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Play
Description:
This 35 minute musical
play can be done as a complete play, skits, read-aloud,
or you can just sing songs. Make Shakespeare fun and relevant with this creative
interpretation. No music or drama experience needed. Grades 6-9.
You've read the famous story of greed and gore in Scotland---but do you know the catchy
tunes? Our Macbeth, a tad confused, keeps spouting lines from Hamlet (much to the
annoyance of the other characters), Lady Macbeth is obsessed with dry-cleaning the castle
drapes, and King Duncan boasts that he invented plaid. We've distributed the singing
parts,
as in all our musical plays, equally among a large cast, so everyone gets to star in this
tragedy gone awry.
Macbeth, The Musical Comedy is a great complement to your curriculum resources
in middle and high school language arts.
Teacher Reviews:
"I cannot begin to tell you how much the older
kids loved doing Macbeth and how much they learned. It was a wonderful introduction to
Shakespeare. To the teacher who has never done one of these shows: Do it! You will never
be the same, nor will your students."
---Donna Baker, Homeschool Teacher (4th-8th grades),
Logan County Home Educators, Russelville, KY
Read
More Teacher Reviews
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National Education Standards:
Fulfills National Arts
Standard 3 for Dance, 1 and 8 for music, and 2, 3, and 5 for Theater.
Fulfills National Language
Arts Standards 3 and 4.
Casting:
Flexible casting from 11-40 students.
Use as many Messengers, Scottish Citizens, etc. as desired; one student can also
play more than one role. Note that all roles can be played by either boys or girls;
see our comments on page 35 of the Teacher's Guide.
Read the Script:
This
is the first one-third of the script:
CHARACTERS:
Eleanor Roosevelt and the First Ladies
Banquo, friend of Macbeth
Macbeth, General of the Scottish army
Witches (set 1)
Messengers
Lady Macbeth
Porter
Duncan, King of Scotland
Malcolm & Donalbain (Duncan’s sons)
Macduff, Scottish nobleman
Servants of Macbeth
Ghost of Banquo
Witches (set 2)
Doctor
Servants of Lady Macbeth
Soldier
Scottish Citizens (Cheerleaders)
and a CHORUS made up of all students who are not playing roles at the
time.
(ELEANOR ROOSEVELT sits in a big stuffed chair at the front of the stage, a table
and lamp at her side. The FIRST LADIES sit in smaller chairs on either side.)
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT: Good evening, and welcome to Masterworks Theater.
I am Eleanor Roosevelt, your host for our presentation of Macbeth. Helping me tonight
are some of my fellow first ladies.
(THEY wave)
We have formed Masterworks Theater to bring classic literature to life. One thing we
have always noticed about Shakespearean tragedy is that, well, it’s a bit bleak.
FIRST LADY #1: Very depressing.
FIRST LADY #2: And long.
FIRST LADY #1: Long and depressing.
ELEANOR: So we’ve set out to change all that. Ladies?
(THEY STAND)
Song 1
ELEANOR:
Time to do
Something new,
Something different.
Let’s rewrite the bard
FIRST LADY #1:
Go ahead
Shakespeare’s dead
He won’t notice
It’s not all that hard to do
FIRST LADY #1 and FIRST LADY #2:
No one’s gonna mind a change or two.
ELEANOR: Tell them about Macbeth!
FIRST LADY #2:
He’s a guy
Riding high
Heaped with glory
Coming back from war.
FIRST LADY #1:
It’s the law
Tragic flaw
Will soon get him
He’ll be toast before it’s done
ALL FIRST LADIES:
There’s nothing like a tragedy for fun!
Masterworks Theater
Tragedy for common folks
Masterworks Theater
Tragedy with lots of jokes
Tragedy without the fuss
Tragedy for folks like us
Tragedy that’s not too sour
ELEANOR:
Best of all—it’s half an hour!
ALL and CHORUS:
End our song
Move along
With the story
All the stuff you need
Song and dance
And romance
Not too sappy
Just a touch of greed and death
It’s Masterworks’ production of Macbeth…
of Macbeth…
of Macbeth…
of Macbeth.
(MACBETH and BANQUO enter, fresh from battle)
BANQUO: Macbeth, my friend, we should be proud. We’re heroes coming home
from battle. We have saved Scotland and preserved the rule of good King Duncan.
MACBETH: Well, technically, Banquo, I’m the hero. I mean, you did some brave stuff,
but you’re mostly just my sidekick.
BANQUO: It is a role I cherish.
