Julius Caesar, Readers Theater Adapted from Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Cast (in order of appearance): Soothsayer

Caesar Antony Cassius Brutus Casca Calphurnia Decius Cinna 1 Servant Audience Cinna 2 Commoners 1, 2, and 3

Act I, Scene 2
Caesar and entourage, including Brutus, Cassius, Calphurnia, Casca, and Antony walk by, waving at the audience. The soothsayer approaches Caesar.

Soothsayer Beware the ides of March. Caesar What did he say? Antony He said to beware the fifteenth of March. Caesar Ok then. Come along. Ignore him. Caesar, Calphurnia, Casca, and Antony exit. Brutus goes to follow him, but Cassius holds him back. Cassius Brutus, I have noticed you havent been very talkative today. Whats up? Brutus I am sorry, Cassius. I have a lot on my mind. Cassius Well, it is important for you to trust yourself. We all trust you. You are one of the most respected men in all of Rome. The audience claps. Brutus Do you hear that? I fear the people have made Caesar their king! Cassius You fear it, do you?

Brutus Oh, I dont know. What is it you wanted to talk to me about? Cassius I just want to understand why everybody is so crazy about Caesar now. Hes not even all that strong or smart or brave, but they are ready to make him our king. I am afraid that if he becomes king we will all be as good as kings. Rome is a Republic and should stay a Republic. Brutus Ill admit, these are hard times and you have given me a lot to think about. But Caesar is one of my best friends and I cant believe he will become a tyrant. He is an honorable man. Casca wanders on to stage. Brutus Casca, what was all that clapping and shouting we heard just now? Casca In front of the people, Antony offered Caesar the crown and Caesar refused it! The people went crazy clapping and cheering, but it seemed to me that he really wanted to take the crown. Cassius Casca, please come have dinner with me tomorrow. Casca Thank you, Cassius. It would be my pleasure. I have to go. Brutus So do I. Ill talk to you both tomorrow. All Good-bye. All exit.

Act I, Scene 3
Casca and Cassius onstage. Casca Quite the storm were having. I dodged a fireball on my way over here today. That doesnt seem normal to me. Cassius No, its not normal at all. Doesnt it make you wonder if the gods are angry at Rome? Like, maybe Rome is on the verge of making a huge mistake that angers the gods? Like maybe crowning a king when were supposed to be a Republic? Do you think maybe that might be making the gods angry? Casca You mean Caesar, dont you? How the senators are going to crown Caesar king tomorrow? Cassius You said it, not me. I think if they really do crown him king Ill just have to stab myself. Casca Me too! Cassius Or, we could take care of it in another way. Casca Whatever you want to do, Ill be right there with you! Cassius The trick is to keep the commoners from turning on us, since they are so in love with Caesar. Casca That could be tricky. Cassius Brutus is the key. If we could win over Brutus, we could really get away with it; nobody in Rome would challenge the decision of such a noble man. We could write a letter talking about how wonderful Brutus is, but hinting at Caesars danger, but disguise the writing so he wont know it comes from us. The we can have Cinna throw it into his window.

Casca Excellent. All exit.

Act II, Scene 1

The ides of March! Brutus sits alone. Cassius, Casca, Decius and Cinna 1 approach with hoods up hiding most of their faces. Cassius Sorry for barging in on you so early in the morning. We were wondering if we can have a word? You know we all respect you more than anyone else in Rome. Cassius whispers in Brutuss ear. Brutus I am with you. Cassius grins wickedly as Brutus shakes each of their hands. Casca Should we take care of Antony at the same time? Cassius I think we should. Antony is loyal to Caesar and will take revenge if we let him live. Brutus No! We will not kill Antony. We are not doing this in anger or envy or bloodthirstiness. We are doing this for the good of the Roman Republic. Cassius All right then. Only Caesar. Today. All Only Caesar. Cassius Decius! Go to Caesars house at dawn and make sure he comes to the Capitol today! Decius Yes sir.

Act II, Scene 2

Caesar and Calphurinia. Calphurnia You are not going out today! You know I dont usually believe in omens, but for goodnesss sake, a lioness just wandered into Rome and gave birth in the street! Graves have pushed up out of the ground and spewed corpses in the street! Blood and fireballs rained from the sky! These things are not normal! Caesar Dear wife, these are all just natural events! Calphurnia When beggars die, there are no comets seen. Caesar I cant live my whole life being afraid of death. Cowards die many deaths. The brave only have to die once. Calphurnia Look, I had a dream that there was this big statue of you and it was spouting blood out of a hundred holes and all the Romans laughed and played in it! Tell them its me who is making you stay at home! Caesar Alright, for you, Ill stay home. Enter Decius Caesar Oh, hello Decius! Good timing. Go to the Capitol and tell them Im not coming in today. Decius What? Not coming in? Why not? Caesar My wife is in a panic. She had a dream in which a statue of me was pouring blood out of a hundred holes and all the Romans were laughing and bathing in it.

