Overview
Synopsis
It’s a rough day for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the most prestigious acting company in the city of London. First, their inaugural performance of “King Henry the Fifth” is interrupted by the wayward clown, Will Kemp, dancing a jig to advertise his newest stunt: a Morris dance from London to Norwich! Secondly, the scheming lawyer Francis Bacon comes to call, hoping to borrow the name of star playwright William Shakespeare for his own mediocre comedy, a ploy to curry favor with Queen Elizabeth. Thirdly, the queen herself arrives suddenly at the Globe with a guard of quarreling advisors, seeking shelter from the main event: a terrifying plague of undeath is racing through the city, the infection spreading from bite to bite. It’s a hot and hazardous summer in 1599, and in William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead, artistic pride, and scientific philosophy must be sacrificed as the relentless horde of shambling zombies overtakes the stage -- but not before hearts are broken, desperate rescue missions are plotted, and everyone gets a chance to mock the target of their choice. John Heimbuch’s mash-up of history and horror results in a theatrical masterpiece, a scholarly and intelligent story full of fatalistic philosophizing and knowing winks for the Shakespeare buff, and a rollicking action-adventure monster tale with blood and gore a-plenty.
Show Information
- Book
- John Heimbuch
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 2008
- Genres
- Dark Comedy, Horror
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- 1599, summertime, southwark, england
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- professional / regional theatre, community theatre, college / university theatre, high school theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen, Mature Adult, Elderly, Young Adult, Child Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
Songs
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
Scenes
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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