Play Suggestions:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Romeo and Juliet
As You Like It
Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
Much Ado About Nothing
The Comedy of Errors
Macbeth
King Lear
In your essay, address the following:
Identify the performance that you have selected.
Describe the staging, lighting, costumes, and characters of the performance. How do these match or revise the
written version of the play? You do not need to read the entire play, but you should skim the text.
What type of mood and tone does the performance create? How?
What parts of the play are easier to understand through performance? What are some details that stood out
through performance?
What are your feelings about this performance? What did you take away from viewing it?
Option 2: Find an adaptation or transformation of a play. Choose an adaptation with some significant
differences from the original, such as transposed plots and characters into a variety of different settings and
historical contexts. Here are some examples:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999) or A Midsummer Night’s DREAM (2018)
Romeo and Juliet – Romeo + Juliet (1996) or West Side Story (1961) or Romeo Must Die (2000)
As You Like It – As You Like It (2006)
Taming of the Shrew – 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) or Kiss Me, Kate (1948)
Much Ado About Nothing – Much Ado About Nothing (2012)
The Comedy of Errors – The Bomb-itty of Errors (2012)
King Lear – A Thousand Acres (1997)
Othello – O (2001)
Hamlet – The Lion King (2019 or 1994) or Hamlet (2000)
Twelfth Night – She’s the Man (2006)
If you have another idea, please ask your instructor to approve it.
Watch the original version and the adapted version. In your essay, address the following:
How is the adaptation the same as the original? Discuss plot, characters, theme, conflict, language, etc.
How does the adaptation differ from the original? Discuss setting, time period, characters, plot, language, etc.
Does the original story translate well in the adaptation? Why or why not? Did the adaptation work in a different
setting, time period, etc. Why or why not?
Why do you think Shakespeare’s plays are adapted so often?
Sample Solution
