Script Adaptation, Textual Consultation, Dramaturgy
“Molly has worked on several Shakespeare productions with me, including Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and All's Well That Ends Well. She is immensely learned in the field of Shakespearean textual scholarship and performance history - a fount of knowledge for any director who wants seriously to engage with Shakespeare's words and world. But she wears that learning lightly - she's also a true creature of the theatre. She's not afraid to be irreverent; she gets on board with a concept; she's resourceful in her cutting, editing, substituting - and even at times crafting a very convincing line or two of 'Shakespeare' where the production demands it. I'll be working with her again whenever I can.
-Tom Littler, Artistic Director, Jermyn Street Theatre (London)
Confused about quarto vs. folio? Need help paraphrasing? And what is a bodkin anyway? Whether you’re a textual novice or a pro looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, I can help. As both a textual scholar and a theatre artist, preparing early modern texts for production is one of my favorite things to do. I work with directors to build performance scripts from the ground up, helping them to make informed textual decisions, to modernize anachronistic language, and to reshape the text into the best possible foundation for a modern production. I am also happy to assist actors with early modern monologues, working one-on-one to help them understand and extract meaning from texts.
Beyond text, I am able to work with directors, designers, and casts to contextualize and historicize early modern plays or to help develop a production’s chosen historical setting by preparing illustrative materials. I can also write program notes or features. (See an example of my past work for NYC’s Theatre for a New Audience here.)
Although my primary focus is early modern, I am happy to work on plays from any period! I am currently based in Georgia, but am able to work remotely and to schedule face-to-face meetings during my regular trips to NYC and London. Please contact me at molly dot yarn (at) gmail dot com with any inquiries.