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The Scarlet Heart

by Allison Williams

The Scarlet Heart is a gem! Literally. A big fat juicy apple of a ruby that everyone really, really wants and will do anything to get. Too bad there's not one competent thief in the bunch. Stupino! That's a soup ladle! Stop making goo goo eyes at the soup ladle!

Welcome to Theatrefolk's first commedia dell'arte comedy. This is an excellent introduction to commedia for any student performer. The script can be performed as written or by following an improv-based scenario.

Join Arlecchino, Brighella, Columbina, and more in their hungry, thirsty, bungling, cross-dressing quest for the Scarlet Heart.

Comedy Commedia dell'arte Movement-based

Average Producer Rating:

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time

About 30 minutes

Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes

Cast

10 Characters

4 M | 3 F | 3 Any Gender

Set

Unit Set

Length

59 pages

Production Tips

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Free Excerpt

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Performance Royalty Fees

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.

10 Characters
4 M, 3 F, 3 Any Gender

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.

BRIGHELLA [A] 36 lines

Leader of the thieves, male character, masked.

ARLECCHINO [M] 44 lines

A trickster and thief, male character, masked.

STUPINO [A] 31 lines

A very dumb thief, male character, masked. Treats objects as though they are people.

PANTALONE [M] 27 lines

A rich old miser, male character, masked.

CAPITANO [M] 18 lines

A braggart soldier, male character, masked. He frequently swings from bravery to cowardice and back again.

PULCINELLA [A] 38 lines

The oafish and put-upon owner of the Hotel Amatta, male character, masked.

FLAVIO [M] 20 lines

Vain, insecure, in love with being in love (and with Flaminia.) Male character, unmasked, carries an elaborate lacy hankie.

FLAMINIA [F] 24 lines

Vain, very secure, in love with being in love (and with Flavio.) Female character, unmasked, carries a mirror and lipstick.

COLUMBINA [F] 30 lines

A trickster and servant, female character, masked or unmasked, carries a feather duster.

FRANCESCA [F] 9 lines

A cynical maid and friend to Columbina, female character, masked or unmasked, carries a different feather duster.

Praise for The Scarlet Heart

Mike Yoson

Piscataway High School

We had so much fun producing The Scarlet Heart! Allison Williams created a perfect play to introduce student actors to the world of commedia. There was structure within the text but also so much freedom to explore and be creative. We even had one talented student create all of the Commedia masks! It really was a joy to work on this production!