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Ashland Falls by Steven Stack play script cover

Ashland Falls

by Steven Stack

A school receives a mysterious script about a girl who died long ago. The director disappears. A new director arrives just in time and knows all about the story of the play. In fact, she seems to know it too well. And how did she get the dead girl’s ring?

Are the students of Herbert Hoover High too wrapped up in miscues, awful accents, and stolen boyfriends to notice? Revenge is coming. Who will pay the price when the real world and the play collide?

Each actor must play two vastly different roles in this spine-tingling comedy thriller. This easy to stage and intense theatrical experience will keep your audience on their edge of their seats. And the twist ending will make them question everything they've witnessed...

Average Producer Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Recommended for High Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 90 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
14 Characters
3 M 11 F
Set
Simple set
Length
82 pages
Free Excerpt

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Performance Royalty Fees

Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

14 Characters

  • 3 Males
  • 11 Females

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

Act 1

  • Carrie Female 97 lines
    Well-liked, dating Aidan. Plays Ashley.
  • Aidan Male 92 lines
    Often the leading man. Dating Carrie but there are rumors about him and Savannah. Plays Dalton.
  • Savannah Female 70 lines
    Tends to get leading roles. Rather full of herself. Has interest in Aidan. Plays Kaelyn.
  • Heather Female 70 lines
    Carrie’s best friend. Makes constant jokes, typically at Savannah’s expense. Plays Leah.
  • Gavin Male 72 lines
    Reliable actor and person. Likes Alyssa but is unable to talk when she’s around. Plays Wynter.
  • Alyssa Female 49 lines
    Most mature of the group. Has held the show together. Plays Liza.
  • Morgan Female 57 lines
    A very hard worker but tends to stress out when she feels she isn’t measuring up. Plays Nara.
  • Tony Male 59 lines
    Decent actor but would rather goof off. Plays Garrick.
  • Ava Female 32 lines
    Believes she is a better actor than she is. Considers herself a “method actor.” Plays Eleanor.
  • Emily Female 42 lines
    Freshman. Friends with Payton and Lydia. Plays Elizabeth.
  • Payton Female 47 lines
    Freshman. The not-so-bright friend of Lydia and Emily. Plays Tawnie.
  • Lydia Female 18 lines
    Freshman. Best friends with Emily and Payton. Rather clumsy. Plays Vala.
  • Laura Female 177 lines
    The new director, who is from a small town in England. She replaced Mr. Beasley after he mysteriously disappeared.
  • ASHLEY (ghost) Female 17 lines
    The ghost of Ashley Donovan.

Act 2

  • Leah Female 61 lines
    Older sister of Ashley and Vala, seeking revenge for Ashley’s death.
  • Ashley (as played by Carrie) Female 17 lines
    Was hoping to marry Dalton until she died under mysterious circumstances.
  • Kaelyn Female 47 lines
    Daughter of Nara Worthington, Ashley’s friend, secretly in love with Dalton.
  • Nara Female 41 lines
    The very rich and snobbish mother of Kaelyn.
  • Garrick Male 11 lines
    Loyal butler of the Worthingtons.
  • Dalton Male 81 lines
    Was planning to propose to Ashley but never had the chance. Is now going to marry Kaelyn.
  • Wynter Male 76 lines
    Dalton’s friend, who is not supportive of Dalton’s desire to marry Ashley. Has feelings for Liza.
  • Vala Female 44 lines
    Youngest sister of Leah and Ashley. Works as a maid for Nara. Developed a stuttering problem after Ashley’s death.
  • Liza Female 65 lines
    Friend of Leah, Wynter, and Dalton. Rumored to practice witchcraft.
  • Elizabeth Female 16 lines
    Friend of Kaelyn and Elizabeth, who overestimates her own importance.
  • Tawnie Female 9 lines
    Friend of Kaelyn and Elizabeth, who appears dim-witted.
  • Eleanor Female 29 lines
    Mother of Leah, Ashley, and Vala. Currently in an asylum.

Praise for Ashland Falls

4 out of 5 stars
Samuel Dunham
Robert Service High School
This was a student-directed play. It was easy enough for a senior to successfully block, light, etc. The student-actors had fun the characters.

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