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The Shadow Stories - A Cursed Play by Matthew Webster play script cover

The Shadow Stories - A Cursed Play

by Matthew Webster

Not all ghost stories are created equally: Some were never that scary. Some get lost in translation. Some lose their impact over time and fade into obscurity.

But what happens when a story is so timeless - so terrifying - it takes root in your brain and demands to be told?

An ill-fated storyteller is under the control of five very old, very dangerous stories from around the world: The Shadow Stories. The Shadows have a curse and a plan. Now all they need is an audience…

Competition cutting suggestions included in the script.

Drama Classical Adaptation

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 40 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
31 Characters
8 M 8 F 15 Any Gender
Set
Simple set
Length
45 pages
Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
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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.

31 Characters

  • 8 Males
  • 8 Females
  • 15 Any Gender

Because these stories are based on traditional ghost stories from specific cultures, please keep the main ghost characters’ genders as written whenever possible. Directors may cast supporting, ensemble, and already-noted gender-flexible roles at their discretion.

  • Storyteller Any gender 82 lines
    Cursed to tell these stories against their will
  • Shadow 1/La Llorona Female 31 lines
    The Weeping Woman – the damned specter of a mother searching for her children
  • Shadow 2/WWII Soldier Male 21 lines
    The ghost of a dead Hawaiian warrior
  • Shadow 3/Night Hag Female 27 lines
    The physical embodiment of a deadly nightmare
  • Shadow 4/Vampire Male 24 lines
    A vampire on the hunt
  • Shadow 5/Kuchisake Onna Female 30 lines
    A vengeful, disfigured spirit – The Slit Faced Woman

La Llorona

  • La Llorona/Shadow 1 Female 1 line
  • Maria Female 5 lines
    A beautiful young woman
  • Person 1 Any gender 11 lines
    A villager
  • Person 2 [Carlos/Carlita] Any gender 10 lines
    A villager
  • Person 3 Any gender 13 lines
    A villager
  • Person 4 Any gender 9 lines
    A villager
  • Antonio Male 9 lines
    A wealthy man who marries, and abandons, Maria
  • Esmerelda Female 0 lines
    Antonio’s new love
  • 2 Boys Male 0 lines
    Optionally, puppets

The Night Marchers

  • WWII Soldier/Shadow 2 Male
  • Derrick Male 16 lines
    A newlywed on his honeymoon
  • Loni Female 18 lines
    A newlywed on her honeymoon
  • Soldier 1 Any gender 0 lines
    Ghost soldier of the Night Marchers
  • Solder 2 Any gender 0 lines
    Ghost soldier of the Night Marchers

The Terror of the Night Hag

  • Night Hag/Shadow 3 Female
  • Body Any gender 19 lines
    The body of the sleeper
  • Mind Any gender 21 lines
    The mind of the sleeper
  • Mother Female 3 lines
    Mother of the sleeper
  • Puppeteer(s) Any gender 0 lines

The Vampire of Croglin Grange

  • Vampire/Shadow 4 Male
  • Emma Female 21 lines
    A young woman vacationing in the country with her siblings
  • George Any gender 12 lines
    Emma’s brother/sister
  • Daniel Any gender 18 lines
    Emma’s brother/sister

The Kuchisake Onna

  • Kuchisake Onna/Shadow 5 Female
  • Jealous Husband Male 1 line
    A jealous man prone to violence
  • The Other Man Male 0 lines
  • Traveler 1 Any gender 1 line
    An unsuspecting traveller
  • Traveler 2 Any gender 2 lines
    An unsuspecting traveller
  • Traveler 3 Any gender
    An unsuspecting traveller

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