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(Name of Project)

(Genre)

by

(Name of Writer)

Name

Address

Phone Number

Agency Information

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CHARACTER NAME BRIEF DESCRIPTION AGE GENDER

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SCENE 1 ANNES CHAMBERS AUGUST 1623 HER FINAL NIGHT ALIVE

The bedchamber of a large house in Stratford. Two men,

Heminges and Condell enter the room.

HEMINGES

Why are we here? We have everyt hing we need.

CONDELL

But she still has more. She must have all of his notes, drafts. More than we have, surely.

HEMINGES

But we have enough. Its ready for printing.

CONDELLAnd out of respect we have given her the opportunity to look it over and advise us.

HEMINGES

What could she possibly know about his writing? She was only his wife!

CONDELL

Only?

HEMINGES

Well he spent all of his time in London. She couldnt have been much to him or he would

have been here.

CONDELL

Did you actually know Will at all?

HEMINGES

Very well. Yes. As much as anyone. Better than you, no doubt.

CONDELL

Where do you think he disappeared to all those times?

HEMINGES

All those times when?

CONDELL

When he disapp eared.

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HEMINGES

Well, we all disappear, especially the married members of the company.

CONDELL

He came here and always returned with new pages, new inspiration, new roles for us all.

HEMINGES

He visited his wife?

CONDELL

Yes.

HEMINGES

Well, thats a disappointment.

An aged Anne enters. Her body might be weak but her

mind is st ill sharp.

ANNE

It certainly wasnt for me.

HEMINGES

I meant no disrespect.

ANNE

And none was taken. That was precisely the reason why so few people knew when he

would visit me. A domesticated artist is rather like a gelding.

CONDELL

And the upstart crow is more attractive than a swan of Avon?

ANNE

Who wants to read a play by a Puritan? Bad boys bring in the groundlings.

CONDELL

Mrs. Shakespeare--

ANNE

Please, dear, I never really got on with her so I would prefer to be called just Anne.

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CONDELL

Never just. Will would never accept just before your name.

ANNE

You have done him a great service with your book.

HEMINGES

We are ready to begin printing it tomorrow.

CONDELL

Or whenever you feel it is ready.

HEMINGES

You do think it is ready, dont you?

ANNE

It is organized well. Comedies, Histories, Tragedies, but why are there no Romances?

HEMINGES

Romances?

ANNE

Cymbeline, his Winters Tale, even Loves Labours Lost? Hardly either Comedies or

Tragedies.

CONDELL

We though simplicity preferable.

HEMINGES

And when a Kingdies its generally considered Tragic.

The ghost of the young Will Shakespeare enters the

scene, unseen by the men.

ANNESome of his titles.... I never did understand why you chose to name Cymbeline after the

father. And a standalone play, M ercutio, would have been an outstanding story.

WILL

Without those troublesome lovers?

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CONDELL

Very true. Perhaps you should write that script for us.

ANNE

Heavens no. A woman writing plays? Would even you give it any consideration?

HEMINGES

What a ridiculous thought! A woman playwright? Ha!

WILL

Prick.

CONDELL

If it were the widow of the Bard of Avon I am sure it would merit consideration.

HEMINGES

Right. That is what I meant to say.

WILL

Ever the toady. At his age he should have some sense.

ANNE

You would assume it was my husbands work. As you should.

WILL

As they always did.

CONDELL

You have suggestions for us?

ANNE

I do.

WILL

They are not going to like this.

ANNE

They will not.

CONDELL

Not what?

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ANNE

They will not be simple. There are passages which are incorrect, many repeated from

other plays, and you are missingwhole scenes--

HEMINGESImpossible. We are working from the prompt scripts we have used for years.

ANNE

And, of course, if it has been done for years it couldnt possibly be wrong.

CONDELL

Can you tell us what is missing. We shall add it if we have the lines readily available.

ANNE

In Hamlet the Norwegian captain scene. Its as absent as Ophelias mother.

WILL

I knew you would bring her up again.

HEMINGES

We never had a mother for her.

ANNE

I know, and I said it was a mistake.

WILL

It was too long as it is! We just kept adding speeches for the damned Prince to mutter.

ANNE

But there is an obvious hole in the play.

WILL

What could she possibly add that Polonius could not?

ANNE

Imagine the willow speech coming from her own mother.

WILL

And you were right, but what could I do? Signora Leonata was brilliant and heart

wrenching but so hard to find a boy who could pull it off without giggling. Girls?

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I had boys to p lay them. Old crones? I had boys for those too. Wenches, villainesses,

foolish milkmaids? Boys. But honest ladies and virtuous mothers? Nearly impossible.

ANNE

But he knew the stage and his actors. He was in London with the audiences. He knewwhat worked better than I ever could. Would you agree?

CONDELL

Sadly, I would not know. Whatever words you whispered in his ear seemed to invigorate

him. His pages were always brilliant.

