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Premiére Theatrical Licensing

Plays and Musicals for All Audiences and Theatre Groups, Amateur, Educational, Professional, and Religious

Magnificence • A Medieval Morality Play

Magnificence • A Medieval Morality Play

by John Skelton. Translated and Adapted by Eric Samuelsen

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. Magnificence is one of the best examples of the morality play. It deals with the same topic as Skelton’s satires – the evils of ambition. The play’s moral, namely “how suddenly worldly wealth doth decay,” was a favorite with him. Eric Samuelsen has adapted the play with his customary wit and unique social consciousness, and a mix of formal and modern English. First written in the 15th Century, it is amazing how many parallels there are to our modern society.

PLAY DETAILS:

  • 17 characters of flexible gender
    • FELICITY (typically female)
      LIBERTY (typically female)
      MEASURE (typically female)
      MAGNIFICENCE (should probably be male, as he is referred to as a Prince)
      FANCY
      COUNTERFEIT COUNTENANCE
      CRAFTY CONVEYANCE
      CLOAKED COLLUSION
      COURTLY ABUSE
      FOLLY (typically male)
      ADVERSITY
      POVERTY
      DESPAIR
      GOOD HOPE
      REDRESS
      SAD CIRCUMSPECTION
      PERSEVERANCE
  • Simple Modern Costumes, or Period Costumes
  • Open stage or some “Everyman” type of location
  • About 60 Minutes
  • ORDER #3288

PERUSAL MATERIALS:

  • A copy of the PERUSAL SCRIPT (in PDF format) which contains half of the script of the play is available, (it also has an extensive Author’s Note.):  Magnificence PERUSAL

PRODUCTION/REHEARSAL MATERIALS:

(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)

  • Script in PDF format  — Order #3288a : $20.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)



  • First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3288d : $50




  • Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3288e : $40




  • Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
  • EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.



PRODUCTIONS

  • Omnibus Players, The Heights School, Potomac, MD — April 24 & 25, 2021
    • COMMENT: “The play went very well, and our faculty in particular loved it!” — Joseph Bissex, The Heights School
  • Premiered  at Brigham Young University — 2002 (Paired with another Medieval Morality Play (“Everyman”) to provide a full evening of theatre.)

BILLING CREDITS

The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:

Magnificence
A Medieval Morality Play

by John Skelton. Translated and Adapted by
Eric Samuelsen

NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)

ALSO:

THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“Magnificence is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals.  All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”