Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

Ready to add a little mystery to your drama classroom? We’ve put together a list of plays full of secrets, twists, and unexpected turns that are sure to captivate your students. Whether they’re uncovering hidden clues or piecing together the puzzle, these scripts will have your performers and the audience hooked. Ready to crack the case? Dive into our mystery play picks!

October has arrived and Halloween magic is in the air! If you're a fan of thrilling tales, spooky stories and things that go bump in the night, then this is the list for you! Our October list is all about Halloween so prepare to send shivers down your spine and ignite your imagination with these fantastic perusal plays. Perfect for the stage or classroom!

It’s spooky season, and if you’re looking for plays and musicals to frighten, horrify, and creep you out, you’re in the right place. Below you’ll find 10 scary plays from our own Theatrefolk library and 10 terrifying Broadway and off-Broadway musicals featuring scary creatures of all sorts, including ghosts, aliens, demons, and mutants. Introduce these plays and musicals to your students, read them as a class, and check out performances of them (many have filmed or movie versions to stream or purchase, or promotional clips to view on YouTube). You can also use the reading response worksheet as a resource, found at the bottom of this page. Have fun… if you dare! Plays from Theatrefolk that will scare the living daylights out of youFrom our own Theatrefolk catalogue, here is a selection of plays that are perfect for middle and high school students to study and perform. Livestream and Zoom options are available for most productions, and there are tons of opportunities for diverse casting choices. Whether you’re looking for a classic tale, a murder mystery, a scary comedy, or an all-out gorefest, we’ve got what you need! 1. Ashland Falls by Steven Stack A creepy, challenging play-within-a-play filled with twists, turns, drama, and intrigue. A mysterious new play director comes to Herbert Hoover High, where the on and offstage drama is about to make way for real-life revenge. Each student actor plays two vastly different roles, which makes this a great choice for senior drama students. 2. The Bottom of the Lake by Steven Stack The only thing that goes better together than chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows is summer camp and ghost stories. This play combines ghost stories, urban legends, comedy, and more, and has tons of great roles for female-presenting student actors. 3. Close Encounters of the Undead Kind by Jeffrey Harr A creepy collection of three plays that can be performed together or separately, featuring a terrifying teen support group, a Halloween that proves to be anything but boring, and a teen with an… unusual boyfriend. 4. Gothic Ghost Stories by Lindsay Price You’ve arrived early at Peveril House for the annual New Year’s Ball, and the family is eager to tell you some stories. Of course, with all the spiritual energy in Peveril House, the stories of choice are always ghost stories. With 49 characters, there are roles for everyone in your drama department, with doubling and tripling options for a smaller cast production. 5. Grim and Gruesome Grimm, adapted by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt from Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm A flexible and bloody adaptation of the classic Grimms’ fairy tales. Featuring decapitation, dismemberment, cannibalism, and a body count that keeps on growing. Lots of options for flexible casting and cast size, and various show lengths. 6. Hamlet, Zombie Killer of Denmark by Chris Stiles King Claudius plans to turn Denmark into the land of the undead and Hamlet must stop him! This adaptation blends the classic Shakespearean text with new lines written in iambic pentameter. 7. The Haunting of Chip Lake Lodge by J. Robert Wilkins A group of teens show up to the wrong location for their prom and things get worse from there, including mysteries, hauntings, curses, and giant rats. A spooky play for a small group of student actors. 8. Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly and Horror Movie 102: Failing Just Got Deadlier by Steven Stack Two hour-long plays that are horrifying and hilarious. The teens in St. Claire keep getting killed while violating the rules of horror movies — so much so that a second play had to be written! Opportunities for double and triple casting, and the scenes can be performed together or as standalone pieces. 9. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, adapted by Lindsay Price from Washington Irving This is the classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman in a 30-minute run time, perfect for large groups of student actors. 10. Shuddersome: Tales of Poe, adapted by Lindsay Price from Edgar Allen Poe (Free Classroom Study Guide available!) Ghosts. Ghouls. Soul Suckers. Spectres. Shudders. Who better to bring the classic tales of Edgar Allen Poe to life… or death? This play has lots of opportunities for creative movement, costuming, and theatricality, and can be customized to fit the running time and casting choices you need. If you don’t see what you need here, there are lots more in our online catalogue. Just search for terms like “scary,” “horror,” “Halloween,” or “ghost” and you’ll find a plethora of plays to haunt you! Or reach out to our Play Concierge for specific recommendations! Macabre Musicals from Broadway and Off-BroadwayThe following shows have appeared either on or off Broadway, many of them also appearing on the West End. Many of these musicals now offer youth editions, written especially for high school students to perform. Some of these shows are based on films, books, and comics, which can be interesting to compare and contrast with clips from the musical. 1. The Addams Family: A New Musical, book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Ellis, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa Charles Addams’ creepy, kooky, and altogether ooky family comes back to life onstage. When Wednesday Addams falls in love with Lucas, a “normal” guy, she begs her father Gomez to keep it a secret from his wife, Morticia. When the Addamses and Lucas’ family come together for a family dinner, chaos ensues. 2. Beetlejuice, book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect Lydia Deetz and her father Charles move into a new house that is haunted by the previous owners, Adam and Barbara Maitland, who aren’t ready to give up their home despite being newly deceased. The Maitlands enlist the help of the bio-exorcist ghost Beetlejuice to help them get rid of the Deetzes; however, Beetlejuice has his own agenda. Based on the 1988 film starring Michael Keaton. 