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Will and Whimsy: Sixteen Dramatically Illustrated Sonnets of Shakespeare

Will and Whimsy: Sixteen Dramatically Illustrated Sonnets of Shakespeare

by Alan Haehnel

Shakespeare stands before you. A book of sonnets in his hands. His sonnets. 154 of them. Will you take the book? Will you read the sonnets?

NO WAY!!!!!!

Shakespeare isn't meant to be read. He's meant to be performed, shouted, loved, wept with, cursed over, died for, fought for, bled for!

You might think that's a bit much. Somewhat over-emotional. You can't understand a word Shakespeare says, and now you're supposed to get choked up? And bleed? Over Sonnets?

Fair enough. Start with Will and Whimsy. Modern scenes play hand in hand with the original text.

The sonnets come alive. No bleeding. We promise.

Comedy Classical Adaptation Shakespeare Student Directors Vignettes

Average Producer Rating:

This is a vignette play!

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time
About 50 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
8 Characters
8 Any Gender, Expandable to 35
Set
Simple Set
Length
43 pages
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.

8 Characters
8 Any Gender, Expandable to 35

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.

BARD 67 lines
Several monologues
SONNET 116
BARD 5 lines
JOSH [A] 14 lines
A man in the midst of proposal.
LAURA [A] 11 lines
A lovebird whose faith is true.
BILL [A] 18 lines
A specialist in pre-nuptual agreements. Not exactly a romantic.
SONNET 89
BARD 4 lines
JAKE [A] 23 lines
A jilted lover trying to win his ex’s heart back. Will change in whatever way it takes.
JESSICA [A] 21 lines
Jake’s ex-girlfriend. Wise in the ways of self-worth.
SONNET 130
BARD 4 lines
STEVE [A] 9 lines
Not much of a poet, but his heart is in the right place.
MARYANNE [A] 9 lines
Self-conscious about her appearance. Wants to measure up to the other girls.
SONNET 29
BARD 6 lines
KAREN [A] 6 lines
A self-conscious girl who worries about having friends.
BILBO 0 lines
Karen’s loyal dog. No lines. Some barking and yipping.
SONNET 90
BARD 3 lines
BOB [A] 22 lines
A depressed guy with a foot fungus, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
CAROL [A] 7 lines
Bob’s girlfriend. Sorely tested when Bob reminds her of all his faults.
SONNET 73
BARD 4 lines
RICK [A] 13 lines
A young man, bidding farewell to some childhood objects.
MOM [A] 1 line
Rick’s mother. One line offstage.
VOICE [A] 15 lines
Rick’s old, once-cherished blanket. Knows how to tug at the old heartstrings.
SONNET 138
BARD 4 lines
MARNEETA [A] 14 lines
Old woman with bad eyesight and good sense of humour.
EARL [A] 11 lines
Old man. A romantic at heart.
SONNET 129
BARD 4 lines
KALEE [A] 7 lines
One friend obsessed with eating the last candy. Meets a bitter end by a sweet treat.
ASHLEY [A] 7 lines
A second friend obsessed with eating the last candy.
JONICA [A] 5 lines
A third friend obsessed with eating the last candy.
SONNET 120
BARD 4 lines
CARMEN [A] 16 lines
A mathematically-minded ex-friend. Wants to be left alone.
RACHEL [A] 14 lines
A mathematically-minded ex-friend. Wants a second chance.
SONNET 146
BARD: 4 lines
MINDY [A] 15 lines
A girl who has lost much, but gained an inner-peace.
CORY [A] 10 lines
A materialistic friend who wants to help Mindy with a trip to the mall.
DARLENE [A] 5 lines
A second friend who wants to help Mindy the only way she knows how.
SONNET 2
BARD 4 lines
SCOTT [A] 28 lines
A man confronted by the threat of old age. He doesn’t like what he sees.
MARTHA [A] 28 lines
A woman with a vision of the future and a secret in her pocket.
SONNET 76
BARD 3 lines
SAL [A] 23 lines
A lovestruck agent, desperate to hear his beloved artist croak a new tune.
MARLA [A] 22 lines
A lizard-loving songstress with a case of writer’s block.
SONNET 44
BARD 4 lines
MAX [A] 20 lines
A love-struck science-fiction fan. Has long-distance love down to a science.
BARB [A] 20 lines
Max’s long-suffering love. Knows their long-distance love is a fiction.
SONNET 64
BARD 4 lines
JON [A] 20 lines
A young boy, making castles in the sand.
SALLY [A] 20 lines
A young girl, making castles in the sand.
SONNET 57
BARD 4 lines
FIONA [A] 24 lines
A smitten girl, waiting on a very-important call from a bad boy boyfriend.
JUNE [A] 24 lines
A savvy girl who thinks June’s boyfriend is just bad, full-stop.
SONNET 23
BARD 4 lines
BILLY [A] 17 lines
A nervous man who takes three long seconds to say three little words.
JANINE [A] 13 lines
Billy’s patient friend, who knows the hardest things in this world might be written rather than said.

Praise for Will and Whimsy: Sixteen Dramatically Illustrated Sonnets of Shakespeare

Gena Lea Smith
Van Vleck High School
We had a lot of fun with this show.
Christine Vitale
Oberoi International School Mumbai,India
Once the students understood the interpretations of the sonnets, they got into the play. The parents liked this one because the students were learning some Shakespeare.
Rainer Kittel
Kunstschule Labyrinth
Lots of fun and a great experience for the kids.

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