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Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

  • 1.  Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-24-2015 11:03

    Hi all!

    im looking for an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet for a high school performance. My advanced students and I are itching to produce this as our spring show but I'm having trouble finding a script I like. Any suggestions/resources would be much appreciated!

    Also, this is our first attempt at Shakespeare so any advice, exercise ideas, lessons, would also be much appreciated!

    Thanks in advance,

    Heidi Frederic

    Theatre Teacher

    St. Amant High

    St. Amant, LA

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    Heidi Frederic
    Gonzales LA
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  • 2.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-24-2015 11:26

    Two of my favorite books for teaching Shakespeare:

    Creative Shakespeare. The Glove Educcation Guide to Practical Shakespeare by Fiona Banks, Bloomsbury Publishing

    and

    Will Power, How to Act Shakespeare in 21 Days by John Basil, Applause Books

    there are online sources for the First Folio. Email me if you need the address.

    AP

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-24-2015 12:30

    The GLOVE not the Globe John? ;p

    I agree with John (typo not withstanding). Fiona's book is great. :)

    I also have notes from when I was there a couple of summer's ago. Email me to get them. :)

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-24-2015 13:14

    Sorry, GLOBE and EDUCATION, typing between classes!

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-24-2015 20:33

    Check out the R&J cuttings through Plays For Young Audiences ( http://playsforyoungaudiences.org/scripts)  .  I haven't read those particular versions, but I really like their cutting of Midsummer (Banks version). 

    Also, if you're really wanting to teach Shakespeare, you could work with the class to create your own cutting of the show.  Might be a good exercise and would get them super familiar with the script.

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    Jennifer Simmons
    Lexington SC

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-25-2015 08:47

    I have a couple of cuttings I'd be happy to share with you.  Just contact me-- parkerronaldc@aasd.k12.wi.us and I'll send them in an attachment.  I would highly recommend using a parallel text with your students--it gives them immediate access to understanding without the tedium of footnotes.  I do a Summer Shakespeare program with area high school students (this summer will be our 30th season) and have always used a parallel text.  NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE is fine, but the parallel text series put out by Perfection Learning is better, in my opinion--it literally gives a line for line paraphrase. Parallel Text | Shakespeare Plays

    Perfectionlearning remove preview
    Parallel Text | Shakespeare Plays
    For many years, literature teachers have relied on the Shakespeare Parallel Text editions to engage students in their classrooms. The presentation of the original text and a line-by-line modern translation on facing pages makes the plays accessible and meaningful to even the most reluctant student.
    View this on Perfectionlearning >

      I also use the Folio and Quarto (s) if they exist for the play to guide my direction, but you can't beat seeing kids start the process by focusing on the modern translation only to quickly make the jump to Shakespeare's words--a choice they invariably make because it sounds and plays better.  Also let kids know that the formidable "iambic pentameter" is actually a rhythm they already use--it is the closest poetic meter to natural English speech and the iambic beat is actually the beat of their own heart.  They were cued into iambic while still in the womb!  I have a TON of resources on R and J I'd be happy to share--just e-mail me.  The last time I directed it which was summer before last, I actually incorporated some of his sonnets--to give the chorus more to say (I split the chorus among an ensemble since I have so many kids participating in the summer) which comment on various moments in the plot.  Once you step down the path that is Shakespeare, there's no going back.  You and your kids are going to have a blast!

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    Ron Parker
    Appleton North High School
    Appleton WI
    www.appletonnorththeatre.com

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-25-2015 10:12

    Hi Heidi!

    I have begun one of my "Breakneck" versions of "Romeo & Juliet," which combines narrative and commentary with dialogue. It's early in its development, but it probably shortens the action to 60-75 minutes. If you'd like a look, please drop me a note.

    Tim

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    Tim Mooney
    timmooneyrep.com
    Prospect Heights IL

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-26-2015 09:17

    Hi,

    I love R&J and have done version styles over the years.  I had the same problem of finding a good cutting, so I cut my own.  I also produced Juliet and Romeo last year.  I adapted that script as well.  Essentially, the Capulets are the Montagues and vice versa.  Romeo has the balcony, Juliet crashes the party, and Lady Montague is the power parent!  It was a huge success. 

    I'd be happy to send both scripts to you.  carolyn.greer@owensboro.kyschools.us -

    Happy Thanksgiving!!

    Carolyn

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    Carolyn Cork Greer
    Owensboro KY

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-27-2015 11:42

    Wow! Thanks so much for the feedback! I am constantly amazed and excited by the resources in the forum. Very thankful for all your help! 

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    Heidi Frederic
    Theatre Teacher
    Ascension Parish School District
    Gonzales LA

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-28-2015 11:59

    I have an abridgement we did about 3 years ago.  Contact me if you'd like to see it.  

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    Glen Carpenter
    Tooele UT

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 11-30-2015 13:37

    Cast Foster's 60 Minute Shakespeare cuttings are interesting.  Sometimes I feel like they cut "too deep," but I always get good ideas from perusing them.

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    Ryan Moore
    Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
    Royal Oak MI

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 12-04-2015 06:26

    The other thing to bear in mind is that if you can't find a version you're 100% sold on, adapt it yourself! It gives you a nice sense of ownership of 'your adaptation' rather than relying on someone else. Takes a little bit more time investment, and it is hard to abridge something like Shakespeare because, well, it's Shakespeare and ALL OF IT IS NECESSARY.

    (Apart from that long flowery speech by Friar Lawrence. Man, oh man. Just an opinion).

    John's recommendations are indeed excellent, I use stuff from Creative Shakespeare and from Will Power all the time. Another potential resource is Drama Teacher Academy, and the course offered there by Todd Espeland 'Friendly Shakespeare'. One final book to grab a couple of ideas from is 'Clues to Acting Shakespeare', by Wesley Van Tassel, last in print 2006. And there are so many others!

    Actually, one book I thought was just sublime/beautiful was 'How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare' by Ken Ludwig. Though aimed at teaching one's own, biological children from an early age (starting with small snippets and working up to a full speech), this book is just heart-warming. Ludwig has such a passion for the subject, and the sentimentalist in me couldn't help tearing up as he describes his child, now grown, about to go to college, and how he starts quoting Shakespeare (Polonius, I think) and his child quotes it right back at him, and they have a little cry at one of life's big transitions.

    Goodness gracious, I'm crying already just typing about it! Get it together, man!

    But seriously, Ludwig's book has a lot of useful stuff in there that could be utilized for the classroom too. Highly recommended as a read just for it's own sake, too.

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    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Hillsborough County Schools
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 12-04-2015 07:57

    I always cut Shakespeare! It's not all needed or easily understood! I always do my own cutting and usually give the text to the students with the cuts marked. They often will tell me that they want the lines I cut because it helps them flesh out the character.

    Check out Creative Shakespeare: The Globe Education Guide to Practical Shakespeare by Fiona Banks. An excellent book!

    "Cut text is a foundation stone of Globe Education's creative approaches to Shakespeare."

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Abridged version of Romeo and Juliet

    Posted 12-04-2015 08:27

    Just to clarify, John, I am a big fan of cutting and abridging Shakespeare, for the reasons you articulated. I was just being facetious with the 'DONT CUT ANY OF IT' crack. :)

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    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Hillsborough County Schools
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message