Facebook Pixel Skip to main content
The Burgundy Letter

The Burgundy Letter

by Kirk Shimano

In an online community, Hester90 is publicly shamed and shunned for a racial slur against another student, but refuses to name her cohort in the hateful conversation. RoChi wants the conspirator found out and humiliated. Climate_Dale wants everyone to come to his annual Earth Day address.

How do we strike a balance between holding individuals accountable while still having compassion for those who apologize for their mistakes?

The Burgundy Letter is a comedic retelling of the classic novel The Scarlet Letter set in a high school and reframed for a digital age.

Comedy Classical Adaptation Issue-Based

Recommended for High Schools

Running Time
About 50 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
9 Characters
1 M2 F6 Any Gender, plus 0-100 “The Anonymous” characters
Set
Simple set
Length
39 pages
Free Excerpt

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.

9 Characters
1 M, 2 F, 6 Any Gender, plus 0-100 “The Anonymous” characters
HESTER90 [F] 100 lines
Once one of the most popular girls in school, now a social outcast. She remains sure of herself even as her outlook is tinged by a deep remorse.
PEARL💕🐳 [F] 72 lines
Asian heritage; happiest when immersed in the minutiae of any topic. While those who don’t know her may see her as solitary, she sparkles with like-minded individuals.
CLIMATE_DALE [M] 49 lines
Though already a future head of state in his own mind, he is shockingly unaware of who he is today.
ROCHI [A] 39 lines
Pearl💕🐳’s best friend and fierce defender, a firm believer in justice.
THE MODERATOR [A] 38 lines
Hot air and not much else.
HAWTHORNE [A] 24 lines
Our guide through this story.
TOWN SLOWPOKE [A] 14 lines
Always five steps behind.
TOWN KNOW-IT-ALL [A] 22 lines
Always five steps ahead.
TOWN WORRYWART [A] 13 lines
Wait, how many steps are there? Did I miss one?
THE ANONYMOUS [A] 12 lines
Anywhere from zero actors to a hundred – a faceless body with an unsettling presence, full of judgment and devoid of sympathy.

More Plays Like The Burgundy Letter

The Happiness Shop

by Lindsay Price

Why aren't middle school students full of smiles, hugs and hi-fives? They’re too young to have problems.

Through the Looking-Glass

adapted by Lindsay Price from Lewis Carroll

Alice is back in Wonderland and looking to become Queen. This adaptation is a fantastical physical journey for both actor and audience.

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.

A noir play featuring the ace detectives from the Broadly Speaking Detective Agency.

Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

adapted by Lindsay Price from Edgar Allan Poe

A vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Poe's best known works. Multi length versions to fit every performance need.

Box

by Lindsay Price

A middle school vignette play about the boxes we find ourselves in.

From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

July Reading List: Issue-Based Plays
Featured Plays

July Reading List: Issue-Based Plays

As you start planning for the new school year, why not explore some incredible issue-based plays? These thought-provoking scripts tackle real-world challenges and spark meaningful conversations in...
Winter Reading List - January
Featured Plays

January Reading List: Colourful Play Titles

As January unveils its wintry palette, our attention shifts to a vibrant selection of plays designed to add some theatrical warmth to your stage or classroom. From dazzling tales to vivid...
We accept

In addition to the above payment methods, Purchase Orders are accepted from US and Canadian Schools.

Info for your purchasing department