Shakespeare Plays
Reading, Watching, Discussing,
Analyzing & Working with the
assigned play
Assigned Plays:
COMEDY OF ERRORS
MACBETH
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
TAMING OF THE SHREW
TITUS ANDRONICUS
TWELFTH NIGHT
COMEDIES:
COMEDY OF ERRORS
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
TAMING OF THE SHREW
TWELFTH NIGHT
TRAGEDIES:
MACBETH
TITUS ANDRONICUS
She’s The Man (2006)
“Twelfth Night”
The Twist: Change a shipwreck to a new high school,
and Shakespeare’s tale of gender-bending, disguises
and love triangles is tailor-made for a new generation.
Based On:
The Lion King (1994)
“Hamlet”
The Twist: The bulk of the story and several key
scenes remain intact, with Denmark swapped for th
African savanna, and people swapped for animals
(mostly lions).
Based On:
West Side Story (1961)
“Romeo & Juliet”
The Twist: Swap out Italy for New York City’s
Upper West Side, the wealthy families of Capulet
and Montague for rival gangs the Sharks and the
Jets, and add in some musical numbers, and you’ve
got a hit on your hands.
Based On:
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
Based On: “The Taming of the Shrew”
The Twist: The classic is re-imagined as the ongoing struggle
between two key actors, whose disagreements jeopardize the
entire play they are now attempting to perform – William
Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.”
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Based On: “The Tempest”
The Twist: The supernatural elements of Shakespeare’s “The
Tempest” are re-skinned into an alien world, and sci-fi fans
would have no idea they’re witnessing a story with elements
written centuries before space travel.
Romeo Must Die (2000)
Based On: “Romeo & Juliet”
The Twist: Focusing on race instead of family loyalty, and
exchanging words and daggers for guns and martial arts,
“Romeo & Juliet” is adapted into a modern setting yet again.
Deliver Us From Eva (2003)
Based On: “The Taming of the Shrew”
The Twist: Proving that Shakespeare’s comedy
about the trappings of affection never gets old,
stars LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union offer yet another
modern re-telling, this time with the titular ‘shrew’
a health inspector who loves to stick her nose in her
sisters’ love lives.
Ran (1985)
Based On: “King Lear”
The Twist: The aging king dividing his estate among his
daughters is re-imagined as a Japanese warlord handing his
empire off to his three sons.
O (2001)
Based On: “Othello”
The Twist: The story of deceit,
manipulation, jealousy and murder
is moved from Venice to a high school,
with the main cast of players simply
students, as opposed to soldiers.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
“The Taming of the Shrew”
The Twist: The young Bianca is looking for a date
to the prom, but will only be allowed to attend if her
older, colder, more ‘shrewish’ sister Kat finds a date
as well. The solution? Hire a suitor.
Based On:
Buena Vista Pictures
Based on: The Comedy of Errors
Big Business (1988)
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Based on: Henry IV and Henry V
Based on KING HENRY IV
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Buena Vista Pictures
Based on: King Lear
A Thousand Acres
(1997)
Based on KING LEAR
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Miramax Films
Based on: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Get Over It (2001) based on A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
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Summit Entertainment
Based on: Romeo and Juliet
Warm Bodies (2013) based on
ROMEO AND JULIET
'My Kingdom' (2001)
Based on "King Lear"
"Macbeth"
set in a Scottish restaurant
Taking Leave (a play)
based on KING LEAR
You have been assigned
to work in a particular
group
You have been assigned
to work with a particular
Shakespearean play
You will need to
participate daily in order
to receive a grade
Shyness, Like or Dislike
– does not matter at this
point.
Group Work Assignment
Steps for this assignment:
Days 1 & 2:
Skim through the entire play,
including the character list
Write down & define any
unknown words
Find a reliable
summary/synopsis of the play.
Days 3 & 4:
Read the entire play together.
Take notes as you read –
whatever you feel will be
helpful.
Days 5 & 6:
Find and watch a BBC or PBS
version of the assigned play
Take notes as you watch –
How close to the play is the
production?
What are the costume
choices?
What are the set/scenery
choices?
How long is the production?
Steps for this assignment:
Days 7 - 9:
Create the assigned play as a
modern day “Soap Opera” – an
ongoing, detailed show about
characters interacting with one
another and their
actions/reactions to various
situations.
Characters must have a
modern day job.
Setting must be in modern day
times.
Days 10 & 11:
Perform the most important
Act of your Modern Day
adaptation of the assigned
play.
Props, Costumes, etc. are
necessary
Audience will take notes on
the performance.
Grades will be based on
participation, attention,
attitude and end product.