Decius Sir, you cannot stay home over a silly womans superstition. I know what the dream means anyway. It means that your blood will revive Rome and all of the Romans will come to pay homage to you and the riches you spill out. It was supposed to be a secret, but here goes. The Senate wants to crown you kind today. I didnt want to spoil the surprise, but you twisted my arm! Caesar See Calphurnia!? Silly woman. Of course Ill go to the Capitol today. Let me go put on my toga. All exit.

Act III, Scene 1

Enter Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Cinna 1, Casca, Decius, Antony, and the Soothsayer. Caesar Hey, soothsayer, its the Ides of March? Ooooh, scary! Soothsayer The day is young. Soothsayer exits. Caesar Alright, folks; lets get to business. Ive got an empire to run. Cassius We all wish to kneel and kiss your hand and beg you to pardon our old friend Cimber, who you banished. All except Casca kneel in front of Caesar. Casca slinks around back. Caesar Im sorry, but I am unmovable! I am as constant as the Northern Star. What I say goes. I know Cimber was your friend but I said he was banished and banished he shall remain. I understand your point of view but I simply cannot start going back on my word now. I know you will all come to understand that my hands are tied. It was for the best anyway Casca stabs Caesar. Then Cassius stabs him. Antony runs away. Decius and Cinna 1 stab Caesar. Finally Brutus stabs Caesar. Caesar Et tu, Brut? Decius (whispers to Casca) Whatd he say? Casca (whispers back) It means And you, Brutus? Cinna Liberty! Freedom! Tyranny is dead!

Antony What in the name of Jupiter just happened here?! I wont kill any of you.right now. Just tell me, why?? Why not just take me down while youre at it! Brutus Calm down, Antony. I can see youre upset. Trust me, it was really no fun for me to have to do this, but I will go out right now and explain to the Romans why I did it and you can hear my reasons then. And after that, I will let you give the funeral oration. Is that alright? Antony Grumbles. Brutus Now you know we all loved Caesar, as a person, and we never in a million years would have done this unless we absolutely, positively had to. You know that, right? Antony I can give the funeral oration, right? After youre done addressing the crowd? Brutus Of course, for you loved him as much as anyone. Antony In that case I will shake your hand. They all leave except Brutus and Caesars body. Antony May they all be cursed! A servant enters. Antony Hey, kid! You know Octavius Caesar, Julius Caesars heir? Youre his servant right? Servant Yes, thats me! Caesar sent for Octavius and Ocatvius sent me to tell Caesar hes on his way.

Antony As you can see, Caesar is dead. Tell Octavius that the Senate has assassinated Caesar and that its not safe for him to come backyet. I will send word when the hour is right. Servant Ok. All exit.

Act III, Scene 2

Audience shouts and boos. Brutus comes onto stage and they get quiet to hear what he has to say. Brutus Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesars, to him I say that Brutus love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honor, for his valor; and death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him I have offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him I have offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him I have offended. I pause for a reply. Audience None, Brutus, none! Brutus Then none I have offended. Here comes his body, mourned by Marc Antony. I will leave and let him speak of Caesars greatness. Audience Lets make Brutus our king! Hes so great! Caesar was a horrible tyrant. Brutus Please, no. Just hear Antony speak. Antony Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answered it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest (For Brutus is an honorable man, So are they all, all honorable men), Come I to speak in Caesars funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me; But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill; Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause; What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason! Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me.

Audience I think hes on to something. Caesar was a great man! Those murderers! Lets get them! Antony Now calm down! I didnt want to start a riot! Sure, they killed him in cold blood out of jealousy and made up lies to cover it, but lets all be civilized here! Audience What an injustice! All exit.

Act III, Scene 3

Three commoners approach a poet named Cinna, who is not the Cinna who stabbed Caesar. Commoner 1 Hey- who do you think you are? Cinna I am Cinna, the poet! Commoner 2 CINNA! I know you! You killed Caesar! You rat! Cinna No! Youre making a mistake! You want the other Cinna! Commoner 3 Shut up liar! Lets get him, guys. Cinna No! Please! The back him into a corner and kill him.