Facebook Pixel Skip to main content
Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price play script cover

Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

adapted by Lindsay Price Canadian Author from Edgar Allan Poe

The thumping of a heartbeat. The creak 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?

Multi-length versions of the script to fit every need.

Drama Choral Work Classical Adaptation Movement-based Mystery Reader's Theatre

Average Producer Rating: 5.0 out of 5

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 45 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
34 Characters
4 M5 F25 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
Set
Simple Set
Length
51 pages
Production Tips
Read production tips for this play
Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
Download a free Classroom Study Guide

What to order?

Not sure what you need to order? Check out our pricing and ordering guide.

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.

34 Characters

4 M, 5 F, 25 Any Gender, Doubling 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.

The Tell-Tale Heart
The Old [M] 24 lines
The Young [M] 75 lines
Police One [A] 9 lines
Police Two [A] 10 lines
The Shudders [A] 54 lines
Ensemble
The Bells
Silver One [A] 6 lines
Silver Two [A] 5 lines
Silver Three [A] 2 lines
Gold One [A] 7 lines
Gold Two [A] 4 lines
Gold Three [A] 4 lines
Brass One [A] 9 lines
Brass Two [A] 8 lines
Brass Three [A] 8 lines
Iron One [A] 16 lines
Iron Two [A] 14 lines
Icon Three [A] 11 lines
The Shudders [A] 22 lines
Ensemble
The Oval Portrait
Painter [M] 0 lines
Extensive mime
Picture Lady [F] 0 lines
Extensive mime
Young Lady [F] 0 lines
Extensive mime
Soul Suckers (x2) [A] 0 lines
Extensive mime
The Shudders [A] 0 lines
Ensemble
The Raven
One [A] 38 lines
Two [A] 38 lines
Three [A] 38 lines
Four [A] 37 lines
Five [A] 36 lines
The Shudders [A] 12 lines
Ensemble; You can have many more Individual Speakers for this poem. Feel free to divide the lines among more speakers.
The Masque of the Red Death
Narrator One 17 lines
Narrator Two 17 lines
Narrator Three 16 lines
Guest One 21 lines
Guest Two 21 lines
Guest Three 16 lines
Prince 15 lines
The Spectre
Extensive mime
The Shudders [A] 25 lines
Ensemble
Lionizing
Robert Jones [M] 42 lines
Father [M] 15 lines
Mother [F] 1 line
The Artist [F] 9 lines
The Duchess [F] 11 lines
The Countess [F] 7 lines
The Marquis [M] 4 lines
The Prince [M] 15 lines
The Elector [F] 4 lines
The Shudders [A]
Ensemble

Praise for Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

5 out of 5 stars
Vanessa Porcelli
Martin County High School
It was such a great experience for my first time directing a play. I was able to have two student directors take over, and they did such a great job. This play had explicit stage directions and choices, and that really helped us bring this show to life. I have only positive things to say about this show.
5 out of 5 stars
Todd Espeland
Fort Wayne Youtheatre
Our audiences have doubled this tour and I think it is a direct result of this script.
4 out of 5 stars
Jessica Noel
Philly PACK
This play is a very unique adaptation of classic Poe stories using original text. The script uses unison text like a Greek chorus. I highly recommend this script for advanced theatre students who are interested in challenging material. This script is not for beginner acting students, but the text could be used beautifully on-book in a staged-reading for beginner/intermediate level. This show is an accomplishment!

More Plays Like Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

The Shadow Stories - A Cursed Play

by Matthew Webster

Five very old, very dangerous stories from around the world...

The House - Competition Length Version

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

A competition-length cutting of The House. The house doesn’t just hold stories… it hungers to tell them.

Grim and Gruesome Grimm

adapted by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt Canadian Author from Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

A playful and theatrical adaptation of Grimm's grimmest tales.

Dracula

adapted by Laramie Dean from Bram Stoker

A highly theatrical exploration of the evil that lurks inside all of us…

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

adapted by Lindsay Price Canadian Author from Washington Irving

What will happen when Icabod Crane comes face to face with the headless horseman? An adaptation of the Washington Irving story.

Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly

by Steven Stack

A collection of five hauntingly humorous tales.

From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

Selecting Scripts

October Reading List: Mystery Plays

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...
Selecting Scripts Themed Play Lists

October Reading List: Plays for Halloween

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...
Selecting Scripts Themed Play Lists

Creeptastic Plays and Macabre Musicals for Fall

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...
Selecting Scripts

Plenty of Poe: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
Selecting Scripts

Reaching beyond the theatre: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
Selecting Scripts

A Theatrical Journey: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
Directing, Rehearsal, & Production

Picture-Perfect Poe: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
Selecting Scripts

Picture Perfect Poe: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
Podcast

Facilitating a student led production

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,...
Selecting Scripts

Stunning Success: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

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...
We accept
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
We accept school purchase orders too. Info for your purchasing department