The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note 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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The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note

Recommended for High Schools

The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note

by Lindsay Price

Jake finds a suicide note in his mailbox. Is it real? Is it a joke? Jake is determined to find out but instead learns a secret he didn't want to know.

 About 45 minutes

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

 11
4 M | 5 W | 2 Any Gender

Simple Set

 34 pages

Drama Issue-Based

Average Producer Rating:

Reviews from Past Producers

20% of sales and royalties for this play are donated to Kids Help Phone.

Jake finds a suicide note in his mailbox. He doesn't know who it's from, or to whom it is addressed. His friends speculate, joke, and lose interest while Jake becomes obsessed. He goes on a crusade to find the author of the note. Instead, he stumbles upon a secret he never wanted to know.

This play explores how a group of teenagers publicly and privately deal with the issue of suicide. It is honest, straightforward, and also humorous. There is a great balance between ensemble, character, and monologue work.

Click here to read production tips for this play.

11 Characters
4 M, 5 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.

Jake [M] 169 lines
Finder of the note. Driven to discover who wrote it.
Ken [M] 79 lines
Jake’s friend. Nurses a private hurt.
Moe [M] 74 lines
Jake’s friend with a scientific mind.
Dennis [M] 59 lines
Jake’s friend who struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. A stoic.
Mr. Arscott [A] 7 lines
Patient at the crisis centre
Karen [W] 68 lines
A girl who believes in fate. Tries to help Jake through his obsessions.
Joan [W] 70 lines
A cynic with a dim view of the human male.
Lisa [W] 54 lines
Believes in God, she thinks. A quiet, kind soul.
Girl [W] 39 lines
The mystery of the piece. Who is she? Who was she?
Beebee [W] 63 lines
A spacey, daffy girl that contains unseen depths. A believer.
Mrs Westlake [A] 33 lines
The guidance councillor. Wants to protect her students however she can.

Awards and Accolades

  • Winner of TADA! Theater's 2000 One-Act Playwriting Competition in New York!
  • 2004 Maine State Finals, Division 2, 2nd place
  • 2004 North Dakota State Finals, 3rd Place
  • Swept the 2004 IML One-Act Competition awards.
  • Article from the Saugeen Times
  • New Town High School - 1st place, Superior Acting Awards for entire cast as Ensemble, Director of the Year; Region 9 One-Act Play Competition

Customer Feedback

Thanks for such a great script on such a tough issue. It left a really big impact on everyone who saw it; and especially on those who brought it so convincingly to life.

Lots of positive comments on the "great writing" and the "amazing script"!
Thanks for writing it. I have never gotten as much out of my 15-17 year olds as I have from their work on and dedication to this story and its characters. They want to do it again, and again...

Gord Billard
Drama Teacher
John Arnalukjuak High School
Arviat, Nunavut

Subgenres
Character study Choral work Issue-based Movement-based

Settings
Present day

Dress
Contemporary costumes Simple costumes

Audience
Teen

Features
Character study Choral work Movement-based Variable gender breakdown SEL

Set
Simple set

Cautions
Adult themes Frank talk of death Self-harm Suicide

Themes
Death Friendship Illness/Health Personal responsibility Relationships Self-image Suicide Depression Anxiety Bullying Pressure Religion

Cross-Curricular Uses
Social studies

Other uses
Competition Monologues Scene work Audition material Class work

Awards & Accolades
Plays with Awards & Accolades

Prop List

letter, three books on suicide

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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