Othello: The 30-Minute Shakespeare is a gripping seven-scene interpretation of this Shakespearean masterpiece.

There is a dramatic build as each successive event draws Othello closer to jealous rage. Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him with Cassio. He plants Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's chamber, orchestrating Othello's undoing.

The plot concludes with Othello outrageously smothering Desdemona, discovering the truth of his deception, and dying by his own hand. This is tragedy at its finest, and performable in just a half...

King Henry IV, Part I: The 30-Minute Shakespeare combines comedy, tragedy, and history into a rollicking six-scene drama performable in a half hour.

This adaptation includes tavern revelry, highway robbery, and the telling role-reversal scene between the inimitable Falstaff and young Prince Hal.

The play also features the rivalry between Glendower and Hotspur and the touching reconciliation between King Henry IV and his son Hal. The action climaxes with the riveting battle scene, and includes as a coda the new King Henry V's brutal rejection of his former friend...

Hamlet: The 30-Minute Shakespeare offers five scenes from this enduring tragedy. The Ghost of Hamlet's father calls for vengeance, and Hamlet uses the players to prove Claudius guilty. The cutting includes the murder of Polonius, Ophelia's mad scene, and the timeless "To be or not to be" speech, climaxing in the swordfight and poisoning that bring the story to its riveting end.

The edition includes helpful advice by Nick Newlin on how to put on a Shakespeare production in a high school class with novice actors, as well as tips for performing the specific play and...

The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The 30-Minute Shakespeare presents six captivating scenes from this high-spirited play. Proteus pledges his love to Julia, but then falls in love with Silvia, who had planned to elope with Proteus's bosom buddy Valentine. This classic story features hilarious cross-dressing, clever disguises, and intriguing mistaken identities. It also includes the uproarious monologue featuring Launce and his dog Crab.

The edition includes helpful advice by Nick Newlin on how to put on a Shakespeare production in a high school class with novice actors, as well as...

The Tempest: The 30-Minute Shakespeare offers eight scenes from this rich comedy. Beginning with the magical storm and shipwreck, this adaptation includes the uproarious discovery of the monster Caliban and his plot to kill Prospero. Included are the heartfelt marriage vows between Ferdinand and Miranda, the disguised antics of fairy Ariel, and Prospero's poetic abjuration of his rough magic.

The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin containing helpful advice on how to put on a Shakespeare performance in a high school class with novice actors as well as an appendix with...

Julius Caesar: The 30-Minute Shakespeare presents eight spellbinding scenes from this timeless masterpiece. The action begins as the soothsayer warns Caesar of the Ides of March and continues as Brutus conspires against Caesar. Other key scenes include Caesar's riveting assassination and Antony's stirring funeral oration. This adaptation closes with Cinna the Poet's death at the hands of the mob, the quarrel between Brutus and Cassius, and Brutus' suicide.

The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin containing helpful advice on presenting Shakespeare in a high school...

"A master at engaging students in the process of performing a Shakespeare
scene."--Janet Field-Pickering, head of education, Folger Shakespeare Library

The Merchant of Venice: The 30-Minute Shakespeare features eight scenes from this gripping classic: Shylock loans Antonio money, with the forfeit being a pound of Antonio's flesh. Comedic mayhem ensues as two foreign princes attempt to win Portia's hand. The climax is the courtroom scene where Portia, disguised as a lawyer, subjects Shylock to his harsh penalty. The drama concludes with reconciliations that land us firmly...

"A truly fun, emotional, and sometimes magical first experience . . . guided by a sagacious, knowledgeable, and intuitive educator."--Library Journal

The Taming of the Shrew: The 30-Minute Shakespeare offers eight scenes from this broad comedy. Opening with Petruchio and Kate's bawdy war of words, the drama continues with Bianca's courtship by Lucentio and Hortensio, disguised as pedants. The adaptation climaxes with the outlandish marriage scene, and Petruchio's relentless "taming" of Kate. The play ends with Kate's famous speech in praise of women's submission to...

Drawing on his eighteen years of experience as a teaching artist for Folger Shakespeare Library, Nick Newlin offers eighteen scenes to get young actors on their feet performing Shakespeare with confidence, understanding, and fun

Each scene averages five minutes in length, containing two to six characters, and features a monologue that young performers can use in performance, audition, or competition. Every scene has been "road tested" by one of Newlin's student groups at the Folger's annual Secondary School Shakespeare Festival, and includes dynamic stage directions and incisive...