darklight

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.

Drama Experimental Form Issue-Based Movement-based Vignettes

Average Producer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This is a vignette play!

Recommended for High Schools

Running Time

About 35 minutes

Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes

Cast

16 Characters

2 M 4 F 10 Any Gender

Plus THOUGHTS (10 to 20 actors)

Set

Simple set

Length

38 pages

Production Tips

Read production tips for this play

Free Excerpt

Classroom Study Guide

Download a free Classroom Study Guide

What to order?

Not sure what you need to order? Check out our pricing and ordering guide.

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.

16 Characters

2 Males
4 Females
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 Any gender 46 lines

A sharp pointed coach figure; One monologue
Depression Any gender 43 lines

A grandmotherly type, soft, flowing, smothering figure
Luz Any gender 7 lines

The light. Moves, acts and speaks with positive purpose; One monologue
Moe Any gender 24 lines

Suffering from Anxiety
Van Any gender 37 lines

Suffering from Depression

Group Two: 5 to 10 actors (1M, 4-9E)

Depression Thoughts Any gender 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 Any gender 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: 4F 2M 5E

Mr/Mrs Halycon / Rey Any gender 36, 36 lines

A salesman with a specific product / Suffering from Anxiety
Riya / Fallon Female 17, 17 lines

Best Friends talking about dating. Mostly.
Theo / Theo / Kari / Liv / Mason / Jyn Male or Any gender or Female or Female or Male or Any gender 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.

Praise for darklight

Fallon Prince

Langenburg Central School

The technical elements fit so well with the action - a fabulous challenge for our lighting and sound techs.

Karah Janssen

Marie Murphy School

This show gave our students a challenge both in scene work and in ensemble work. We felt good about doing a show with a relevant, meaningful social message. It prompted fantastic, meaningful discussions in classes after the school saw the play.

Natalie Safley

Freeport High School

This show made discussing mental illness accessible to young people. It created a safe environment for friends and family to talk about their challenges with anxiety, depression and suicide.