One Act Play 
 
Shakespeare’s A Mystery is a playful, educational play set in a modern high school classroom, blending humour, drama, and literary exploration. The story follows Thane, a mysterious new student who speaks and thinks in Shakespearean language, and his interactions with a group of gifted students—Mac, Ophelia, Sally, and Brad—and their eccentric teacher, Mr. J.
Through the classroom assignment of analysing and staging a Shakespearean scene, Thane reveals that understanding Shakespeare requires more than memorizing words—it involves grasping context, stagecraft, and the lives of the original audience. He teaches the students that Shakespeare wrote for “groundlings” and that much of the dialogue describes setting, time of day, and character action rather than being purely poetic.
The students learn to appreciate Shakespeare not as a museum piece but as vibrant storytelling meant to move hearts and minds. Along the way, they uncover Thane’s true identity—he is Shakespeare himself, mysteriously returned as a teenager. The play ends with the students gaining insight into the timeless relevance of Shakespeare, while Thane quietly exits, returning to his own time, leaving the students inspired and enlightened.