Synopsis
Like The Lottery, this macabre tale makes use of the rural New England setting and the cryptic, taciturn inhabitants of that area. Its two principal characters are kindly city people who have been visiting their same cottage by an isolated lake for several decades. They have always been treated with respect and affection by the tradesmen and local residents—until this particular year. On an impulse, they decide to break a longstanding taboo. Instead of closing their summer place and going back to the city on Labor Day as all "outsiders" invariably do, they decide to linger into autumn. The action of the natives is one of unspoken shock and silent hostility. One by one, the villagers isolate the couple. Even the telephone service is abruptly cut off. The falling of the curtain is as chilling and as sinister as any in the literature of the one-act play.
Notes
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Details
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Status
In stock
- Type of Show One-act Play
- Product Code S56000
- Cast Size 7
- Min. Royalty Rate $50/perf
- Cost $9.95
- Approx. Run Time 40 min
Categories
- Target Audience High School | College and Adult
- Performing Group High School | College Theatre
- Genre Drama
- ISBN(13) 9780871293626
Customer Reviews
- "This show is so great and offers a lot of opportunities for exciting production design. We went very minimal and used bright colors to show off the actors’ pantomime."
- Review by Vanessa Maleare, Brentwood Christian School, Austin, Texas
- "The Summer People had a small cast and leaned on lighting and additional stage movements to liven up the last ten minutes of the show."
- Review by Eric D Smith, Christchurch School, Christchurch, Va.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
- "We had the villagers come back out on stage in the dark, with a spotlight on the Allisons. The villagers kept their faces shrouded with their hair, and moved in closer and closer until they were right behind the couple. We had a small lamp brought on stage, turned off the spot, and the audience reacted with a creepy unease."
- Tip by Eric D Smith, Christchurch School, Christchurch, Va.
- "I loved the pantomime that was written into the script. Use it; you will love it."
- Tip by Dawn Ingham, DeLeon High School, DeLeon, Texas
