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Overview

Synopsis

Orlando, a beautiful charismatic nobleman, has enjoyed a lifetime of adventures: he becomes the favorite of Queen Elizabeth the First, he dallies with many fine ladies, losing his heart to one mysterious Russian Princess, he wanders Shakespeare’s London and endures the chill of the Great Frost, he travels to Constantinople, where his reputation for spectacular debauchery is indeed vast. But after a nighttime encounter with gypsy, Orlando sleeps for seven days, and wakes to live again -- as a woman. As Orlando adapts her bold, free demeanor to the strict and hampering skirts and expectations of feminine behavior, the changing world around her -- from Victorian England to the busy department stores of the 20th century -- illustrates the mutability of man and woman, and instinct of each to fit their place and time. A dreamy adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s famous tale, Sarah Ruhl’s Orlando is a magical and poetic dance between gender and through time, a fantastical world in which courtly movement and biographical narration combine to tell the story of a being who lives outside of human expectations, and enjoys twice the experience that humanity has to offer.

Casting note: Ruhl has stated that her favorite casting of Orlando consists of female actors in the roles of Orlando and Sasha, and a chorus of 3 male actors to play the rest of the parts; however she also states that the casting is entirely gender-flexible, and the Chorus can be as few as 3, as many as many as 15 actors.

Show Information

Book
Sarah Ruhl
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
5
First Produced
1998
Genres
Drama, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
the elizabethan age, the 17th century, the 18th century, the 19th century, the 20th century, england, constantinople
Cast Size
large
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
professional / regional theater, college / university theatre, community theatre, small ensemble, large ensemble, flexible ensemble, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Orlando

Lead

Either Gender

Spoken

Sasha

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Queen Elizabeth

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Marmaduke Bonthrop Shelmerdine, Esquire

Supporting

Male

Spoken

The Archduke / Archduchess

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Miss Penelope Hartropp

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Washerwoman

Featured

Female

Spoken

Favilla

Featured

Female

Spoken

Clorinda

Featured

Female

Spoken

Euphrosyne

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Russian Sea Man

Featured

Male

Spoken

Othello

Featured

Male

Spoken

Desdemona

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Sea Captain

Featured

Male

Spoken

A Maid - Grimsditch

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Maid - Dupper

Featured

Female

Spoken

A Salesperson

Featured

Either Gender

Spoken

Elevator Man

Featured

Male

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Videos

Quizzes

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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