# Assembling a Doper Shakespearian Troupe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720 "2007-05-11T17:05:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/1 "2007-05-11T17:05:35Z")
OK, the simple rules: If you’ve ever performed the Bard (amateur or pro, high school/community theater/the Globe, whereever) in front of a paying audience, list the play and the role(s). Then, we’ll see what plays we’re closest to having a full cast of. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/2 "2007-05-11T17:07:21Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] OK, the simple rules: If you’ve ever performed the Bard (amateur or pro, high school/community theater/the Globe, whereever) in front of a paying audience, list the play and the role(s). Then, we’ll see what plays we’re closest to having a full cast of. [/QUOTE] Hey, fun. _A Midsummer Night’s Dream:_ Oberon _Macbeth:_ Macduff ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/3 "2007-05-11T17:10:52Z")
_The Scottish play_ - Seyton I’ve also carried a spear in many productions, as needed. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/4 "2007-05-11T17:12:32Z")
_Hamlet_: Gertrude _Richard III_: Queen Margaret ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/5 "2007-05-11T17:14:02Z")
_Romeo and Juliet_: Capulet, Mercutio, Friar Laurence, Prince (keep in mind, this was an all-girls school) _Macbeth_: Lady Macbeth, Ross _King Lear_: Cordelia _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_: Hermia, Hippolyta, Puck _The Winter’s Tale_: Paulina, Camillo _Hamlet_: Ophelia, Horatio ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/6 "2007-05-11T17:14:47Z")
_Julius Caesar_: Cassius Damn, that was fun. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/7 "2007-05-11T17:20:13Z")
_A Midsummer Night’s Dream_: Moth. (Big part, that.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/8 "2007-05-11T17:24:38Z")
Old man, _As You Like It_ Siward, _Macbeth_ Solanio, _The Merchant of Venice_ Capulet, _Romeo and Juliet_ ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/9 "2007-05-11T17:26:05Z")
Romeo and Juliet - Mercutio, Lord Montague (two different production separated by two decades) \*Julius Caesar \*- Soothsayer _King Lear_ - Fool The Scottish Play - Banquo \*Comedy of Errors \*- I directed _Measure for Measure_ - Duke I was scheduled to play the father in _Taming of the Shrew_, but the show was cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/10 "2007-05-11T17:34:33Z")
I’ve acted Shakespeare, and I’ve acted in front of a paying audience, but not both at the same time. I _was_ Props manager for a Shakespeare company in front of a paying audience. can I do your props? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/11 "2007-05-11T18:03:14Z")
_The Taming of the Shrew_–Christopher Sly (just last month) ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/12 "2007-05-11T18:32:43Z")
_The Scottish Play_- The Scottish Guy (Hey if we don’t want to mention the name of the play, we can’t mention the character either) 😛 _As You Like it_- Touchstone I was also involved in a show where we did various scenes from different plays and I performed as Richard II and again as… Oh to heck with it… MACBETH!!! That’s right, I have performed as Macbeth. There I said it! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/13 "2007-05-11T18:36:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh to heck with it… > > MACBETH!!! > > That’s right, I have performed as Macbeth. There I said it! you realize that now you’ve got all the Doper Blackadder fans running around saying that stupid rhyme, right? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/14 "2007-05-11T18:38:58Z")
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap! THUD. Uh-oh. I think **Sweetums** was just struck by lighting. And then the set fell over on him. Like **storyteller0910** , I too played Oberon in _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_. Unlike him, I once blanked on my opening line, which is still burned into my brain: “Ill-met by moonlight, proud Titania!” ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/15 "2007-05-11T18:42:08Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap! THUD. Uh-oh. I think **Sweetums** was just struck by lighting. And then the set fell over on him. Like **storyteller0910** , I too played Oberon in _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_. Unlike him, I once blanked on my opening line, which is still burned into my brain: “Ill-met by moonlight, proud Titania!” [/QUOTE] You’re kidding. Damn. We have more in common than you think. Although I remembered the entire line, except for the name of the character to whom it was addressed. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/16 "2007-05-11T18:50:31Z")
_A Midsummer Night’s Dream_: Bottom _The Tempest_: Gonzalo ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/17 "2007-05-11T19:02:00Z")
_Richard III_: Lady Anne ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/18 "2007-05-11T19:21:12Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] you realize that now you’ve got all the Doper Blackadder fans running around saying that stupid rhyme, right? [/QUOTE] ``` :D It wouldn't be the first time. I really don't belive in the whole "haunted play" thing, and have been known to use "Macbeth everybody" as a greeting around twitchy actors. I will admit I usally only do this when working tech crew, so I didn't have to share a dressing room with them. ``` ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/19 "2007-05-11T19:31:37Z")
I ran lights for a production of _Taming of the Shrew_. ---
**Author:** ![fuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuffle)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720/20 "2007-05-11T19:31:41Z")
_Midsummer Night’s Dream_: Puck [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-shakespearian-troupe/403720.md?page=2)