3. Carrie: The Musical, book by Lawrence D. Cohen (based on the novel by Stephen King), music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Pitchford Carrie White has been bullied by practically everyone in her life, from the popular kids at school to her fanatically religious mother. When she is pushed too far (pig’s blood, anyone?), Carrie gets her revenge. The musical version of Carrie has an interesting history, originally premiering in 1988 and becoming a Broadway flop, then being revamped for off-Broadway in 2012. 4. Evil Dead: The Musical, book and lyrics by George Reinblatt, music by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris, and George Reinblatt Based on the Evil Dead movie franchise, this rock musical was first performed in Toronto before moving to an off-Broadway run at New World Stages. Five college students discover an evil book in the basement of an abandoned cabin in the woods and read it, unleashing unspeakable horror that turns everyone into demons one by one. Productions often feature a “splatter zone” where audience members get doused in stage blood. 5. Jekyll & Hyde, book by Leslie Bricusse (based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson), music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Frank Wildhorn, Leslie Bricusse, and Steve Cuden Brilliant Dr. Jekyll attempts to cure his father’s mental illness, but inadvertently creates himself an evil alternate personality named Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde terrorizes London, and Dr. Jekyll must find a cure to control him before he takes over permanently. 6. Little Shop of Horrors, book by Howard Ashman, music and lyrics by Alan Menken Shy floral shop worker Seymour finds a mysterious plant that looks like a Venus flytrap. He names it Audrey II after his co-worker Audrey, who Seymour is secretly in love with. Seymour discovers that his plant feeds on blood, and as Audrey II quickly grows, it demands to be fed more and more. Based on the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors. 7. The Phantom of the Opera, libretto by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe (based on the novel by Gaston Leroux), music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe A series of increasingly frightening incidents occur at the Paris Opéra House, which are blamed on the “opera ghost” or “O.G.” The opera ghost is revealed to be a mysterious, disfigured musical genius living in the catacombs under the theatre. He falls in love with soprano Christine Daaé and as his love turns to obsession, will stop at nothing to make her his forever. As of 2023, Phantom is the longest-running show on Broadway, opening in 1988 and closing in 2023. 8. The Rocky Horror Show, book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien The stage musical came first! The film version has achieved cult status, but the stage version premiered in 1973 on the West End and has been revived all over the world ever since. Newlyweds Brad and Janet take shelter from a rainstorm in the home of mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. With catchy songs like “Time Warp,” the show feels like a light-hearted homage to vintage sci-fi and B movies. However, the “horror” aspect of the title is appropriate as mysterious and murderous events occur throughout the night. 9. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, book by Hugh Wheeler, music and lyrics by Steven Sondheim Benjamin Barker is transported to Australia for a crime he did not commit. Fifteen years later, he returns to England, and vows revenge. Reinventing himself as barber Sweeney Todd, he kills his customers with his shaving razor and sends their bodies to his downstairs neighbour Mrs. Lovett, who disposes of them in a most sinister fashion. Based on the 1970 play Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond. 10. The Toxic Avenger, book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan Tromaville, New Jersey has been turned into a toxic waste dump. Nerdy Melvin Ferd the Third vows to clean it up and put a stop to whoever is responsible for leaving the drums of toxic goo everywhere. Melvin is attacked by goons, who toss him into a vat of toxic waste and leave him for dead. What they didn’t anticipate was Melvin transforming into a huge green mutant with a melted face, muscled body, and monstrous determination to save New Jersey. Based on the 1984 film of the same name.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price is a creepy, cross-curricular masterpiece with tons of flexibility, theatricality and a whole lot of fun. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Adaptation is my favourite form of playwrighting and I love the creepy, scary, macabre stories of Edgar Allan Poe. I thought it was a perfect marriage. Little did I know. This play was actually a huge challenge to write. Taking a piece of literature from one medium and transforming it into another, is not easy. Poe writes in a way where it’s the single reader’s imagination that takes charge of the interaction. The story lives in the mind of the reader. In a play, we can’t be inside everybody’s head at the same time. We need action and theatricality to do the work. It took over a year to find the right balance of staying true to Poe’s intention and creating a theatrical experience, but I’m really happy with the outcome. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Death, Morality, Revenge, Jealousy, come to life from the page like corpses from the grave. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The Shudders. They are Poe’s specters, ghosts and ghouls staring you down from every corner of the stage. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Watch the tone. If everything is played with the same creepy feeling, then the play is going to come across as one note. Which I know is not your intention! 5. Why is this play great for student performers? I’m often told by teachers and students that this play is a challenge. It’s not easy stuff. But it’s a rewarding challenge. It’s creepy and cross-curricular which makes it great for classroom study. There is also a number of different of storytelling styles that offers student performers a wide variety of challenges. There’s even a humourous story! (Did you know Poe wrote comedies?) 6. Do you have any advice for people looking to perform this play online or socially distanced? If you’re performing socially distanced, explore how the the isolation between characters impacts the creepy atmosphere of the storytelling. Light and sound will also be your best friends. The Raven would work very well with the different characters in their own areas of light. If you’re doing The Bells virtually, I’d suggest not using unison speaking and play with how the text sounds using individual speakers. Have fun with it! Explore different options, you won’t know if something works or not until you try.

