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The Burgundy Letter by Kirk Shimano play script cover

The Burgundy Letter

by Kirk Shimano Canadian Author

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

At a Glance

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
Classroom Study Guide
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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.

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