Lysistrata’s Peace Plan Readers Theater Script | Classical Dramas | Aristophanes

Explore Lysistrata’s Peace Plan Readers Theater Script, a vibrant retelling of Aristophanes' 411 BCE masterpiece. In war-torn Athens, Lysistrata unites women from Athens and Sparta to end the Peloponnesian War through a bold, humorous strategy: withholding love and seizing the Acropolis until men vow peace.

Students will perform iconic moments: Lysistrata’s “Our solidarity unites us,” Myrrhine’s “My defiance holds,” Lampito’s “My Spartan soul joins you,” and the Chorus’ “Laughter shapes our triumph.” Adapted for grades 9–12, the script offers accessible, comedic dialogue, with tiered roles (high-complexity Lysistrata, low-complexity Citizens) to engage mixed-ability learners.

Perfect For
End-of-Year Performance
Companion to Aristophanes’ Original
Emergency Substitute Plans
Collaborative Classroom Drama

(a single PDF with links to Google Docs/Slides, if print format is preferred you can download from your Google Drive to word/pdf/ppt/etc)

What’s Included
14-scene script (~2000 words, 9 pages, 20 characters, Google Doc)
Teacher guide with CCSS alignment, answer keys, rubric, lexical breakdown, themes (12 pages, Google Doc)
Student worksheet with vocabulary, questions, discussion (25 Google Slides)
20-question multiple-choice exit quiz (Self-Graded Google Forms)

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Skills Addressed
Reading fluency and comprehension
Literary analysis (themes, satire, irony)
Collaborative performance and discussion
Critical thinking and real-world application
Vocabulary development and textual evidence

Worksheet Components
Vocabulary: 10 terms (e.g., “solidarity,” “defiance”) with script quotes.
Short-Answer: Basics like “What does Lysistrata propose?”
Discussion Questions: Themes like unity, humor.
Challenge Questions: Analysis like “How does defiance develop comedy?”
Application Questions: Scenarios like “How can Lysistrata’s unity guide projects?”
Exit Quiz (Google Forms Self-Graded): Tests plot recall and analysis (e.g., satire).

Teaching Tips
Assign roles using the casting breakdown (e.g., Lysistrata for advanced, Messenger for struggling). Rehearse in groups, using the rubric to assess fluency/expression. Discuss unity and resistance to connect to SEL, like teamwork or fairness. Administer the quiz post-performance to evaluate comprehension and analysis.

Script Summary
Scene 1: Lysistrata unites women to end war via abstinence.
Scene 2: Women swear to withhold love until peace is vowed.
Scene 3: Women lock the Acropolis, defying men.
Scene 4: Men suffer from women’s strategy, growing desperate.
Scene 5: Lysistrata rallies wavering women to hold firm.
Scene 6: Myrrhine teases Cinesias, weakening men further.
Scene 7: Chorus celebrates women’s defiance, mocking men.
Scene 8: Men beg women to end strike, nearing surrender.
Scene 9: Spartans join peace talks, swayed by women.
Scene 10: Lysistrata leads men and Spartans to a truce.
Scene 11: Athens and Sparta celebrate peace, honoring women.
Scene 12: Chorus reflects on women’s unity, peace’s lesson.
Scene 13: Men honor women’s strategy, vowing peace.
Scene 14: Athens embraces peace, inspired by Lysistrata.

Still on the fence?

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