Set your story during rehearsals for a production of a Shakespeare play.

Posted in High School on Jun 28, 2024

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✍️ 29 stories

“The Highschool Fourteen” by Ashleigh Cohan

Submitted to Contest #257

Here I tell the tale of a school like no otherWhere sister turns on sister and brother turns on brotherThe classrooms and lunch tables were short of warzonesDespite their proximity, each student felt alone.Amongst these teenagers, great anguish ran amokTime and time again the faculty was stuck.No detention or reward could sway even one.And so, someone knew that something must be done,Through the power of sonnets, our story will be toldThe leaders of the land had chosen someone bold.A great man was called up to save a failing classThe power o...

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“Believing & Knowing” by Elizabeth Melchior

Submitted to Contest #257

In the Theater World, the word “historical” is code for super haunted. Though not having ever believed in ghosts herself, Maesie learned this fact after being invited by her upperclassmen friend, Kenzie, to the end of summer Theatre Troupe 6730 slumber party. Little did she know that come the fall play, she would quickly learn that believing is one thing, and knowing is another. The theater auditorium is the oldest building at Lakedale High and has always been said to have been plagued by the ghost of the first-ever theater...

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“The Vanguard Club” by Amisha Connor

Submitted to Contest #257

Trigger warning:References to sexual behaviorThe door opened slowly when Ava rang the doorbell. Its tall oak panels gleamed against the sunlight, towering over her. As she stepped inside, the first thing that struck her was the cavernous space of the main hall. High, intricately carved ceilings soared above her, the once opulent details now showing signs of age and neglect. The room was dimly lit, with rays of light filtering through the large windows draped with velvet curtains, casting a muted glow on the marble floors below.The checkerboa...

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“Bottom's Dream” by Chris Ashline

Submitted to Contest #257

Alex Carter was feeling at the lowest point of his life as he left the restaurant. What he had planned to be one of the greatest points of his life quickly turned into one of the worst. He had planned to propose to his girlfriend of three years, but instead she not only turned him down, but had broken off the relationship saying that she had found someone else. As he walked through the dark streets, he was completely closed off to the sights and sounds of the city around him. All he could feel was the emotional pain in hi...

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“My Excellent Good Friends” by Andy Heidel

Submitted to Contest #257

My Excellent Good FriendsBy Andy Heidel Preface This edition of My Excellent Good Friends is based upon the one and only performance of Hamlet: 1990. Author, unknown. Original cast, also unknown. While the original folio was lost, a lone audio recording from the wings was saved and painstakingly transcribed. However, the recording ends abruptly after the riots began during Act III. SC III. This is the only known representation of what occurred that fateful night in the late spring of 2007 at the South Boston Community College Theatre for the...

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“Saint Crispin's Day” by Jody T

Submitted to Contest #257

Saint Crispin’s DayBy Jody Terres The bus carrying Englishtown High School’s drama club road hard and loud down the side street that led to Dauphin Regional High School’s parking lot, reigning champions of Shakesperience and thus host of this year’s final round. This year the play was Henry V—Englishtown’s performance pitted against Dauphin’s. In the seat furthest to the back, John tipped his flask over his coffee cup, releasing a generous amount of brown liquid into the black. Not a drop spilled. “John, dude.” Dean never called him Mr. Sim...

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“A Freshman’s Guide to Performing Shakespeare (Poorly)” by Chitra Pandey

Submitted to Contest #257

Step 1: Pick a great tragedy and a bunch of people who don’t wanna do itKelly picked a piece of paper from the bag that was being passed around by Mrs. P. King Lear, it said. A tragedy. Not bad. she thought. After all her life was pretty tragic at the moment. She adjusted her glasses and looked around as the rest of her class picked slips that revealed the name of the play they would be performing. Once everyone had been allocated plays, the teacher started calling out each play’s name.“King Lear” she called. Six people, inclu...

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“The Most Dangerous Play” by Thor Pihl

Submitted to Contest #257

Thomas peered through the curtains onto the street. It was a decent crowd gathered around their caravan and should make the days haul a profitable affair. Staring for a few minutes he got eye contact with Lauren, one the crowdworkers, giving him the ok-symbol. He took a deep breath and ran the lines over in his mind. 'To be or not to be, that is the question'. This monologue was the height of the operation, keeping the crowd transfixed and allowing the crowdworkers to snatch a good hand of wallets and timepieces each before retreating ...

