Gothic Ghost Stories
by Lindsay Price
A modern adaptation of Victorian ghost stories.
About 75 minutes
Act 1: 40 minutes, Act 2: 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
49
17 M | 25 W | 7 Any Gender
Simple set
66 pages
Murdered twins. A gypsy lost heart. Evil in the painting. A girl and her mother frozen to death. These are a few of the Gothic ghosts whose stories are dying to be told in this creepy character-filled adaptation. Walk through the open window and join them by the dying fire light won’t you?
This modern adaptation of Victorian ghost stories is fabulous for a class project or late October production. Large cast staging options offered, and ghoulish make-up opportunities abound!
Characters
49
17 Men, 25 Women, 7 Any Gender
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.
-
Blanche
[W]
70 lines
- Lives in Perveril House. Bernice's Daughter.
-
Bernice
[W]
42 lines
- Lives in Perveril House. Blanche and Freddy's Mother
-
Freddy
[M]
28 lines
- Lives in Perveril House. Bernice's Son.
-
Harry
[M]
26 lines
- Lives in Perveril House. Bernice's Son.
-
Madge
[W]
37 lines
- A Perveril. Has arrived at the Perveril House to attend the families Annual New Year's Eve Ball
-
Lucille
[W]
24 lines
- A Friend of Madge's mother. Has arrived at the Perveril House to attend the families Annual New Year's Eve Ball. Very excited at all the spritual activity in the house. A little too excited.
- Aunt Barbara [W]
- Perveril Ancestor. Seems to have a secret.
- The Twins [A]
- Dick Peveril's Brother's children. Murdered by their Uncle.
-
Lady Rosalind
[W]
6 lines
- A love interest of Dick Peveril's, only interested in status.
-
Dick Peveril
[M]
7 lines
- A haughty and evil man.
-
Mrs. Canning
[W]
8 lines
- A proud haughty beauty.
-
Betty
[W]
1 line
- A Perveril ancestor.
-
John
[M]
2 lines
- A servant who meets an unfortunate fate.
- Servant [A]
- A servant who witnessed a horrific act.
-
Colonel Blantyre
[M]
2 lines
- Accepts a dare that ends in his demise.
-
Stephen Elliott
[M]
37 lines
- Mrs. Abney's 13-year-old cousin. An orphan.
-
Mrs. Abney
[W]
27 lines
- Lives at Aswarby. An eccentric recluse who loves to read and write.
-
Mrs. Parkes
[W]
66 lines
- Runs the household Aswarby with Ms. Bunch.
-
Ms. Bunch
[W]
56 lines
- Runs the household Aswarby with Mrs. Parkes.
-
Boy Ghost
[M]
5 lines
- Out for vengence.
-
Girl Ghost
[W]
21 lines
- Out for vengence.
-
Percy
[M]
39 lines
- Trying to understand a reacurring nightmare. But, is it just a nightmare?
-
John
[M]
20 lines
- Percy's Friend.
-
Mrs. Clinton
[W]
4 lines
- John's Mother.
-
Jack Stone
[M]
8 lines
- A menacing figure in Percy's dream.
- Jane Stone [W]
- Jack's Sister. Stern and Silent.
-
Julia Stone
[W]
5 lines
- Jack and Jane's Mother. Stern and Silent. Evil.
-
Servant
[A]
3 lines
- A Servant.
-
Vera
[W]
16 lines
- 15-year-old staying with her Aunt. Somewhat of a prankster and quite the storyteller.
-
Framton Nuttel
[M]
17 lines
- Nervous Type.
-
Mrs. Sappleton
[W]
9 lines
- Vera's Aunt.
-
Husband
[M]
1 line
- Mrs. Sappleton's Husband.
-
Brother
[M]
3 lines
- Mrs. Sappleton's Brother.
- Man [M]
- Awakens to a ghasty fate.
- Three figures who represent the Ghost [A]
- Ghosts who represent the "Choking Ghost"
-
Geoffrey
[M]
6 lines
- Character in Madge's Book.
-
Fanny
[W]
3 lines
- Character in Madge's Book.
-
May
[W]
2 lines
- Character in Madge's Book.
-
Byles
[M]
2 lines
- Character in Madge's Book.
-
Hester
[W]
67 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. A nursemaid.
-
Rosamond
[W]
37 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. Lost her parents at ten years old.
-
Dorothy
[W]
44 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. Staff at Furnival Hall.
-
Agnes
[W]
8 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. Staff at Furnival Hall.
-
Shepherd
[A]
1 line
- A shepherd.
-
Mrs. Furnival
[W]
17 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. Old, Cold, and Stern.
-
Mrs. Stark
[W]
15 lines
- Character in Madge's Book. Mrs. Furnival's Maid.
- Girl [W]
- Ghost who comes to Rosamond.
-
Maude/Lady
[W]
10 lines
- Ghost who comes to Rosamond.
-
Grace
[W]
7 lines
- Young Mrs. Furnival.
-
Lord Furnival
[M]
4 lines
- Maude and Grace's Father. Haughty and Proud.
-
Musician
[M]
4 lines
- Lord Furnival's organ teacher. Secretly marries Maude while also courting Grace.
- Subgenres
- Ghost Story Adaptation
- Settings
- Victorian 1900s 19th Century
- Dress
- Period costumes Simple costumes
- Audience
- Pre-teen Teen
- Features
- Mime Movement-based Music Special effects Tableau Variable Cast Size Sound & Lighting Design
- Set
- Simple set
- Cautions
- Frank talk of death Onstage murder Physical violence
- Themes
- Death Family
- Other uses
- Class work Competition Scene work
Prop List
Flashlights, Book to write in, Writing Utensil, Blanket, Laundry Basket, Laundry, Silver Cup, Noose, Small Red Lights (4), Book, Small Blue Light
Production Photos
Related Titles
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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.
Gothic Ghost Stories
by Lindsay Price
About 75 minutes
Act 1: 40 minutes, Act 2: 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
49
17 M | 25 W | 7 Any Gender
Simple set
66 pages