The Snallygaster

A young writer goes in search of stories about his Appalachian heritage and discovers an enigmatic relative who exposes a horrifying truth about his family's past. Mountain folklore meets contemporary suspense on one writer's journey as he rediscovers his forgotten childhood and confront the power of storytelling.

The Snallygaster
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The Characters:

Characters: 7 Males, 3 Females, 1 Any Gender.
Actors: 3 Male, 1 Female


Tim

  • Description: A young, ambitious writer working in the online travel industry.

    Character Age: 25–30

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: White man or non-binary actor, age range: 20s.

Granny

  • Description: Initially appears elderly, but undergoes a transformation into a hale and hearty individual.

  • Character Age: 35–70+

  • Gender: Female

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White woman or non-binary actor, age range: 40s to 60s.

Uncle Harry

  • Description: An older relative of Tim’s who lives up in the hills.

  • Character Age: 50–60

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White man or non-binary actor, age range: 40s to 60s.

Marcus

  • Description: A Chicago native; Tim’s editor and the owner of a travel website.

  • Character Age: 30–45

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Open to all races and ethnic identities, age range: 30s to 40s.

Ma

  • Description: A young mountain woman from the early 20th century.

  • Character Age: 25–30

  • Gender: Female

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White woman or non-binary actor, age range: 20s to 50s.

Pa

  • Description: A mountain man from the early 20th century.

  • Character Age: 25–35

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White man or non-binary actor, age range: 20s to 40s.

Grandpa

  • Description: An elderly mountain man from the early 19th century.

  • Character Age: 70+

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White man or non-binary actor, age range: 40s to 70s+.

Meg

  • Description: A nurse traveling by train.

  • Character Age: 25–35

  • Gender: Female

  • Casting Requirements: Open to all races and ethnic identities; woman or non-binary actor, age range: 20s to 40s.

Jake

  • Description: A backwoods mountain man.

  • Character Age: 35+

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White man or non-binary actor, age range: 30s to 40s.

Dean

  • Description: A backwoods mountain man.

  • Character Age: 25–35

  • Gender: Male

  • Casting Requirements: Indigenous, First Nation, Native American, or White man or non-binary actor, age range: 20s to 30s.

Conductor

  • Description: An off-stage voice.

  • Character Age: Any

  • Gender: Any

  • Casting Requirements: Open to all races and gender identities.

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Reviews

“If you ever want a play about the cryptid of the Snallygaster, start here. Barry's got a suspenseful one-act and two-act version for his play SNALLYGASTER. Having been a dramaturg for the two-act version recently, it has multiple smaller stories inside that provide interesting focuses on the art of southern storytelling. The role of Grandma steals the show. Consider either version of SNALLYGASTER for fans of myths or tense familial histories.”

—Harrison Young

“If you're looking for a modern macabre production that will fascinate and delight audiences, you've found it. Wonderfully drawn characters with terrific sound and light work in a very creative tale. So well done.”

—Michele Clarke (One-Act Version)

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The Wolf of Badenoch