Our version maintains the same plot as Shakespeare's masterpiece,
simplified and filled with character twists and jokes. As in all our musical plays,
we've distributed
the singing parts 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 language arts. And, like all of our plays, this show can be used to improve reading, vocabulary, reading comprehension, performance and music skills, class camaraderie and teamwork, and numerous social skills (read about it!) -- all while enabling students to be part of a truly fun and creative experience they will never forget!
For more Shakespeare goodness, also see our play Shakespeare Unshackled.
Publication Information
Author: Ron Fink (Composer) and John Heath (Book and Lyrics)
ISBN: 978-1-886588-18-9
© 2000 Bad Wolf Press, LLC
Song Samples
Full Song List
1. “Masterworks Theater”
2. “You’re Gonna Be Promoted”
3. “Yessiree!”
4. “Macbeth My Dear”
5. “I’m a Heck of a King”
6. “The King’s Asleep”
7. “Can’t It Be?”
8. “There’s a Ghost”
9. “Bubble Bubble”
10. “Bubble Bubble” (reprise)
11. “What Could Be Wrong My Lady?"
12. “Fight on for Scotland”
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.
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 -
Listen now!
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 -
Listen now!
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.)
"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
"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 Comedy 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
ended
up ordering the entire catalog of musicals from Bad Wolf Press,
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 for
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 parents 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
"The kids loved putting on this play and gained a greater understanding of the original play.
It was great as a first musical for the kids. It was an easy play to put together with limited time and supplies.
Plays and musicals are great ways to get the children interested in the curriculum. They think they are just having
fun and don't even realize all that they are learning. The catchy tunes help them remember key details in a fun way."
---Joan Fontaine, Sequoyah Elementary, Shawnee, OK
Common Core and Other National Standards
Language Arts
- Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading: 6th-12th
- Common Core Reading Standards for Literature: 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
- Common Core Reading Standards: Foundational Skills:
- 5th: Phonics and Word Recognition, Fluency
- Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards: Comprehension and Collaboration - 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
- Common Core Language Standards: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use -5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
- Common Core Standard 10: Range, Quality & Complexity:
National Core Arts Standards
Vocabulary
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
Frequently Asked Questions About Bad Wolf Products and Licensing
How does your pricing and licensing work?
A: In short: each teacher/director using the play should have a copy of it. That's it! Your purchase gives you the right to use the play with as many classes as you wish, to photocopy the script for your actors, and to put on as many performances as you wish. This one-time purchase gives you a lifetime license. See below for more information on site licenses (for 3+ teachers or whole schools).
Q: What comes in the package?
A: Every musical play comes with the script and a 12-page Teacher's Guide that provides lots of tips and advice for using the play from start to finish. It also includes the audio recording for the play, which has all the songs both WITH and WITHOUT vocals. Sheet music is NOT included with the basic package, but it is available for $12. Extra/replacement CDs are also available for $12.
Every non-musical play comes with the script and the 12-page Teacher's Guide.
Q: I'm just one teacher putting on a play. If I use the play with multiple classes, do I have to purchase multiple licenses?
A: No! Your purchase gives you a lifetime license to be used with as many actors and classes as you wish. If other teachers/directors wish to use the play as well, they will need to purchase their own licenses.
Q: Do I need to purchase scripts for students?
A: No! Your purchase includes permission to photocopy the script for your actors.
Q: What is a "site license"? How do I know if I need one?
A site license is the economical choice when a whole school or grade level wants to put on the same play. Instead of each teacher/director having to purchase a script, the school/site can purchase
a site license. This comes with three copies of the play (or one digital download) and permission to make copies for any additional participating teachers, as well as all the actors. You do NOT need to purchase both a site license and individual copies of the play; just buy one or the other.
Q: I understand that I can get two or more scripts for $35 each. Do they have to be the same play?
Nope! The discount applies whether you are purchasing multiple copies of the same show or single copies of multiple shows.
Q: What is the difference between the printed and digital versions? Which one should I get?
There is no difference in terms of content. The printed version of a musical play comes with an audio CD in a plastic sleeve in the back of the book. The digital version comes with two downloadable files: the script (PDF format) and the songs (individual MP3 files compressed in ZIP format). The advantage of the digital version is that you will not pay shipping and you can start using it instantly. Please read the question following this one about the technical requirements for digital files.
Non-musical plays are available in the form of a printed book or a PDF file.
Q: What are the technical requirements for the digital version?
- You will need to have Adobe Reader (free) or another software application that can open PDF files.
- You will need to be able to open ZIP files. The vast majority of computers should be able to do this without difficulty. If you wish to download the music directly to your phone or tablet, you will need to download an app that will open ZIP files. Many free ones are available.
- You will need to have some kind of audio player (such as iTunes or Windows Media Player) that will play MP3 files.
Advanced technical knowledge is not required; but please note that we do not have the ability to offer technical support for issues related to digital files. If you are unsure, it is probably best to stick with the printed version.
Q: What is your return/exchange policy?
A: Bad Wolf proudly offers a 100% guarantee. You can always exchange a product for another or get a full refund. No time limits, no questions.
Q: Is it OK if I edit the script?
A: Yes! Consider the play to be a jumping-off point. You are always welcome to change or omit anything that doesn't work for your class, administration, or parents. You are welcome to rewrite
lyrics, lines, or jokes -- or add your own! (The kids love doing this, by the way.)
Q: How long does shipping take?
A: We say that you should allow for one week within the U.S., but most orders are shipped the same day and arrive 1-3 days later. International orders usually take around two weeks to arrive.
Q: Do I need to pay any performance royalties?
A: As long as your admission price is less than $5 per ticket, you never need to pay performance royalties with a Bad Wolf show. If you decide to charge more than $5 a ticket, or if you are using one of our plays for a PAID workshop, camp, assembly, etc., pay only a low 1-2% royalty on gross revenues. See our royalty page to view the rates and pay.