# Shakespeare in Shorts

## Metadata

- Slug: shakespeare-in-shorts
- Type: Short Play
- Genre: Comedy
- Acts: 1 act
- Duration:
  - 20–40 minutes
  - 40–60 minutes
- Cast:
  - Medium (7-14)
  - Large (15+)
- Cast Summary: Flexible: 11-23
- Technical Requirements: Minimal
- Performing Groups:
  - High School/Secondary
  - Theatre for Young Audiences
- Primary Image: https://content.uproartheatrics.com/xw3ovl7qqffi1zr8askme6zv1s2o

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## Authors

- By David Overton (author slug: david-overton)

## Overview

***Shakespeare in Shorts*****is just what it sounds like: a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, and delightfully irreverent dive into the world of William Shakespeare, crafted for young performers and their unsuspecting audience members (AKA the parents).**
Playwright David Overton masterfully breaks down Shakespeare’s plays into bite-sized, digestible morsels, all while contextualizing the Bard’s work within the world that shaped it. Guided by a chorus of witty narrators (wearing shorts, obviously), the cast bounces between iconic scenes—you got your star-crossed love of *Romeo and Juliet,* your existential musings of *Hamlet*, and just a whisper of *The Tempest* as a li’l bonus treat. Outside of the scenes, the fourth wall is knocked squarely over, to make sure the audience gets all the juicy details of that spicy Tudor family drama, the actual timelessness of these themes, and plenty of theatrical mischief. *Shakespeare in Shorts* makes the perfect first introduction to this guy: here, he's relevant, relatable, and really worth watching, for actors and audiences alike.
*The playwright has given his permission for licensees to cut lines and/or scenes as necessary to meet the festival or competition's time requirements without seeking prior approval from Uproar. Lines must still be performed sequentially as written, and words may not be changed or substituted without prior written approval.*

## Cast

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ---- |
| A NOTE ON CASTING: | Flexible, gender-blind casting for as many as 23 actors (with the exception of ACTOR A who should be female); or, by reducing the number of NARRATORS from 9 to 3 – and using the same actors in all of the Shakespearean scenes – as few as 11.

The characters ARE the actors. Whoever they are is however they are (is whomever they are, is wherever they are - on their life’s journey, that is…).
 |
| LIST OF CHARACTERS: | NARRATOR A,
NARRATOR B,
NARRATOR C,
NARRATOR D,
NARRATOR E,
NARRATOR F,
NARRATOR G,
NARRATOR H,
NARRATOR J,
ACTOR A (female),
ACTOR B,
ACTOR C,
ROMEO,
JULIET,
HAMLET,
OPHELIA,
CLAUDIUS,
GERTRUDE,
OSRIC,
LAERTES,
HORATIO,
PROSPERO,
ARIEL.
 |

## Materials

### Available for additional fee:

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| 60-Minute Talkback with the Creator | A 60-minute Zoom/Google Meet with one or more of the show's creator(s). Licensees and guests can ask questions, share experiences, and hear about the artistic journey of the show and creative team. This can be scheduled before or after the performances. If we are unable to make scheduling work, the cost will be refunded. |
| Video Recording License | License to create an archival recording of the show that may be distributed to the cast and crew. This does not allow publicly posting the performance. |