Gothic Ghost Stories by Lindsay Price - Theatrefolk

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Gothic Ghost Stories

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

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
17M | 25W | 7 Any Gender

Simple set

 66 pages

Drama Classical Adaptation Mystery

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!

49 Characters
17M, 25W, 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

Multimedia

Video

Lindsay Price talks about her newest play Gothic Ghost Stories

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