Whether you’re looking for a great production piece, a superior competition entry or simply some great material for cross-curricular classroom study, Lindsay Price’s Shuddersome: Tales of Poe has the material you need. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? The incredibly talented student performers at Cambridge-Isanti High School in Cambridge, MN were not only successful in their newfound appreciation of Poe, but also enjoyed award-winning performances at the Minnesota State Festival: Mississippi 8 conference starred Performance, Minnesota Sub-Section 7AA Champions, Minnesota Section 7AA Champions and Minnesota State Festival Performers. Director Kelly Fairchild-Fahrni was thrilled to share their success and these picture-perfect photos, along with some tips that helped keep their production running smoothly: “This has been a wonderful play to produce. It is exciting to go into rehearsal everyday to see what new level of detail we can add to the piece. I really feel the entire company has come to appreciate Poe as they hadn’t before. The biggest challenge for us has been to present heavily rhymed poetry without emphasizing the rhythm. We made all our actors into “Shudders” wearing easy to remove headpieces when they moved into main characters. This really helped with the transitions from one scene to the next. We kept all the actors on stage for the whole show so we could move quickly between pieces as well. We also used a lot of music and sound effects to add to the overall atmosphere.”

Looking for a great competition piece or cross-curricular play? Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price is a vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Poe’s best known works, complete with multi length versions to fit every performance need. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? Under the direction of Todd Espeland , the extremely talented performers at Fort Wayne Youtheatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana were able to take the material in Shuddersome: Tales of Poe and allow it to reach not only their audience, but also their community and even themselves: “This show has been very well received by both our actors and audiences. Previous to doing Shuddersome our free Storybook Tours have been original scripts and fairy tale based shows. Our youth performers have responded to this script in a HUGE way. They love the challenge of it. They love the drama of it. They LOVE the creativity that is called upon by the actors to make this show work. Our audiences have doubled this tour and I think it is a direct result of this script. They are interested in the title and subject matter and our Youth performers have been inviting more and more people outside of their immediate family to the shows. One of our performances was for a youth mental health facility. The show was done for youth who are receiving mental health counseling. We were initially hesitant about doing this show for them due to the overall subject matter and the specific subject matter of Tell Tale Heart. The doctors insisted it was okay. We performed the show for 16 youth who volunteered to see the show (the youth in this facility sign up to see things that interest them). They responded to the show very well. After the performance their counselor said that the show and its subject matter was going to be part of their evening group session. That was awesome. It’s awesome to know that we are reaching youth all over Fort Wayne with this subject matter.”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Large cast staging options, ghoulish make-up opportunities and a modern adaptation of Victorian ghost stories. Intrigued? Learn more about the high school drama/mystery Gothic Ghost Stories by Lindsay Price. Murdered twins. A 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? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I love adaptation and I loved writing Shuddersome. I wondered who else was writing in the horror genre in the 19th century, and I was shocked to find tons and tons of stories. There were too many to choose from! It was awesome. Thus Gothic Ghost Stories was born. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Ghosts want two things: their story told, and revenge. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The Twins. They led a short life and a horrible death and their ghosts have haunted the Long Hall for decades. If you see them after sunset, it’s curtains for you. They make multiple appearances throughout and they set the perfect tone for a play about ghosts. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Traditional scene changes will take the audience out of the world of the play. Never let transitions break the ghostly atmosphere. Atmosphere is the most important element of this play. Keep actors in character, make it creepy, use red light, make it slow and your audience will be glued to the edge of their seats. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It applies 21st century skills in the best package ever: How will you use creative thinking to create ghostly special effects? Use critical thinking skills to analyze the original stories and their theatrical versions. Collaboration and Communication are key to transition from story to story without breaking out of the world of the play. And top it off, ghost stories are so much fun to play!

