Romeo and Juliet (Modern English) adapted by Craig Ma... - Theatrefolk

Romeo and Juliet (Modern English)

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Romeo and Juliet (Modern English)

adapted by Craig Mason from Shakespeare

A modern English one act version of Shakespeare's tragic tale of star-crossed lovers.

 About 40 minutes

Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks

 12
7 M | 2 W | 3 Any Gender, Easily Expandable

Interior and Exterior

 28 pages

Drama Classical Adaptation Shakespeare Young Audiences

Allow your students to get a grasp of the story before they have to tackle the Elizabethan language.

Does your drama club perform for grade school or family audiences? Try this retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The son and daughter of rivals fall in love, causing the age-old grudge between the families to resurface. It is a universal story, and Shakespeare's best-known work.

Our version gives an overview of the story and offers a lively introduction to the play.

12 Characters
7 M, 2 W, 3 Any Gender, Easily Expandable

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

The Montagues
Romeo [M] 71 lines
Benvolio [M] 31 lines
Mercutio [M] 26 lines
Others
Narrator [A] 24 lines
One Monologue
Friar Laurence [M] 1 line
One Monologue
The Prince of Verona [M] 4 lines
Two Monologues
Mantua Newsie [A] 15 lines
The Capulets
Capulet [M] 30 lines
One Monologue
Juliet [W] 44 lines
Nurse [W] 23 lines
Tybalt [M] 9 lines
One Monologue
Messenger [M] 52 lines

Subgenres
Adaptation Shakespeare Theatre for young audiences Character study

Settings
16th Century / Elizabethan

Dress
Period costumes

Audience
All audiences Children Pre-teen Teen

Features
Tableau Dance Stage combat Character study Ensemble Masks Music

Set
Simple set

Cautions
Onstage murder

Themes
Death Love Parenting/Family Relationships Obedience Suicide Revenge Jealousy

Cross-Curricular Uses
Shakespeare

Other uses
Class work Scene work

Prop List

List, Swords, Vial of poison, Dagger
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Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

Related Titles

We accept orders worldwide using the following payment methods:
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.

A vignette play is a collection of short scenes on a theme. You'll love working with the variety and flexibility of the scenes. Your actors will love the fast pace and fun characters.

There's more. Every Theatrefolk vignette play holds the unexpected. A showcase monologue. A dramatic moment. A change in form. A left turn.

Ideal for classwork, competitions, and more!

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