Back a hundred years ago, the idea of ghoulishness was captured in short stories rather than comic books. Writers like Poe, Shelley, and Stevenson creeped out their audiences with dark tales of superstition, mystery, and insanity—and the Gothic themes they created have been permeating literature, television, and cinema ever since. Case in point, for the last couple of years I’ve been not-quite-binge watching episodes of Dark Shadows, the Gothic TV show about Barnabas Collins—arguably the world’s second-most famous vampire. (Step aside, Edward.) The show’s witches, werewolves, and headless dudes had me mesmerized when it originally aired back in the 1960’s. Now, viewing the rather campy soap through adult eyes, I’m recognizing that all its creepiness came from classic short stories like The Cask of Amontillado, Frankenstein, and the Headless Horseman. They’re all in there! Go figure!

Your students know these themes, too. They’ve seen them on the Simpsons and Family Guy, in Goosebumps and Marvel Comics. But do they know from whence they come?  Though the archaic language and complex structures of these classic tales present barriers for middle grade readers, you can make them more accessible by pairing them with reader’s theater. And what better time to do it than Halloween?

So what if your students are mesmerized by Venom and Doctor Octopus! There are plenty of mangled monsters and the criminally insane in W.W. Jacob’s classic, The Monkey’s Paw, Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, and Hawthorne’s The Birthmark. They’ll also find that familiar ol’ headless horseman in Sleepy Hollow, and a hapless ghost in Twain’s A Ghost Story. No, your kids won’t find them Pennywise-creepy or Slenderman-scary, but chemical concoctions, mad scientists, and sinister psychopaths make them very nearly as engaging.    

All these plays are available on my TeachersPayTeachers storefront. They’re critically-acclaimed. They’re cheap. And they each come with a comprehension exercise. Suitable for reader’s theater, podcast radio drama, or full stage production, they’re perfect for fifth graders and up— but get started early to have them well-rehearsed by Halloween.

Thank you “Back at Work,” Rebecca Schwartz., Les Cain, Misha Carlstedt, Carolyn Finch,  Jocelyne Matos, Bobbie Kukal, Antonio Costa, Lori Ivy, and Lynn Silvey for your lovely recent reviews of my products.

Happy directing!