Pandemic Play Series

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my hands on the full scripts?

If you are interested in reading Jim’s recent works in their entirety, you can reach out through this form and Jim or a member of his team will respond with options for receiving the completed scripts.

Do these plays work on their own or must they be done in a repertory theatre environment?

Both. I write toward giving Shakespeareans certain easter eggs to quench the fandom, but people who don’t know Shakespeare or his plays won’t have any gaps. For instance, if you know that two lovers died in Verona by suicide then Love’s Heavy Burden should be an easy lift for anyone who doesn’t know Romeo and Juliet. In Malvolio’s Twin, quick, easy backstory covers that Malvolio was duped, and tortured in Twelfth Night. One of the easiest gaps to fill is Blue-Eyed Hag because it’s a prequel to The Tempest. No information is needed.

How understandable are these plays grammar and vocabulary-wise to people less familiar with Shakespeare?

Very understandable. The Shakespearean grammar is watered down, but still present enough to give it that ‘olde-tyme’ feel. There are natural anachronisms throughout the texts that attach story to our contemporary world. In fact, these plays have been Zoom watched not only by people who have never seen a Shakespearean play, but also by people whose second language was English, and story and language were understood perfectly.

Why should we produce these plays?

Because these plays are stepping-stones for new audiences to understand old works. How does classic theatre survive if it can’t bring in new audiences?

How do we produce these plays?  

If you are a theatre company interested in producing Jim’s latest works, please fill out the form here and Jim or a member of his team will respond with options for receiving the completed scripts so you can start talking business!

Are your plays in verse and do they rhyme?

Verse in my plays is sporadic and is often utilized at the end of scenes and acts to punctuate certain points. I don’t believe verse should be used in the same way as Shakespeare used it because our societal stratifications are more complex. It seems that giving high status characters more iambic pentameter and more ‘heart’ seems a bit behind our times. A new formula for a new era seems a better exploration. I use rhyme playfully. It often comes out of nowhere and by characters you’d least expect to use it.