RUST: A Ghost Story by James T. Washburn

A tense, claustrophobic exploration of the cycles of patriarchal violence and what happens when tradition and a mythologized past cloud our understanding of the present. Hamlet and Macbeth meet Gormenghast and The Woman in Black (+ homoerotic swordfights) in this haunting supernatural revenge thriller.

A skeleton crew of courtiers and servants wander the abandoned hallways of a once-great castle...
A tense, claustrophobic exploration of the cycles of patriarchal violence and what happens when tradition and a mythologized past cloud our understanding of the present. Hamlet and Macbeth meet Gormenghast and The Woman in Black (+ homoerotic swordfights) in this haunting supernatural revenge thriller.

A skeleton crew of courtiers and servants wander the abandoned hallways of a once-great castle, haunted by the dramatic events that led to the fall of the royal family. As a strange song fills the halls, each member of the court begins to succumb to their own form of madness. The survivors are forced to confront their roles in the story - and decide whether to accept their fates as written, or try to create their own destinies.
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RUST: A Ghost Story

Recommended by

  • Deanna Strasse:
    23 Mar. 2022
    “ I truly, truly loved this script. It's poetic, eerie, and poignant, and I'd love to see it produced. Someone please produce this play! ”

Character Information

  • Percy
    20s,
    Male
    A Knight, the bastard son of a minor nobleman. Extremely intelligent, and an excellent mediator.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Florian
    20s,
    Male
    A Prince, the last son of a royal house. Highly physical; witty but not intellectual. Restless.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Katherine
    40s,
    Female
    A Lady, the cousin of the King. A bright, thoughtful woman whose potential was wasted on failed political marriages.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • The King
    70s+,
    Male
    The ruler of a once-great Kingdom. Bombastic and overbearing. Deeply in denial about the decline of his family and land.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • The Nurse
    70s+,
    Female
    The last remaining member of the household staff. Loyal to a fault, and accustomed to suffering in silence.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Leofwine
    impossibly old,
    Male
    The last remaining court musician. Kind-hearted, but no longer mentally present.
    This character plays the violin several times onstage.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • The Voice
    Soprano.
    A ghostly voice that can sometimes be heard in the empty halls of the castle.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any adult age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Magpie Artists' Ensemble
    ,
    2022