HEMINGES

And never anything scratched out.

WILLYou made me waste half my life copying pages so they would never see any of your

handwriting.

ANNE

It was the best way.

WILL

You and your pride.

ANNE

An air of mystique.

CONDELL

Still makes Ben Jonson rant like madman. How the hell did he do it?! I cant write a

bloody stanza without crossing out-- Begging your pardon.

ANNE

Please, never edit yourself on my behalf. I was married to William, if you remember.

CONDELL

Yes, he did relish the colorful words and phrases.

HEMINGES

We left those out as well.

WILL

Bastards! Dont remind me!

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ANNE

A wise decision.

WILL

Fine, side with the Puritans.

ANNE

You did leave my favorite in, which pleased me.

CONDELL

Did we?

WILL

I didnt see any! Where?

ANNE

Twelfth Night. Malvolios letter?

HEMINGES

We cant print profanity.

CONDELL

I need to make sure.

WILL

Find the damn page, Henry!

CONDELL

Here.

ANNE

I placed a mark beside it.

CONDELL

Her Cs, her Us, and her Ts?

WILL

Fantastic!

HEMINGES

I dont get it.

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WILL

No surprise there.

CONDELL

And neither will anyone else.

ANNE

You were worried?

CONDELL

If this is not done correctly William Shakespeare might be as forgotten as Menander.

HEMINGES

Who?

ANNE

Whom the gods love die young.

WILL

Still on the tip of your tongue.

CONDELL

You know his works?

ANNE

William read me some fragments he had found.

WILL

Me? It was you who showed them to me!

ANNE

There was one favorite term, which he could never use on stage.

WILL

Dont say it!

ANNE

Skatophagos. He loved that word.

WILL

No no no! Now youll have to explain.

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HEMINGES

I dont understand.

ANNE

Thats okay, it suits you well. Here are my notes so far. But I shall need a few moredays, Im afraid.

HEMINGES

We need to get back to London tonight.

CONDELL

Take as much time as you need. We want this to be the way Will would have wanted it.

WILL

I would have wanted it done while I was alive and we could make use of the profits.

ANNE

I shall be as expedient as I am able.

HEMINGES

Henry!

CONDELL

John!

ANNE

You have your reasons. I understand. I need to give a closer read to a few pages, but on

the whole I am sure my husband is proud.

WILL

Her Cs, her Us, and her Ts. We were a good team.

ANNE

Of something, at least. Now if you will excuse me, I will have my evening meal and getright to work.

CONDELL

Of course. We will call on you tomorrow.

HEMINGES

When the cock crows expect us.

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WILL

Ill crow his cock! (to Heminges) You skatophagos!

ANNE

Will!

CONDELL

Maam?

ANNE

Will you join me for lunch? I rarely receive guests for my morning meal.

CONDELL

Of course. Good night.

HEMINGES

Night.

Heminges and Condell exit.

WILL

I should have punched him in the mouth.

ANNE

You could have done no such thing. You are such stuff as dreams are made on, are you

not?

WILL

Was I what your dreams were made on?

ANNE

And a few nightmares. Now help me get these pages done so that your friends can get

your volume printed and then you shall be immortal.

WILL

All my life and what will I have to show for it? A book of plays and a T added to my

description.

ANNE

You were not immoral, no matter how hard you tried.

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WILL

I was a bit.

ANNE

So was I. A spinster seducing a teenager? It was just not done.

WILL

Scandalous! You ruined my virtue.

ANNE

It was your own fault. You sent me poems first.

WILL

One or two, mostly stolen from Ovid. And you never responded.

ANNE

My father found them before I could determine the author! Mother spirited them away

before he could burn them but it took time do figure out who they were from.

WILL

Well i had given up on you.

ANNE

And yet you criticize Gertrude for being inconstant.

WILL

A year is a lifetime to a sixteen year old boy.

ANNE

It is a bit difficult to be the aggressor when you wear a dress and are caring for a farm and

younger siblings

WILL

Excuses, excuses.

ANNE

Boys, more ficle than girls, i warrant.

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WILL

All boys p ine for some older woman.An older sister of a friend, even someones mother.

James longed for my mother, for some reason. Yes, Mrs Shakespeare. My you look

lovely today, Mrs Shakespeare.

ANNE

And I was your Mrs Shakespeare?

WILL

Eventually.

ANNE

Then it all worked out for the best. I was certainly not the first to take a younger

husband. Behind closed doors even the parish widows would pat my shoulder and say

well done.

WILL

They wouldnt if they knew how you did it.

ANNE

No matter the course so long as the destination is reached.

WILL

Made me think i was in love with a man. I should neve have forgiven you for that.

ANNE

You loved that first kiss, boy, and dont you forget it.

WILL

When you remind me every chance you get? Impossible. But it was those poems. They

were so moving and so passionate. Just reading them moved me so much.

The lights change and we are now in the Stratford Pub.

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