“A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM PROLOGUE”
By
Rebecca Reisert

FADE IN:
1. INTERIOR. PUCK AND HIPPOLYTA
CLOSE-UP on PUCK The effect is of a home video meant to be posted on youtube with some video before the camera focuses on his face.
PUCK
I was really looking forward to summer vacation. Three months free of all the stress of the school year. No more history! No more mythology! No more reading assignments! Best of all--no more
Shakespeare! But these first three weeks have been the worst weeks of my life! My parents were completely wrapped up with my sister’s wedding—
CLOSE-UP on SISTER (HIPPOLYTA)
HIPPOLYTA
It is perfectly fair that our family is not going on vacation this summer--do you have any idea how much our family has to spend on my wedding? And while I’m on the subject, you need to clean up your room.
My wedding is in four days--and two of my bridesmaids are going to stay there starting tonight.
PUCK (VO)
So where am I supposed to sleep?
HIPPOLYTA
We’ve got that old Dora the Explorer pup tent out in the garage. Set it up in the backyard and sleep out there. Pretend you’re on a camping vacation.
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CLOSE-UP on Puck’s disgusted face.
2. INTERIOR. PUCK AND HIS BROTHERS.
PUCK
So I figured I’d hang out with my brothers, but—
DEMETRIUS
Dude, I know I promised to take you to
King’s Island, but my girlfriend wants to go and a choice between taking my girlfriend and taking my little brother-well, dude--that’s not really a choice, is it?
LYSANDER
I’m taking my girlfriend hiking, and I don’t want any little twerps trailing along.
CLOSE-
UP on PUCK’s disgusted face.
3. INTERIOR. PUCK AND BEST FRIEND
PUCK
Even my best friend had gone over to the dark side of loooovvvvvve--
OBERON
Your brothers are jerks. Come over tonight and hang out with Tanya and me.
(Excited)
She’s bringing over all four Twilight flicks, and we’re gonna have a Bella Swan
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CLOSEUP on PUCK’s horrified face.
4. INTERIOR. PUCK AND BOTTOM. marathon. Now are you team Edward or team
Jacob?
PUCK
So I biked to DQ to get something to eat—
CLOSE-UP on fast food clerk (BOTTOM). [Note--this will need to be tweaked according to what costume BOTTOM wears. This is an example for Dairy
Queen).
BOTTOM
NEXT!
PUCK (VO)
I’d like a barbecue burger, please.
BOTTOM
Are you saying you want a quarter-pound
Sweet Apple BBQ grillburger?
PUCK (VO)
YES PLEASE, I’D LIKE THE APPLE BARBECUE BURGER.
BOTTOM
(Beginning to thunder.)
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ grillburger!
PUCK (VO)
Yes, the Sweet Apple barbecue hamburger.
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BOTTOM
(Louder)
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ grillburger!
PUCK (VO)
The Sweet Apple BBQ hamburger.
BOTTOM
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ grill burger!
PUCK (VO)
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple hamburger.
BOTTOM
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ grill burger!
PUCK (VO)
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ hamburger.
BOTTOM
A quarter-pound Sweet Apple BBQ grill burger!
PUCK (VO)
I’ll just take a Coke.
CLOSEUP on PUCK’s frustrated face.
5. EXTERIOR. PUCK
Close-up on Puck’s face—he has a flashlight under his chin.
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He’s camping out.
PUCK
So June 23 found me alone. . .with nothing but a Coke for supper. . .camping out in my backyard. . .alone. But nobody thought to warn me that you should never sleep out under a Midsummer moon. . .unless you wanted some pretty weird dreams.
Music begins and in the darkness, the shapes of Theseus and Hippolyta begin to dance.
THE END
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