle school/high school students in a summer intensive program a few years back. It is cut from the First Folio, though, so still has the funky spellings and capitalizations (which I think are fun tools for performers, but does add a layer of complexity). Email me if you'd like me to send you a copy -- sullivan.mackintosh@canby.k12.or.us

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    Sullivan Mackintosh
    Drama Advisor/Theater Director
    Canby Union High School
    OR
    ------------------------------