The Ghost of St. Philomena’s
A queer horror story in two acts for high schoolers
Stevie Bennett, an outsider with a closely guarded secret, finds herself navigating the treacherous halls of her new school, St. Philomena’s Academy. Turns out that the venerable brick building once housed the mentally insane, and the tormented souls of past inmates lurk in the nooks and shadows. It appears that a ghostly foe is targeting the LGBTQ+ community, but why? Determined to uncover the truth behind the ghostly apparition, Stevie rallies a crew of misfits, the ones who know too well what it’s like to be persecuted.
| Stevie: | (15) female |
| Frankie: | (16) female |
| Eleanor: | (15) female |
| Tiffany: | (15) female |
| Alexa: | (15) female |
| Girl#1 & Girl#2: | (15) female |
| Tae: | (15) male |
| Marcus: | (17) male |
| Boy #1 & Boy#2 | (15) male |
| Gardener: | Doubled by anyone in the cast |
| The SHADOW ACTORS: | |
THE SHADOW ACTORS (at least 4-5 actors but MANY MORE is better):
The SHADOW ACTORS are dressed all in black (black face masks/gloves too) and give the impression they are the forgotten souls of past inmates that haunt the building. They shouldn’t be highlighted, but crawl from under, over, behind, and around things. I have notated places where they could be used; use them at your discretion wherever you feel inspired for added dramatic and spooky effects. When the SHADOW ACTORS are not being mischievous, they may double as other students that attend the school.
Copyright © NICOLETTE VAJTAY, 2025
Published by Gitelman & Good Publishers, LLC, 2025
Script use and distribution is limited by the terms of the license agreement provided by the publisher. All other rights reserved.
Bob & Juliet
Full-length comedy
Juliet is shocked to learn that her friend Bob has been diagnosed with dementia. His group of misfit friends support his decision to end his life, which means whisking him off to Switzerland to die with a shred of dignity; euthanasia is not yet legal in America. Juliet challenges his decision with legality and morality, but Bob’s mind is being eaten by plaque at an alarming rate. Will he make it to Switzerland in time?
Characters:
| Juliet: (59), Caucasian, Bob’s best friend, they grew up together in New Jersey. | |
| Bob: (70) Caucasian, actor, and ballet dancer. Bob was diagnosed with dementia 10 years earlier. | |
| Dirk: (60’s) Black, Bob’s neighbor, huge heart, ex-military, spends his time at a strip club. | |
| Nakita: (19), Asian-American, 7-mos. pregnant, a stripper, pre-law. | |
| Renata: (20’s), Latina, a hardworking immigrant, has an accent, Bob’s caregiver, very loving. | |
| Dr. Oskar, Ricky: Played by the actor playing DIRK | |
| Diellza, Mary, Andrea: Played by the actress playing NAKITA | |
| Magda, Karen, Mrs. Kabinski: Played by the actress playing RENATA |
Relative Communication
Full-length dramedy.
Synopsis:
Zsófia Kovács discovers her panic attacks are symptoms of a brain tumor and must be operated on immediately. Her estranged mother and two sisters are tossed into the waiting room for 18 hours where old wounds are poked and reopened. Can they all learn to love and support each other even though their lives have gone in such different directions? On the backdrop of this family crisis, the play questions our very existence, and where and how true communication is shared: between mothers and daughters, between siblings, from a God that does or doesn’t exist, or through the magic and mayhem of social media?
Image: Athena Project Festival, Aurora Fox Theatre, March 2014 with Gina Wencel as Zsófia and Emily Paton Davies as Natália
Characters:
| Natalia (45): The middle sister. First generation Hungarian/American. A bit bohemian, a meta-physician, escaped New Jersey 15 years ago. | |
| Danielle (47): The eldest sister. First generation Hungarian/American. A Born-Again-Christian. Lives in New Jersey. | |
| Zsofia (44): The youngest sister. First generation Hungarian/American. She suffers from a brain tumor. Lives in New Jersey. | |
| Karolina (67): The girls’ estranged mother, an immigrant from Hungary. She is in excellent health and is stylishly dressed. | |
| Zoltan (51): The handsome nurse. A Christian. |
Production History:
March 2014 Athena Project Festival, Plays in Progress Staged Reading
A Magical Midnight
A full-length dramedy for families and young audiences – about 75 minutes
Synopsis:
Maggie Conner, a precocious 10-year-old, is easily lured into the clutches of Hollywood’s limelight when her luscious head of long, curly, red hair is “discovered” by a talent scout. Along with Maggie’s newfound fame comes a healthy dose of attitude, much to the chagrin of her family. Next door lives Olivia Michaels, the same age as Maggie but much more advanced in spirit. Having cancer isn’t easy, twice as hard when you’re bald, but it doesn’t damper Olivia’s love for life and her colorful passions. A magical adventure ensues when a glimmer of fate orchestrates a meeting between the two girls and their lives are changed forever! With creative use of language and humor in a mixture of realism and fantasy, along with opportunities for simple theatrical magic and lighting, we experience the innocence of children and the magic of the universe, which is more brilliant than Maggie ever could have imagined.
Characters:
| Maggie (10): A precocious young girl with a gorgeous head of hair | |
| Olivia (10): Maggie’s friend; she has a colorful passion for life. She has cancer. | |
| Kelly / The Lovely Assistant (30-40s): The “perfect” mom / A beauty with a fake smile | |
| Jack / The Game Show Host (40’s): Maggie’s absent-minded dad / A slick and sneaky enemy | |
| Grandma (70’s): A feisty witty wise woman | |
| Robert / The Pirate (40’s): Olivia’s workaholic dad, a pilot / A Rhyming Menace |
Production History:
-Staged Reading with Playwrights Showcase of the Western Region, 2009
-Staged Reading with Colorado Theatre Guild New Venture Series, 2009
-Staged Reading at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy, Denver, 2009
-Staged Reading, Theatre District, Los Angeles 2006
Picture: Allison Larned (Olivia), Nicolette Vajtay (playwright), Katie Brogan (Katie). Staged Reading with Colorado Theatre Guild New Play Series 2009 at the Mizel Theatre, Denver
Awards:
-Finalist, Ronald Rube Play Festival, Caryl Crane Children’s Theatre, 2012
-Honorable Mention, New Works of Merit, NYC, 2011
-Honorable Mention, Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Youth Theatre, 2009
-Semi Finalist, Princess Grace Award, 2007
-Prize Winner, Writer’s Digest Stage Play Competition, 2006
Cast & Crew 2009:
From left: Sarah Roshan (director), Jeffrey Nickelson (CTG Representative), Clarrisa Fugazatto (stage directions), Steve Austin (Jack/Game Show Host), Marianne Amari (Grandma), Allison Larned (Olivia), Nicolette Vajtay (Playwright), Michael Nuccio (Robert/Pirate), Katie Brogan (Maggie), Laurel Harris (Kelly/Lovely Assistant)