If you’re looking for a vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s greatest works, look no further than Shuddersome: Tales of Poeby Lindsay Price. With three play lengths available, this is a perfect vehicle for your next student production, a great competition piece or an excellent cross-curricular classroom study piece. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? Paul Milisch from Madison East High School in Madison, WI was happy to share photos and kudos of this talented group of performers as they took audiences on their own incredible journey with this theatrical adaptation: “We advanced to the next round of the WI High School Theatre Festival. Here are some photos from our final dress.”

Looking for a way to bring the works of Edgar Allen Poe to life? Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price is a vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Poe’s best known works. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? Multi length versions to fit every performance need. Sarah Hankins of Clinton High School in Clinton, MS was excited to share the success of her drama students who were nothing short of “Poe perfection”. Not only did they win Best Overall Costume at the North Mississippi DramaFest and the Mississippi Theatre Association, but check out these amazing set pieces! The clock was a student designed piece that shows the evil eye that appears in the grandfather clock, and the face of the clock that opens for Death to enter through. An amazing set piece!

If you’re looking for a great adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works, then look no further than Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price. Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation, which includes The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Multi-length versions of the script to fit every need. Under the direction of Nelson Berry , the drama group at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, TN brought these mysterious, dramatic adaptations to life, creating a strong production from a strong ensemble: “I really enjoyed directing and putting together my school’s production of “Shuddersome.” My colleagues and I really love the script, both for its helpful notes and also for the different styles of each scene. Honestly, I was considering the show solely because of “Tell-Tale Heart,” and reading “Oval Portrait” cemented my decision. I used an ensemble of 16 actors, assigning 2-3 roles to each person. We had a few rehearsal challenges, but ultimately the show came together well and we all loved the final product.”

Episode 210: A Facilitating a student led production Have you ever sat back and let your students take control of a play? How do you let students learn from the struggles throughout the process, rather than making the decisions for them? Drama teacher Saran Hankins shares her experience facilitating a student driven production.

Do you hear the tap, tap, tapping? The thumping of a heartbeat? The creek of a door? The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… In Lindsay Price’s vivid and theatrical adaptation Shuddersome: Tales of Poe, ghosts and ghouls in some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best known works come alive. Drama teacher, Shannon Boatwright , shared how the student group at Chapin Middle School (Chapin, SC) had the audience shaking in their seats with their unique and visually stunning interpretation of Shuddersome: “I can say that as a producer/director, this show has truly been one of my favorites. Our experience and take on your incredible script of Shuddersome was an enormous success! I am a music lover and dancer, so I incorporate music and dance into pretty much every show that I do. I love to feature the awesome & many talents of my students! So, our version of Shuddersome not only featured my stars singing and dancing, but also performing sign language. It all worked beautifully and really was an incredible adventure for myself and my 40 honors 8th grade students at Chapin Middle School.”