Shakespeare 4 Kidz News

London (PTI): Shakespeare is all set to get a 3-D musical makeover.

Elsinore Films is producing a 3-D musical of "Hamlet", which will be the first adaptation of William Shakespeare's plays.

The new series, which is targetted at teen market, will be based on musical versions created by UK theatre company Shakespeare 4 Kidsz, Variety reported.

Directed by British John Godber, the other Shakespeare plays in the pipeline are Macbeth," "Romeo and Juliet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Twelfth Night" and "The Tempest."

The series will be shot in UK and Canada.

The company is also planning to shoot a TV show 'Movie Quest--A Romeo 4 Juliet', a talent hunt show to find two young actors to play the lead parts in 'Romeo and Juliet, one of the most famous romantic tragedies of all time, produced and reproduced time and again all over the world.

CLICK HERE to see the original article on THE HINDU website

FROM THE STAGE WEBSITE
by Matthew Hemley

A musical version of Hamlet by theatre company Shakespeare 4 Kidz is to be turned into a 3D film, as part of a deal that will see six of the organisation’s plays adapted for the screen.

The theatre company is working with Elsinore Films to create the six screen versions of its Shakespeare adaptations, with Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night and The Tempest to follow.

Hamlet is being directed by John Godber and produced by Mark Thomas from Elsinore Films. The pair previously worked together on Godber’s film version of Up ‘n’ Under.

The film is being co-produced by Julian Chenery, founder of Shakespeare 4 Kidz, who said: “Creating a Hamlet for children was the ultimate test for the Shakespeare 4 Kidz company. We are thrilled that the team of Mark Thomas, John Godber and Michael Cowan are able to help bring this unique idea to the big screen.”

Thomas added that he had “long admired” the work of the theatre company and said he was “delighted that funding opportunities have presented themselves so readily”.

As well as the films, Elsinore has developed a television show called Movie Quest - A Romeo 4 Juliet, which will involve a public search to find two actors to play the leads of Romeo and Juliet.

CLICK HERE to see the original article on THE STAGE website

By: Andy Propst · Aug 13, 2009   · London

A 3-D musical version of Shakespeare's Hamlet is the first of six film versions of the Bard's plays that the U.K. theater company Shakespeare 4 Kidz plans to bring to the screen, according to a report in Variety. The other plays that are slated for similar treatment are Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

British playwright John Godber will direct Hamlet. Alongside the movies, the producers of the series plan a TV show Movie Quest -- A Romeo 4 Juliet, which will be a public search to find two undiscovered young actors to play the lead parts of Romeo and Juliet.
For further information, visit www.shakespeare4kidz.com.

Go to this article on the THEATERMANIA website

I know what you are thinking. High School Musical and all of its sequels were great. But it would have been a lot better with Shakespearian dialogue. Well, guess what? According to Variety, Elsinore Films producer Mark Thomas is gearing up to make Hamlet 3D: The Musical, as inspired by both High School Musical and Harry Potter. This new adaptation of William Shakespeare's famous play will be aimed at teenagers, and will be the first in a series of six films.

All six of these films are based on musical versions created by U.K. theater company Shakespeare 4 Kidz. John Godber will direct the first installment. The next five films include Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

With this new Hamlet being in 3D, Thomas hopes to have a ghost that hovers in front of the audience, cannon fire that flies into the auditorium, and an intense sword fight that happens right in the laps of the viewers. Production starts soon, with the first three films shooting back-to-back over the course of eighteen months.

See the original aricle on Movieweb