The Festial Quartet - a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass

by David Lee White

Eighteen year old Amy was the best piano player at Festial High School. After her tragic death, her four best friends – the Festial Quartet – join their Christian youth leader, Michael, to prepare for her memorial. When Amy’s grieving mother asks Michael to save the Festial Quartet’s souls, their fragile psyches begin to crack, forcing one of them to reveal a secret she’s been harboring a year – a secret that...

Eighteen year old Amy was the best piano player at Festial High School. After her tragic death, her four best friends – the Festial Quartet – join their Christian youth leader, Michael, to prepare for her memorial. When Amy’s grieving mother asks Michael to save the Festial Quartet’s souls, their fragile psyches begin to crack, forcing one of them to reveal a secret she’s been harboring a year – a secret that will change everyone’s perception of adolescence, adulthood, friendship and faith.

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The Festial Quartet - a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear: The Festial Quartet - a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass

    A revealing story about the experience of growing up in religion and the questions that arise from the trials of life and loss. Excellent.

    A revealing story about the experience of growing up in religion and the questions that arise from the trials of life and loss. Excellent.

  • Jordan Kilgore: The Festial Quartet - a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass

    This piece has a distinct, fresh, adolescent voice. These characters face their questions about God and their insecurities in the way that only teenagers truly can. White’s characters face loss and growing up in a way that’s at the same time painfully funny, profoundly sad, and unabashedly human.

    This piece has a distinct, fresh, adolescent voice. These characters face their questions about God and their insecurities in the way that only teenagers truly can. White’s characters face loss and growing up in a way that’s at the same time painfully funny, profoundly sad, and unabashedly human.

  • Claudia Haas: The Festial Quartet - a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass

    Faith, loss, friendship and faith are just a few of the huge themes woven into this beautifully realized coming-of-age play. White taps into both the insecurities and the strong ties between close friends. As they deal with a loss, there are revelations that jar all of them. Funny, irreverent and achingly poignant, I clued into to each of the characters and wanted to continue with them on their journey after the play. The play contains beautifully realized characters for teens to play. Highly recommended.

    Faith, loss, friendship and faith are just a few of the huge themes woven into this beautifully realized coming-of-age play. White taps into both the insecurities and the strong ties between close friends. As they deal with a loss, there are revelations that jar all of them. Funny, irreverent and achingly poignant, I clued into to each of the characters and wanted to continue with them on their journey after the play. The play contains beautifully realized characters for teens to play. Highly recommended.

View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

3 Males (1 adult, 2 teens, or young adults that could pass for teens.)
3 Females (1 adult, 2 teens, or young adults that could pass for teens.)
  • Danny
    Eighteen years old. A bit of a geek. But just a bit. Sings Tenor
    Character Age
    18
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Karyn
    Eighteen years old. Danny’s best friend. Snarky as hell. Sings Alto
    Character Age
    18
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Michael
    Leader of the local church youth group. Clean cut. Charming.
    Character Age
    30s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Gene
    Also eighteen. Sings bass. Thinks about sex often.
    Character Age
    18
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Cynthia
    Also eighteen. Soprano. Smiles a lot.
    Character Age
    18
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Meredith
    Very put together. Also smiles a lot. Her daughter, Amy, has just died.
    Character Age
    40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race/Ethnicity
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Vivid Stage, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Playwright's Theatre of New Jersey, Year 2017
  • Type Reading, Organization Bristol-Riverside Theater, Year 2016