(THREE WITCHES appear)
Whoa! What are these, so withered and wild in their attire?
WITCH #1: We’re witches.
WITCH #2: Hail, Macbeth.
WITCH #3: Hail, Banquo.
MACBETH: How do you know our names?
WITCH #1: We know everything, past and future.
WITCH #2: We have prophecies for both of you.
MACBETH: Well, what are they?
WITCH #3: How ’bout a tip first?
MACBETH: Well sure. “Neither a borrower, nor a lender be.”
WITCH #1: That’s from Hamlet, you twit. You want the prophecy or not?
MACBETH: If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done
quickly…
Song 2
WITCH #1: I’ll take that as a yes.
Macbeth you’re gonna be promoted
Why do you look glum?
You will be immensely quoted
For many years to come.
WITCH #2:
Macbeth you’re gonna be promoted
You’ll be duke by noon
Resume is getting bloated
You’ll be the king real soon.
MACBETH:
Are you nuts? Are you crazy?
Have you fallen off your brooms?
Did you drink too many potions?
Have you sniffed too many fumes?
These prophecies don’t jibe
Both the Duke and King Duncan are alive!
WITCH #1: And there’s more!
WITCH #3:
Banqo you won’t be promoted
Look what fortune brings
Though you will not live to note it
Your children will be kings.
(MESSENGERS approach)
BANQUO: Wait, who comes?
MESSENGER #1: We’re messengers from good King Duncan.
Macbeth you’re gonna be promoted
The Duke of Cawdor’s dead
He was weak and not devoted
Now you’re the Duke instead.
MESSENGER #2:
The king would like to thank his vassal
A deal you can’t refuse
He is coming to your castle
So tell your wife the news.
MESSENGERS and CHORUS:
He is coming to your castle
Tell your wife the news.
MACBETH (to MESSENGERS): The king? At my house? Tonight? Ride to Lady
Macbeth at once. Remember, if it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it
were
done quickly…
BANQUO: Would you stop saying that? It’s really annoying.
(MESSENGERS and WITCHES exit)
MACBETH (to BANQUO): Can you believe it? I’m Duke of Cawdor. Maybe
king someday. Isn’t that great?
BANQUO: I live to bask in your shadow, my friend
Song 3
Am I happy you’ve become the Duke of
Cawdor?
Am I glad it’s always you and never me?
Am pleased to serve as just dramatic fodder?
Yessiree! Yessiree! Yessiree!
Am I happy that you’re getting all the glory?
Am I glad you’ve got a kingly destiny?
Do I like your wife? Well that’s another story…
(MACBETH glares at him)
Yessiree! Yessiree! Yessiree!
We’re pals
We’re chums
We’re buds
A couple Scottish studs
What’s good for you is good for me
Yessiree.
BANQUO and CHORUS:
Am I happy always walking well behind you?
Am I glad to wash your horse and pour your tea?
Do I know that you’re a jerk and still not mind you?
Yessiree! Yessiree! Yessiree!
(BANQUO exits as MACBETH walks across stage to his castle, where LADY
MACBETH waits for him)
MACBETH: Hello, my dearest wife. Did you get the message? King Duncan will
be spending the night in our castle. Can you believe my string of luck?
Song 4
LADY MACBETH:
Macbeth my dear you’re finally home
You know I hate to be alone
You didn’t write you didn’t phone
It gives a girl a fright.
Macbeth my dear let’s skip all that
But we should have a little chat
I got your note we’re sitting fat
If we strike the king tonight.
MACBETH: What are you talking about?
LADY MACBETH:
This is our chance
Let’s grab the throne
Can’t wait for Duncan to choke on a bone.
My dear I’ve really had enough
Of this milk of human kindness stuff
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
What will it be? Now you’ve got to choose.
MACBETH: Stop this.
LADY MACBETH:
Macbeth my dear oh don’t be mean
I really need a change of scene
And I would make a lovely queen
I look so good in a crown.
LADY MACBETH (continued):
So grab a knife a sword or two
Let’s put some poison in his stew
We really have so much to do
The king has come to town.
MACBETH: But what if we’re caught? No, we can’t.
LADY MACBETH and CHORUS:
This is our chance
Let’s grab the throne
Can’t wait for Duncan to choke on a bone.
My dear I’ve really had enough
Of this milk of human kindness stuff
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
What will it be? Now you have to choose.
MACBETH: How could we do it?
LADY MACBETH:
It’s a tiny bit illegal
To get rid of someone regal
So we need a rather clever kind of plan
It is not considered loyal
To bump off a guy who’s royal
So let’s do it so they blame some other man.
