Name: _______________________ Shakespeare Play Project Acting 1/Acting 3

"Shakespeare in the 21st Century: A Modern Makeover"

Introduction
In embarking on the journey of modernizing William Shakespeare's plays, we delve into
an exploration that goes beyond the pages of centuries-old scripts.

While Shakespeare's timeless works have endured through the ages, their language and
cultural nuances can sometimes pose a barrier for today's students/audiences. Your
task will be to give these plays a modern makeover; you will need to make the profound
themes, complex characters, and enduring conflicts more accessible and relatable to
our contemporary world.

This project is not just about adapting words; it's an opportunity to breathe new life into
the Bard's creations, allowing us to reimagine and reinterpret his narratives in the
context of our own time.

Through this project, you will not only bridge the gap between the Elizabethan era and
the 21st century but also open doors to deeper understanding, fostering a connection
between the enduring brilliance of Shakespeare and the experiences and perspectives
of modern students/audiences.

You will need to reset Shakespeare’s plays so that they are not just “old plays” but a
vibrant source of inspiration and relevance for the audiences of the present and
Shakespeare relevant in their entertainment choices.

This one-week project offers students a hands-on and immersive experience in bringing
Shakespearean plays into the modern world, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and an
appreciation for the timelessness of Shakespeare's narratives.

For this project you need to take a Shakespeare play, study it, and then reset the work
into a modern setting while still maintaining the integrity, plot points, and meaning of
the original.

You will research, re-write, and reset the original play you pick/are assigned. Then,
using a medium of your choice you will present the information about the original and
the rewrite to the class. Original and New Scenes that you find/write will be performed.
Project Objectives/Activities:

​ Overview of Project:
● The concept of re-setting Shakespearean plays into a modern context.
■ Think about the timeless and universal themes found in
Shakespearean plays, such as love, power, ambition, and conflict.
Think about the comparative analysis between the societal
structures and cultural norms of Shakespeare's time and the
present day. How have relationships, language, and power
dynamics have evolved and changed over time. Are there any
potential points of intersection?
● REMEMBER, it is important to maintain the essence of the original while
adapting to contemporary themes.
■ You need to think innovatively/creatively while considering how to
preserve the essence of the original works.
■ Think about/use basic adaptation techniques, such as modifying
language, altering settings, and reimagining characters. Consider
the importance of maintaining the core elements of the original
while embracing creative reinterpretations.
● Can Macbeth be staged in Space? Can Romeo and Juliet be
set on the Titanic? Could Richard III be set in current
Washington D.C.?
● Be true to the original while searching for the best
re-imagining/re-telling of the play.
​ Play Selection:
● You will need to choose a short Shakespearean play (e.g., "A Midsummer
Night's Dream," "Much Ado About Nothing") via random name generator
● Using different sources, read the original synopsis of the play.
■ Answer the following important questions:
● When and where is the play set? What is going on?
● List characters and any important information about them.
● Who are the heroes? The villains?
● What is happening (action). Is the play a romance? Fantasy?
Drama? Tragedy? What is going on?
● Read the abridged version of the play that your teacher gives you. Then,
ANSWER THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOVE AGAIN!! Is there new
information that can help you when you start thinking about resetting your
play?
 Era and Location Selection (Resetting the play):

