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When we stop looking inward, we start to see who’s really in the boat with us. Boat is a powerful middle school vignette play about empathy, connection, and realizing we’ve never been alone. Click to learn more!

Mystery/Thriller Play Scripts for Schools

Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly

by Steven Stack

A collection of five hauntingly humorous tales.

  • About 55 minutes
  • 5 M + 16 F, double and triple casting possible
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 53 pages

The House

by Lindsay Price

The house doesn’t just hold stories… it hungers to tell them.

  • About 75 minutes
  • 5 M + 9 F + 14 Any Gender
  • Unit set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 85 pages

The House - Competition Length Version

by Lindsay Price

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

  • About 35 minutes
  • 25 Any Gender, 19 with doubling
  • Unit set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 32 pages

Isolation

by Steven Stack

Karen wants to have one more get together with her sister and some of their friends before she graduates. But an unexpected (and unseen) guest is waiting for all of them.

  • About 13 minutes
  • 5 F
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

adapted by Lindsay Price from Washington Irving

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

  • About 30 minutes
  • 5 M + 7 F, Plus Ensemble
  • Simple Set.
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 31 pages

A Lighter Shade of Noir

by Patrick Derksen

A fabulously funny and high styling take on film noir.

  • About 75 minutes
  • 4 M + 5 F + 16 Any Gender
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 62 pages

Moonscape to Treescape

by Craig Mason

An environmental fable about a city that destroys its natural beauty in order to support its only industry.

  • About 50 minutes
  • 8 Any Gender, Easily Expandable
  • Simple Set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 31 pages

The One

by Steven Stack

A group of friends end up at a haunted house, in a room that may or may not actually exist, where they’re faced with a decision that could doom one of them... or all of them.

  • About 13 minutes
  • 2 M + 4 F
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools

The Plucky Pie Murder

by Dara Murphy

The star quarterback has been charged with murdering the mascot and a farce of a trial ensues. The audience plays the jury in this black comedy.

  • About 45 minutes
  • 8 M + 4 F
  • Simple Set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 30 pages

The Plucky Pie Murder: Competition Version

by Dara Murphy

When Riverview High’s star quarterback is accused of murdering the school mascot, a wildly incompetent trial unfolds, putting the audience in the jury box to decide the fate of a case that is as absurd as it is dark.

  • About 30 minutes
  • 5 M + 2 F + 6 Any Gender, Plus teammates
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 30 pages

She Wrote, Died, Then Wrote Some More

by Steven Stack

Tonight was going to be writer Alina Deveraux’s most important night, the unveiling of her memoirs. Until she ended up dead. Or not dead.

  • About 40 minutes
  • 1 M + 7 F + 2 Any Gender
  • Simple Set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 43 pages

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.

  • About 45 minutes
  • 4 M + 5 F + 25 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
  • Simple Set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 51 pages

Slash, Slash!!!

by Steven Stack

Pippa is destined to be a horror movie-style serial killer, but she could really use some help developing her skillset.

  • About 10 minutes
  • 2 M + 4 F
  • Simple set

The Tempest

adapted by Craig Mason from Shakespeare

A modern version of this Shakespeare classic. A great introduction to the story and the bard.

  • About 40 minutes
  • 7 M + 2 F
  • Exterior
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 27 pages

Tough City, Prone to Rain

by Alan Haehnel

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

  • About 35 minutes
  • 10 M + 5 F + 10 Any Gender
  • Simple set
  • Recommended for High Schools & Middle Schools
  • 29 pages