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Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly

Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly

by Steven Stack

Surviving your teenage years is difficult enough. But in St. Claire, where teens continually violate the rules of Horror Movie 101, it’s practically impossible.

You know the rules: never open a door if someone knocks after the lights go out. If your car runs out of gas and a girl on the side of the road asks you to take her home to mother - don’t. Haunted houses are never a good idea, and neither are cabins in the middle of the woods. And if you use an ancient burial ground to bring someone back, they’ll come back wrong. Everyone knows that.

This collection of haunting, horrifying, harrowing AND humorous scenes will keep you laughing as you keep your eyes covered.

Comedy Black Comedy Mystery

Average Producer Rating:

Enjoyed this play? You might also like Horror Movie 102: Failing Can Be Deadlier.

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time
About 55 minutes (for the full collection)
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
21 Characters
5 M16 F, double and triple casting possible
Set
Simple set
Length
53 pages
Free Excerpt

This Book is a Collection of 5 Plays

License the entire book, or license individual plays separately. To license a single play, click its title below.

1 M, 2 F · Approx. 13 minutes

David and Delaney have been planning for the perfectly nifty prom since they were 6, and everything was going according to plan... until Delaney died. Will the day be saved by a well-manicured ancient burial ground?

1 M, 3 F · Approx. 15 minutes

Cal and Jane end up stranded on a dark and lonely road. They make the unfortunate decision of helping a girl who only wants to get home to Mother.

1 M, 2 F · Approx. 10 minutes

Tara and Dane find themselves in possession of the legendary “hook hand” and learn that “finders keepers” is not always what it’s cracked up to be.

5 F · Approx. 13 minutes

Karen wants to have one more get together with her sister and some of their friends before she graduates. But an unexpected (and unseen) guest is waiting for all of them.

2 M, 4 F · Approx. 13 minutes

A group of friends end up at a haunted house, in a room that may or may not actually exist, where they’re faced with a decision that could doom one of them... or all of them.

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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.

21 Characters
5 M, 16 F, double and triple casting possible

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.


Heirlooms (2F, 1M)
Tara [F] 46 lines
16, very rough, lives in squalor, one monologue
Dane [M] 41 lines
16, is trying to build a life with Tara.
Nicole [F] 29 lines
Current “Hook Hand.”

The Girl on the Side of the Road (3F, 1M)
Cal [M] 69 lines
18, very caring, has family issues.
Jane [F] 77 lines
18, comes off as cold and unfeeling but really isn’t. For the most part.
Hazel [F] 19 lines
A girl that needs to get home to Mother.
Mother [F] 1 line
Rather scary, out for vengeance.

The One (4F, 2M)
Spencer [F] 32 lines
17, smart, self-assured, and willing to make tough choices.
Sarah [F] 23 lines
16, Spencer’s girlfriend, the nice one of the group.
Mark [M] 27 lines
18, the logical one, strong “bromance” with Liam.
Liam [M] 23 lines
15, the goofy one, dating Ava.
Sophie [F] 18 lines
16, obsessed with horror movies.
Ava [F] 24 lines
17, very smart but believes there is more out there than can be proven by science or logic.

Isolation (3F 2M)
Karen [F] 56 lines
18, Cassie’s older sister and protector.
Cassie [F] 40 lines
16, Karen’s younger sister, the favorite of the family.
Marcy [F] 41 lines
17, Karen’s best friend, hiding something.
Taylor [F] 9 lines
17, attacked by Jenny, currently tied up.
Jenny [F] 8 lines
17, has been attacked, currently running through the woods like some type of crazed animal.

David and Delaney’s Guide to the Perfectly Nifty Prom (2F, 1M)
Kate [F] 68 lines
18, Delaney’s best friend and possessor of a well-manicured ancient burial ground.
David [M] 48 lines
17, Delaney’s dedicated boyfriend who doesn’t like dirt or gross things; one monologue
Delaney [F] 52 lines
17, David’s girlfriend since they were 6, dead.

Praise for Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly

Tara Bayens
Poudre School District
This was a lot of fun to put on with my Introduction to Acting students. The entire class had a part, whether directing or acting, and the scenes were manageable for all students. Our audience loved the show!
Cathy Archer
Rutland High School
This was a competition piece - the students loved it and jumped into rehearsing it. They had great fun with and were able to memorize their lines and work on physical business as well.
Jeremy Grant
Madison Southern High School
The play was very accessible for my students and we were able to use minimal sets, but still create a very cool aesthetic for our audience. The script allows for you to cast a large variety of actors and provide a bit of a showcase for some of your actors that may not be utilized as often.

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