darklight
by Lindsay Price
An examination of depression and anxiety in teens.
Average Producer Rating:
About 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
16
2 M | 4 W | 10 Any Gender, Plus THOUGHTS (10 to 20 actors)
Simple set
38 pages
Reviews from Past Producers
darklight examines depression and anxiety in teens. Characters fight their inner thoughts, search for their truths, and have surreal conversations with death. Some fail, some find hope.
This is a relevant and necessary issue to explore.
Click here to read production tips for this play.
This is a vignette play! What is a Vignette Play?
Awards and Accolades
- Governor Simcoe Secondary School - Award of Merit - Costuming, NTS Drama Festival - Regionals
- Governor Simcoe Secondary School - Award of Excellence - Contributions to Canadian Theatre, NTS Drama Festival - Regionals
- Century High School - 1st Place in the 2019 State A One-Act Play Contest
Characters
16
2 Men, 4 Women, 10 Any Gender, Plus THOUGHTS (10 to 20 actors)
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.
Group One (5E)
-
Anxiety
[A]
46 lines
- A sharp pointed coach figure; One monologue
-
Depression
[A]
43 lines
- A grandmotherly type, soft, flowing, smothering figure
-
Luz
[A]
7 lines
- The light. Moves, acts and speaks with positive purpose; One monologue
-
Moe
[A]
24 lines
- Suffering from Anxiety
-
Van
[A]
37 lines
- Suffering from Depression
Group Two: 5 to 10 actors (1M, 4-9E)
-
Depression Thoughts
[A]
24 lines
- 5-10 actors; This is a group that represents Depression. They move slowly, always as a tight mass. They are rounded, heavy, and carry a narrow light.
-
Anxiety Thoughts
[A]
24 lines
- 5-10 actors; This is a group that represents Anxiety. They move with a scattered, straight legged frenzy. They carry a searching frantic light.
- The following vignettes are played by members of the THOUGHTS group: [A, E, E, E, E, M]
- Anxiety Questions, Anxiety Awake, Anxiety Alone, Depression Questions, Depression Awake, Depression Alone/Dad
Group Three: 4W 2M 5E
-
Mr/Mrs Halycon / Rey
[A]
36, 36 lines
- A salesman with a specific product / Suffering from Anxiety
-
Riya / Fallon
[W]
17, 17 lines
- Best Friends talking about dating. Mostly.
-
Theo / Theo / Kari / Liv / Mason / Jyn
[M / E / W / W / M / E]
33, 12, 4, 4, 7, 13 lines
- Theo is a friendly, welcoming character who his friends rely on. Theo2 is Theo’s inside depression, slowly taking over. Kari, Liv and Mason are friends of Theo. Jyn is a new student, who sees right through Theo.
-
Van / Death
[A, E]
37, 37 lines
- Death and Van meet in the in-between world. Death is cheerful and very much the anti-stereotype of a Death character. Van is also a Group One character. One monologue each.
- Subgenres
- Absurd Experimental form Expressionism Movement-based Character study Choral work Issue-based
- Settings
- Present day
- Dress
- Contemporary costumes
- Audience
- Teen
- Features
- Mime Character study Movement-based Variable gender breakdown Variable Cast Size
- Set
- Simple set Interior set
- Cautions
- Frank talk of death Self-harm
- Themes
- Adolescence Illness/Health Individuality Relationships Depression Anxiety Suicide Family Happiness Kindness Overcoming odds
- Other uses
- Class work Scene work
- Awards & Accolades
- Plays with Awards & Accolades
Prop List
Lantern, fringed shawl
Production Photos
Related Titles
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
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All others must pay at the time of ordering.
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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.
darklight
by Lindsay Price
About 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
16
2 M | 4 W | 10 Any Gender, Plus THOUGHTS (10 to 20 actors)
Simple set
38 pages