After much feedback for my post about the Top 10 Male Shakespeare characters for kids to perform melodramatically, I had to follow up with the top 10 Female Shakespeare characters for kids to perform. Now, keep in mind, this is from my perspective and that perspective is always from a crazy, melodramatic view. So, from worst to first female Shakespeare characters, here they are:
10) Juliet – (Romeo & Juliet) Probably Shakespeare’s most famous leading lady, and she almost didn’t even make the top 10, but anyone who gets to melodramatically die on stage not once, but TWICE during a play, is just awesome to perform!!!
9) Beatrice – (Much Ado) – Another lady with a very witty and sharp tongue. She is a force to be reckoned with and, if you don’t mind, I’m not reckoning!!! That’s how strong she is.
8) Ophelia – (Hamlet) – The lead actress from the greatest play ever made. She is an emotional mess, and who can blame her… Her boyfriend, love of her life mind you, breaks up with her, then kills her father and THEN kills her brother…. aghhhh!!! It would drive anyone batty! Especially as a teenager!!!!
7) Titania – (Midsummer) – She is just super fun to play. She can do magic, has her own fairy servants, consistently bests Oberon at his own games, and has a strong presence on the stage. Although, as a fault, she does fall in love with a donkey… just saying.
6) Hermia – (Midsummer) – Mainly because her rants are so fun. As noted by her nemesis in the play, “And though she be but little, she is fierce”
5) Katherina (The Shrew) – (Taming of the Shrew) – If you know an actress with a sharp tongue, Katherina will be a super-fun role to play. No one, in any of Shakespeare’s plays, has a keener wit, dare I say “meaner” wit as well!
4, 3, & 2) The Witches – (Macbeth) – This is really for ANYONE… and let’s be real here, what kid doesn’t like playing a stinky, smelly, ooze dripping out of her nose, scraggily voiced, archaic looking, old wench!!!! I mean, some of the BEST lines Shakespeare ever wrote… “Double, double, toil and trouble…”, “By the pricking of my thumb, something wicked this way comes!”
And the #1 female Shakespeare character to perform melodramatically (drum roll):
1) Lady Macbeth – (Macbeth) – ok, she’s as wicked as they come. She is probably the single most fun evil female to perform melodramatically! She coax Macbeth into the dirty deeds and then can’t handle the pressure when it’s all said and done. “Out, out brief candle!” I once had a homeschool group hum the Empire Strikes back theme every time she walked on stage, ala, Darth Vader, hilarious!
Honorable Mention:
Viola – (12th Night) – A girl who pretends to be a boy, and as usual, let the Shakespeare confusion begin!
Again, this is just my opinion, but it sure is fun! I look forward to seeing your kids on stage!
