darklight by Lindsay Price - Theatrefolk

darklight

Recommended for High Schools

darklight

by Lindsay Price

An examination of depression and anxiety in teens.

 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

Drama Experimental Form Issue-Based Movement-based Vignettes

Average Producer Rating:

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.

Free Classroom Study Guide

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
16 Characters
2 M, 4 W, 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

Multimedia

Video

Anxiety and Depression Thoughts

Anxiety Thoughts

Anxiety and Depression Thoughts

Related Titles

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Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

We accept orders worldwide using the following payment methods:
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.

A vignette play is a collection of short scenes on a theme. You'll love working with the variety and flexibility of the scenes. Your actors will love the fast pace and fun characters.

There's more. Every Theatrefolk vignette play holds the unexpected. A showcase monologue. A dramatic moment. A change in form. A left turn.

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