Cheapjack Shakespeare
{{Short description|Webcomic by Shaun McLaughlin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
Cheapjack Shakespeare is a webcomic and stage play created by Shaun McLaughlin{{cite web|last=Pinter|first=Karyn|title=Shaun McLaughlin: More Confusion Than Bitterness|url=http://www.comicsbulletin.com/interviews/575/shaun-mclaughlin-more-confusion-than-bitterness/|work=Comics Bulletin|accessdate=18 October 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130225720/http://comicsbulletin.com/interviews/575/shaun-mclaughlin-more-confusion-than-bitterness/|archivedate=30 November 2012}} and produced by Gabriel Benson. Though it was initially published as a webcomic, it was adapted from a screenplay and the storyboards for an unproduced film.{{cite web|last=McCabe|first=Drew|title=Interview with Shaun McLaughlin: From Aquaman to Justice League and Beyond|url=http://comicattack.net/2010/02/interviewshaun|accessdate=26 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818234901/http://comicattack.net/2010/02/interviewshaun/|archive-date=18 August 2010|url-status=dead}} Cheapjack Shakespeare was later adapted as a play.
Plot
Stage play
In June 2010, it was announced that the comic would be produced as a stage play, Cheapjack Shakespeare: The Non-Musical.{{cite web|title=CHEAPJACK SHAKESPEARE Graphic Novel Adapted To The Stage 9/9 At Alt Theatre|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CHEAPJACK_SHAKESPEARE_Graphic_Novel_Adapted_To_The_Stage_99_At_Alt_Theatre_20100622|date=26 July 2010}} This premiered in Buffalo, NY on September 9, 2010, at the Alt Theatre, directed by Drew McCabe.{{cite web|title=CHEAPJACK SHAKESPEARE Graphic Novel Adapted To The Stage 9/9 At Alt Theatre|url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/CHEAPJACK-SHAKESPEARE-Graphic-Novel-Adapted-To-The-Stage-99-At-Alt-Theatre-20100622|work=Broadway World|accessdate=18 October 2012|date=June 22, 2010}} The cast included Kristin Bentley, Arin Lee Dandes and Daniel Morris.{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Tom|title=Cheapjack Shakespeare: The Graphic Novel Play|url=http://comics.gearlive.com/comix411/article/q308-cheapjack-shakespeare-the-graphic-novel-play/|work=Comix 411/Gear Live|date=August 14, 2010}} This production broke sales records for the Alt Theater.{{cite web|title=CHEAPJACK SHAKESPEARE: THE NON-MUSICAL Breaks Records Opening Weekend|url=http://buffalo.broadwayworld.com/article/CHEAPJACK-SHAKESPEARE-THE-NONMUSICAL-Breaks-Records-Opening-Weekend-20100911|work=Broadway World}}
Reception
Comic Attack praised the comic, calling it "heartfelt" and praising the plotting, while noting that the 3D-rendering-style art would put off many people.{{cite web|title=Indie Reviews: Cheapjack Shakespeare|url=http://comicattack.net/2010/03/cheapjackshakespeare/|work=Comic Attack|date=March 30, 2010|access-date=October 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818041855/http://comicattack.net/2010/03/cheapjackshakespeare/|archive-date=August 18, 2010|url-status=dead}} Jeff Wilber found the tale of amateur dramatics to be true to life, but disliked the art, which is produced using storyboarding software of the kind used in the motion picture industry.{{cite web|last=Wilber|first=Jeff|title=Cheapjack Shakespeare: A Graphic Novel Written by Shaun McLaughlin|url=http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/09/cheapjack-shakespeare-a-graphic-novel-written-by-shaun-mclaughlin.html|work=Buffalo Rising|date=September 7, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909153817/http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/09/cheapjack-shakespeare-a-graphic-novel-written-by-shaun-mclaughlin.html|archivedate=September 9, 2010}}