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Overview

Synopsis

Take the glitz and glamour of 1930s Hollywood, populated by real-life, yet delightfully exaggerated, personalities of the movie scene. Add a sophisticated German director with an artistic vision, a couple of misplaced supernatural beings, and one of William Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies of all time, and you get Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare in Hollywood, in which Max Reinhardt’s problematic 1934 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” -- sure to be box office poison -- is further complicated when Oberon and Puck, fresh from A Wood Outside Athens, find themselves transported from the land of legend and classical myth all the way to Hollywood and in the middle of a suspiciously familiar story. Oberon may be the all-powerful King of the Fairies -- but he has never dealt with ambitious starlets, prying gossip columnists, or the odious Will Hays, the all-powerful King of Censorship. And Puck may be an old hand at jolly mischief, but he has encountered nothing like the cool sunglasses and hot beauties of Hollywood! When the enchantment of the silver screen meets the magic of Fairyland, all merry hell breaks loose, and we are treated to transformations, chase scenes, and the kind of havoc that only that certain love-juice can wreak. Shakespeare in Hollywood is a supernatural screwball romp, full of entertainment, and even a little bit of education.

Show Information

Book
Ken Ludwig
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2004
Genres
Comedy, Romance, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
1934, hollywood
Cast Size
large
Ideal For
Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Oberon

Lead

Male

Spoken

Puck

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Jack Warner

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Max Reinhardt

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Will Hays

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Daryl

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Olivia Darnell

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Lydia Lansing

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Louella Parsons

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Dick Powell

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Joe. E. Brown

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Jimmy Cagney

Featured

Male

Spoken

Albert

Featured

Male

Spoken

Harry

Featured

Male

Spoken

Sam

Featured

Male

Spoken

Groucho

Featured

Male

Spoken

Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller)

Featured

Male

Spoken

Cowboy

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

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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