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“Tempt Not A Desperate Man ” by Aliza Welner

Submitted to Contest #257

The nervous energy buzzing in the air is unmistakable as the students pace around the auditorium, their eyes darting to the empty bulletin board. It is casting day. The atmosphere is charged with hope and anxiety, everyone waiting for the director to walk in and put up the cast list of “Romeo and Juliet.” Jake tries to hide his nerves behind a mask of casual confidence. However, bouncing on the balls of his feet is a clear giveaway. His friends, always the cynics, stand beside him and tease him. "You really think you’ll get Romeo?" ask...

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“The Scottish Play” by Robert Obszanski

Submitted to Contest #257

Worrying about being killed during a performance might have been a whole new level of stage fright. I wouldn’t know firsthand about the stage part, but there definitely was a palpable fright leading up to the performance last summer. The troubles began well over a year ago when the drama teacher held a little get together of all prospective drama students. It was my senior year and I needed extra credit somewhere, so decided to sign up. There were a few others like me – no acting experience, and not the slightest inclination to change that i...

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“Swim Trunks and Shakespeare” by Angela Rainbolt

Submitted to Contest #257

The backyard was dark and silent. It felt as if the whole world was sleeping. Effy could feel the weight of the day upon him each time he played the events back in his head. He lost. His dreams were further away than they had ever been. Swimming had been a part of his life since he was six; the dream was the Olympics. His life had become a blur this last year as he trained. He missed so much during his junior year of high school: Homecoming, games, dating, and time with family. Effy heard the sliding glass door open and sighed. His lit...

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“Die to Live” by Dana Dananevels@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #257

It’s disorientation sickness—throbbing head, ringing ears. Nausea forces my mouth open—I vomit then I spit out the bile. I stand up and take in the massive arena with a Shakespeare in the pit. He is a fairly good replica—same receding hairline, same facial hair. He scans my collar. “Is the disorientation gone?” he asks. I nod. “I recruited you from level 15,” he says. “I was Lady Macbeth in the Scottish play,” I say. “Sorry,” I say nodding to the vomit. “Never mind. Stage Manager will get it.” “Listen, I haven’t had a hit in twenty cycles. ...

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“Freddie Jones and The Price Theatre” by Rachel Valentine

Submitted to Contest #257

My partner, CJ, rolled his big brown eyes as the director of the Price Theatre fluttered her hands like excited birds. As CJ continued questioning the thin woman I turned my attention to the crime scene. Standing on the stage with the bright lights aiming into my eyes I couldn’t see the seats in the theatre, but I could hear the rustling of people and more than a few ghosts tingling my senses. The fuse controlling the house lights had blown earlier in the day. &nbsp...

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“Much Ado About Nothing” by Melinda Angle

Submitted to Contest #257

“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” Adrian’s voice came bellowing from the back of the theater and Violet felt her stomach jolt and her heart skip a beat. She knew she was wrong for this part. And not an actress. What had possessed her to even audition?! Her friend Freida had convinced her to sign up for the local community theater auditions and after two nerve-racking callbacks, Violet had won the part of Viola in “Twelfth Night”. Her competition had been a diffident young woman in glasses named Esther. Violet was certain it was only because her name...

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Set your story during rehearsals for a production of a Shakespeare play.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 29 stories

“The Highschool Fourteen” by Ashleigh Cohan

“Believing & Knowing” by Elizabeth Melchior

“The Vanguard Club” by Amisha Connor

“Bottom's Dream” by Chris Ashline

“My Excellent Good Friends” by Andy Heidel

“Saint Crispin's Day” by Jody T

“A Freshman’s Guide to Performing Shakespeare (Poorly)” by Chitra Pandey

“The Most Dangerous Play” by Thor Pihl

“Tempt Not A Desperate Man ” by Aliza Welner

“The Scottish Play” by Robert Obszanski

“Swim Trunks and Shakespeare” by Angela Rainbolt

“Die to Live” by Dana Dananevels@gmail.com

“Freddie Jones and The Price Theatre” by Rachel Valentine

“Much Ado About Nothing” by Melinda Angle

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story named after, and inspired by, one of Shakespeare's plays. Think modern retellings, metanarratives, subversions, etc.

Write your story in the form of a script, complete with stage directions.

Write a story in which a case of mistaken identity plays a pivotal role.

Write a story about a tragic hero.

Contest #257

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

215

Contest entries

79

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: