Monster Problems by Lindsay Price - Theatrefolk

Funhouse by Lindsay Price looks at the bulled, the bully, and the bystander through mostly non-verbal vignettes. Life for the bullied is like a funhouse, but the funhouse is anything but fun. An excellent catalyst for conversations around bullying. Click to learn more...

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Monster Problems

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Monster Problems

by Lindsay Price

The transition from middle school to high school can be filled with problems. Monster problems.

 About 40 minutes

Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks

 24
9 M | 13 W | 2 Any Gender

Simple set

 40 pages

Dramedy Character Study Issue-Based

"You've got a zombie. He follows you around and you still have your brain. How does that work?"

Starting high school can be nerve-wracking and problem-filled. Am I going to fit in? Am I going to be popular? Will I have the right reputation? What if I do something that ruins the rest of high school?

Olivia, Sam and Brooke are overwhelmed. They think about these problems all day, every day to the point that things are getting rather monstrous. They are going to have to deal with their problems or risk being consumed. Vampires, Zombies, and Snakes oh my! What happens when problems get the best of you?

This play was designed for a high school class to perform for middle school students and would be an excellent “intro to high school” project. Or use it in your middle school class as a tool for the transition into high school.

24 Characters
9 M, 13 W, 2 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.

Brooke [W] 80 lines
14, Will do anything, or so she thinks, to be popular.
Zombie [A] 6 lines
Monster. Follows Brooke around.
Cress [W] 17 lines
14, Until this summer, Brooke’s best friend.
Amber [W] 21 lines
16, Amber, Hailey, and Shivon are the “popular” girls Brooke latches onto.
Hailey [W] 13 lines
16
Shivon [W] 13 lines
16
Brody [M] 14 lines
16, Brooke’s brother.
Gavin [M] 16 lines
16, Brody’s friend.
Drew [M] 20 lines. lines
16. Brody’s friend. One Monologue.
Mom [W] 15 lines
Brook and Brody’s mother.
Olivia [W] 90 lines
14, Wants to look perfect because a good reputation is based on looks. One Monologue.
Medusa [W] 19 lines
Monster. She follows Olivia around. Her head is covered in snakes.
Heather [W] 58 lines. lines
14. Olivia’s cousin. Heather doesn’t care what she looks like.
Ryder [A] 19 lines
14, Heather’s friend. Can be male or female.
Em [W] 27 lines
14, Girl that Olivia wants to hang out with.
Mike [M] 11 lines
16, The kind of guy who would believe rumours about a girl.
Sam [M] 73 lines
14, Wants to be normal, and by normal he means invisible. Sam is not normal.
Leana [W] 47 lines
Monster. The Irish Vampire who follows Sam around. She does not have an accent.
Ethan [M] 35 lines
17, A senior who knows what Sam is going through.
Parker [M] 15 lines
14, Parker, Wade and Peri are Sam’s nerdy friends.
Wade [M] 19 lines
14
Peri [W] 16 lines
14
Rachel [W] 7 lines
Sam’s mom
Noah [M]
Sam’s dad

Subgenres
Fantasy Character study

Settings
Present day

Dress
Contemporary costumes Fantasy costumes

Audience
Teen Pre-teen

Features
Character study Tableau Ensemble SEL

Set
Simple set

Themes
Adolescence Bullying Friendship Relationships Individuality Morality Body image Peer pressure Self-image Gossip

Other uses
Competition Audition material Class work Scene work

Prop List

laundry basket, laundry, Mountain Dew, bag of chips, phone, scarf, plastic bag

Production Photos

Multimedia
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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.

Related Titles

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.

Ideal for classwork, competitions, and more!

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