MACBETH: Well, okay, you win. Let’s kill the king!
BOTH and CHORUS:
So grab a knife a sword or two
Let’s put some poison in his stew
We really have so much to do
The king has come to town.
(THEY exit. A loud knocking is heard. More knocking. Finally a PORTER
enters.)
(This concludes the first one-
third of the script.)
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bleak
tragic flaw
fuss
cherish
withered
bloated
jibe
vassal
bask
fodder
tartan
kilt |
waved
saber
knave
conceive
hath
sacrilegious
anointed
thence
steadfast
haste
dramatic license
avaunt |
mutton
specter
fillet
invincible
fettuccini
scour
anon
morale
nigh
undaunted
fray
potent |
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More Teacher Reviews:
"Macbeth, the Musical Comedy
went with the curriculum, was funny, fun, and a hit.
You guys just keep doing a great job! Thank you."
---Marlene Smith, Teacher (8th grade), Upton Middle
School, Bridgeman, MI (and former president of the
Michigan Reading Association)
"We did an outdoor theater
version of "MacBeth the Musical" last night (with a
formerly unmotivated group of sixth graders) and watched them magically come to
life on stage. The entire audience grinned and laughed the entire perfomance. It was
truly mesmorizing and electrifying."
---Teresa Lewis, Curriculum Director, Discovery
Academy, Edgewater, FL
"... while looking
for activities appropriate for middle school age students on the
Internet, I stumbled across a website that was offering the play in a rather different
form -- a musical. A comedy. A musical comedy. A quick look at the script
convinced me that it was just the right combination of tasteless jokes, parody, and
original plot to be a great success. As we rehearsed, the class added ideas of their
own (equally tasteless), and we had a hit. In fact, our music teacher, John, ended
up ordering the entire catalog of musicals from the company: www.badwolfpress.com,
and we have been pleased with all of their material. The folks who write these things
have a good sense of what's age-appropriate, what's funny, and what constitutes a
song that kids as young as kindergarten can sing."
---Lynn Hughes, Teacher (6th grade,) The Miquon School,
Conshocken, PA
"We did 'Macbeth, the Musical Comedy' and it
was spectacular! We loved it and the
kids had a blast. We have really enjoyed your plays. The staging tips are great four
our group. Our plays are directed by homeschooling parents---many of whom are
directing for the first time. Your plays are easy to stage and costume and the kids
and paresnts have enjoyed great success using them."
---Kim Clayton, Parent, (kids ranged from 5 to
13,) Columbia Homeschool Community, Columbia, MD
"What a great learning tool in middle school
to begin the study of the Bard."
---Dottie Hogan, Teacher ( 8th grade) Holy Spirit
Episcopal School, Houston, TX
Buy The Show
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Are Two of You Planning to Put
the Play on Together?
If you ask us, we always suggest having just one class put on a play. We
think each kid is
more involved, and we think it's easier for you to deal with a smaller number of students.
But lots of teachers disagree with us.
They've been happily doing the
plays together for years.
In fact, Amy Anderson, the teacher who does four musicals a year
(and she talks about this on our home page) thinks two classes
together is the way to go.
Then what do I need to purchase? Think
of a musical play like a library book.
Only one teacher may "check out" (i.e. put on) the play at a time. If another
teacher wants
to produce the music play that you purchased in a separate production and at a
later date,
you may loan out your original plan and student copies.
Your "library" needs two copies of the play for two teachers to
put on the play at the
same time. If a teacher wants her class to put on the play with your class,
she needs
to buy her own copy of the play. For three or more teachers to produce a play together,
purchase three copies for your "library" and Bad Wolf extends a Site License for all the
teachers and classes at your school.
But why can't I just make extra copies
of the play? If copies are made for
a class other than the purchasing teacher's, it's an infringement of U.S.
copyright law.
Yikes! Bad Wolf likes to toe the line where Uncle Sam is concerned, so we offer a
discount on the purchase of multiple copies of the play.
If you are 2 teachers putting on the
play together................................$60
* Includes 2 copies of the book and CD (save
almost $20 off of buying
them separately) so each of you has a CD and
book to work with.
* Free bonus: We'll throw in our famed
"Earthworms on Parade" CD. Y'know,
that's the one with the six goofiest songs
about earthworms ever written
($9.95 value.)
* Includes the right to reproduce the
script for the students in both of
your individual classes.
Questions?
Call or email Ron Fink at (888) 827-8661
or ron@badwolfpress.com
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