● Decide on a modern setting and location for the adaptation (e.g., a high
school, a corporate office, a coffee shop, current events, movies, different
literary universes, go wild!!). You can also utilize current events/stories of
public figures/other genres you might want to try to “bend/change” the
resetting of your play.
● YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT how the NEW setting YOU PICK
impacts the plot and characters.
​
​ Script Rewrite:
● First you will write/create a SYNOPSIS of your “new” resetting/staging
Shakespeare play. This needs to be a typed, well constructed paragraph
similar to the original synopsis you read when starting the play.
● Then, you need to pick THREE IMPORTANT SCENES from your play to
rewrite infusing modern language and cultural references.
■ You are encouraged to explore new dialogue while preserving the
essence of the original play!
​
​ Presentation and Class Participation:
​ Presenting the “New” Play:
● Using Canva, Google Slides, or any other creative medium of your choice,
design posters, a slideshow, some sort of visual representing the play in
its modern setting.
● You need to include:
■ The original Synopsis, the original setting, and characters.
■ The three original scenes you picked to represent the story.
● You will read/perform these scenes with an audience
volunteer during your presentation
■ The reset/reimagined synopsis
■ The reset/reimagined setting and characters of the story
■ The three reset/reimagined scenes you picked to represent the
story.
● You will read/perform these scenes with an audience
volunteer during your presentation
■ Be sure to consider costume ideas and discuss how modern
fashion can reflect character personalities.
■ Finally, you will need to create a “poster”, slide, or a handout
publicizing and presenting your “New” play.
Grading for Project Components:
The Original Shakespeare Play (100 points total, different points for each
component) presented in a google doc and/or also covered in your class
presentation:
Picking and reading the original Shakespeare Play (10 points)
The original Synopsis (20 points)
The original setting (20 points)
The original characters. (20 points)
The three original scenes you picked to represent the story. (30
points/10 each)
You will read/perform these scenes with an audience
volunteer during your presentation
The NEW/RESET/REIMAGINED Shakespeare Play (100 points total,
different points for each component) presented in a google doc and/or
also covered in your class presentation:
The reset/reimagined synopsis (30 points)
The reset/reimagined setting and characters of the story (30
points)
Costuming, fashion, props, and staging for the new play (10 points)
The three reset/reimagined scenes you picked to represent the
story. (30 points/10 each)
You will read/perform these scenes with an audience
volunteer during your presentation
The NEW/RESET/REIMAGINED Shakespeare Play will be presented in
class via Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, or any other creative medium
of your choice.
You must design a poster, a slideshow, some sort of visual
representing the play in its modern setting.
(100 points total, different points for each component).
This will be graded on the attached rubric
You will need to create a “poster”, slide, or a handout
publicizing and presenting your “New” play. This can be
incorporated into your presentation.
Assessment Rubric for the Presentation:

Criteria Excellent (15) Proficient (14) Basic (10) Limited (5)

Demonstrates an
Shows a solid Demonstrates a basic Displays a limited
in-depth understanding
understanding of the understanding of the understanding of the
of the original
Understanding of original play, identifying original play, but may original play, with
Shakespearean play,
Shakespeare's Works most themes, have some significant
accurately identifying
characters, and plot inaccuracies or inaccuracies and
themes, characters,
points. omissions. misunderstandings.
and key plot points.

Presents a creative Presents a basic

and well-thought-out Proposes a thoughtful modern adaptation
Proposes a modern
modern adaptation modern adaptation concept with some
adaptation concept
Modern Adaptation concept, concept, showing a clarity, but the
with little clarity or a
Concept demonstrating a clear reasonable connection connection between
weak connection to the
connection between between the original the original and
original play.
the original and and modern contexts. modern contexts may
modern settings. be vague.

Skillfully maintains the Successfully preserves

Partially preserves the
essence of the original the essence of the Struggles to preserve
essence of the original
play while adapting to original play, the essence of the
Preservation of play, but there are
a modern context, maintaining key original play, resulting
Original Essence significant departures
preserving key elements while in a disconnected or
or inconsistencies in
themes, characters, adapting to a modern distorted adaptation.
adaptation.
and emotional depth. context.

Demonstrates
Displays a high level of
exceptional creativity Exhibits moderate Shows limited
creativity in adapting
in adapting language, creativity in adapting creativity in adapting
language, characters,
characters, and language, characters, language, characters,
Creative Expression and settings to a
settings to a modern and settings, but may and settings, with
modern context, with
context, showcasing lack originality or minimal originality or
some innovative
innovative and original depth. innovation.
elements.
ideas.

Delivers a polished
and engaging Presents the modern Presents the concept Struggles to effectively
presentation, adaptation concept adequately, but there present the modern
effectively clearly and effectively, may be some adaptation concept,
Presentation Skills
communicating the with good organization organization or with unclear
modern adaptation and communication communication communication and
concept with skills. challenges. organization.
confidence and clarity.

The modern
The modern
adaptation concept is
The modern adaptation The modern adaptation adaptation concept
highly impactful,
concept is impactful, concept has some lacks impact, with
demonstrating a
Overall Impact offering a compelling impact, but there may significant
profound and
reimagining of the be inconsistencies or inconsistencies and a
thought-provoking
original play. areas lacking depth. weak reimagining of
reimagining of the
the original play.
original play.

Total Points