Serves both as a script for performance and as a text for high school and college theater and English classes.

This self-contained script brings together different scenes from Shake­speare’s plays to portray women “in all their infinite variety.” Two narrators, a man and a woman, introduce and com­ment on these scenes, weaving together the different characters and situations.

This book combines literary and theat­rical techniques in examining Shake­speare’s women. Its promptbook format provides clear, helpful stage directions on pages facing each of the scenes. Also help­ful are concise glosses and footnotes to define difficult words and phrases plus a commentary to explain each scene in its dramatic context.

Other features include sheet music for each song in the play, a bibliography on the topic of women in Shakespeare’s plays, and suggestions for directors who wish to stage the play.

Libby Appel is Dean and Artistic Di­rector of the School of Theater at Califor­nia Institute of Arts.

Michael Flachmann is Professor of English at California State University, Bakersfield.