Shooting in the Dark

by Natalie Sacks

In October 2002, ten people were killed and three others critically injured in a series of completely random sniper attacks across the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Today, five friends who have just graduated from college and moved to DC revisit those memories of tragedy as they encounter a series of mysterious crimes, from someone stuffing anonymous, threatening notes into their mailbox to one of them...

In October 2002, ten people were killed and three others critically injured in a series of completely random sniper attacks across the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Today, five friends who have just graduated from college and moved to DC revisit those memories of tragedy as they encounter a series of mysterious crimes, from someone stuffing anonymous, threatening notes into their mailbox to one of them witnessing the shooting of a stranger directly in front of her. What can you do when you realize violence is all around you and there is no way to stop it?

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Shooting in the Dark

Character Information

Named characters are all recent college graduates. All except for Melanie have known each other for almost longer than they can remember. These four all grew up in the DC Metropolitan area, in the suburbs in which the 2002 sniper attacks occurred.

Numbered actors are blank canvases, picking up and dropping personas as the text demands. Named characters are vibrant and alive, constantly in motion, while numbered actors are more surreal and not entirely human. Some sort of costume change can be used to designate the difference between the two roles, if transitions can still be kept smooth and fluid. In either case, the two sets of roles represent two distinct worlds, and should appear as such.
  • Josie
    Really doesn’t like strangers. Also plays ACTOR ONE.
    21
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Melanie
    The newcomer. Also plays ACTOR TWO.
    22
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Diana
    She’s mean because she loves you. You hope. Also plays ACTOR THREE.
    22
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Steven
    The house mom. Also plays ACTOR FOUR.
    22
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Sam
    The aspiring journalist. Also plays ACTOR FIVE.
    21
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary

Production History

  • University, Queen Mary Theatre Company, 2013