Table of Contents

Preface: No Experience Necessary..................................... vi
Characters in the Play................................................ vIii
Hamlet...................................................................... 1
Appendix 1: Dumbshow.........................................................34
Appendix 2: To Be or Not To Be Speech Breakdown .............37
Performing Shakespeare................................................... 39
Performance Notes: Hamlet............................................... 58
Set and Prop List.............................................................. 68
Sample Program............................................................... 69
Additional Resources......................................................... 70

Promotional Information

What people are saying about The 30-Minute Shakespeare series:

“…A truly fun, emotional, and sometimes magical first experience…guided by a sagacious, knowledgeable, and intuitive educator.”—Library Journal

“A master at engaging students in the
process of performing a Shakespeare
scene.” --Janet Field-Pickering, head of
education, Folger Shakespeare Library

“Wonderfully informative and fun.
You can’t do better.” –Charles P. Lord,
Headmaster, St. Timothy’s School
Baltimore, MD

“Truly an advocate of the child, of the arts and of humanity.”
--Tia Powell Harris
Education, Kennedy Center

'From a teacher's perspective, this book was a great way to introduce students to a Shakespeare play they otherwise might never have encountered in high school… much more fun working with the adaptation than it might have been if i had tackled the full script. I strongly recommend this book (and the rest of the series) to educators who want to introduce a variety of Shakespeare plays to their students in a limited amount of time.
--James Brendlinger, Chairman, Department of Arts and Communications
Lake Lowell High School, Winter Park, FL

“Nick Newlin’s 30-minute play cuttings
are perfect for students who have no
experience with Shakespeare. Each 30-minute mini-play
is a play in itself with a beginning, middle, and end.”—Michael
Ellis-Tolaydo,
Chairman, Dept. of Theatre St. Mary’s College, Maryland

About the Author

Nick Newlin has performed a juggling and variety act for international audiences for 23 years. Since 1996, he has conducted an annual Play Directing residency affiliated with the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Nick has a BA from Harvard University with Honors 1982 and an MA in Theater from The University of Maryland with an emphasis on Play Directing.