A PLAYSCRIPTS TITLE

Ghostlight

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 1m, 15 any gender (youth) plus ensemble

Stephen Gregg

When indifferent student Garbiela Nettles is inexplicably admitted to the prestigious Doves Forge Academy, all she wants to do is leave. But before she can get herself expelled, Garbiela starts to hear sounds that no one else hears: ghost echoes from the remnants of a long-ago tragedy in the school’s theatre. Theatrically staged using the production’s audience and live sound effects, Ghostlight has hilarious characters, unexpected twists and a riotous finale.

Ghostlight

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 1m, 15 any gender (youth) plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller
  • Suggested Use
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Ghostlight

Details

Summary

When indifferent student Garbiela Nettles is inexplicably admitted to the prestigious Doves Forge Academy, all she wants to do is leave. But before she can get herself expelled, Garbiela starts to hear sounds that no one else hears: ghost echoes from the remnants of a long-ago tragedy in the school’s theatre. As she investigates the sounds (by joining the disastrous play in progress), Garbiela uncovers a story that’s both surprising and surprisingly moving. Theatrically staged using the production’s audience and live sound effects, Ghostlight has hilarious characters, unexpected twists and a riotous finale.

History

Ghostlight was originally produced by the Olathe South High School in Olathe, KS on 31 October 2020.

Keywords
Performing Groups

The Students
GARBIELA NETTLES – The protagonist. You’ll figure her out as you go along.
FANTINE – Eager to be Garbiela’s friend.
RUTH – Wants to be more than friends.
CARA – Method actor.
COLBY – Has a black hole where their stage presence should be.
BILLIAM – Has one clear goal.
KELVIN – Fast legs, too-fast ears.
MAUNDER – Still learning their lines.
RILEY (aka THE OASIS) – Calm, calm, calm.
FREYA MCSLANE – In the past, coined a phrase.

The Adults
JACKSON NETTLES – Garbiela’s father.
AMICUS – Head of school.
COLLISTER – Spanish teacher, a stone wrapped in a blowtorch.
TAM TAM – Collister’s bodyguard.
STAUNCHER – The theatre teacher.
HISTORY TEACHER (SFX)
PHYSICS TEACHER (SFX)
ENGLISH TEACHER (SFX)

Neither
THE FOLEYS (SFX)
SCATTERGOOD (SFX)
A THOUGHT (SFX)
A SECOND THOUGHT (SFX)

GENDER: As originally envisioned, Garbiela, Fantine and Collister are female. Jackson and Ruth are male. Gabriela and Fantine should remain female, but you can change any of the other characters’ genders. 

GENDER: As originally envisioned, Garbiela, Fantine and Collister are female. Jackson and Ruth are male. Gabriela and Fantine should remain female, but you can change any of the other characters’ genders. 

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting

    A stage. The present. 

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“My students are OBSESSED with it.” – Ryan Morris, Sandia High School

“So funny but also emotionally powerful... the surprises keep coming... It's brilliant.” – David Hastings, Olathe South High School

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!

SPECIAL NOTE: Original music composed for the play by Isaiah Louis Hastings is available free of charge. The original music is optional, but highly recommended by the author.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Add-Ons

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Authors

Stephen Gregg

Stephen Gregg
Stephen Gregg has written a wealth of perennially popular plays, including This is a Test, Small Actors, Twitch, Sex Lives of Superheroes, S.P.A.R., Poor Little Lambs, and Sunday Night. He is the recipient of a Jerome Fellowship from The Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis; th ...
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