This is my school project for Theatre Appreciation. Each of us had to choose a different genre or tradition and pretend like we were directing a play of Little Red Riding Hood. This was my rendition--a modern tradegy. Warning--it's very tragic, and everyone dies.

1. The Sharp Knife of a
Short Life
A Modern Tragedy based on the story of
Little Red Riding Hood
By Elizabeth Luper

2. Genre and Style
As the director, I have decided to reinterpret the
story of Little Red Riding Hood as a modern tragedy.
The basics of the traditional story are the same, but
my characters are not fairy-book characters. There
is no talking wolf, but the antagonist’s last name is
Wolfe, linking it subtly with the traditional story. Red
Riding Hood is not a little girl, but a young adult. Her
only similarity with the story book character is the
red hood. These characters are real and complex,
and their stories are complex as well. This is not a
children’s story. Like a true tragedy, everyone dies. I
also will use modern costumes and music, with a
simple set that reflects the harsh tragedies that will
be presented in this story.

3. Structure
This play will use a climatic structure. There are only
four characters in my play. The entire story happens
over the course of a couple of hours. Although it is a
full-length play, there is only one act and no
intermission. There will be three long scenes. The
first scene consists mostly of dialogue functioning as
an exposition. This will give the audience the history
leading up to this story. It takes place at the
grandmother’s cabin. The story begins to unfold in
the second scene at the family cemetery in the
woods, and the final, tragic, climatic scene returns to
the grandmother’s cabin.

4. Evelyn ReddingEvelyn is the wealthy grandmother in this story. She
lives in a modest cabin deep in the woods, because
she is afraid for her life. Her story is a sad one. Her
fortune has been the cause of many tragedies in the
family. Her grandson, Jeffery Wolfe, was found guilty
twenty years ago of brutally murdering his parents
and siblings. They lie buried in the old family
cemetery, not far from where Evelyn has built her
cabin. Only three months ago, Jeffery was released
from prison on parole. Even more than her own
safety, Evelyn is concerned about the safety of her
adopted granddaughter, Rochelle, whom she has
raised since she was a little girl.
The Characters:

5. Rochelle Redding
Rochelle was an orphaned child of a friend
when Evelyn adopted her at the age of four.
Her cabin home with her grandmother is all
she’s ever known. She’s the sole heir of her
grandmother, but she’s not aware how wealthy
her grandmother is, nor even that she’s
adopted. Rochelle is a beauty at seventeen,
with flaming red hair and deep green eyes.
She’s tall and delicate, and loves her
grandmother deeply. She helps her
grandmother around the house and does her
shopping for her, since Evelyn is getting up in
years.
The Characters:

6. Jeffrey Wolfe
Jeffrey has felt resentment towards his grandmother
ever since he could remember. Every time Evelyn
gave money to the church or some other charity,
Jeffrey felt that she was giving away money that was
rightfully his. His mind turned dark and he fed it with
dark thoughts. One night, determined to become his
grandmother’s sole heir, he murdered his entire
family. Twenty years in jail did nothing to make him
repentant of his deed, but he waited patiently for
that day when he could hunt his grandmother down
and claim his rightful inheritance. He is unaware that
Evelyn has adopted Rochelle and that she is now
her sole heir.
The Characters:

7. Robert LockwoodRobert is Evelyn’s undercover security agent.
She hired him the day she found out that
Jeffrey was being paroled. To keep Rochelle
from knowing his true role, Robert is posing as
a construction worker, building an addition onto
Evelyn’s cabin. Over the months that he’s been
there, he and Rochelle have been meeting
each other secretly in the cemetery. They are
in love, and he plans on asking her to marry
him soon. He knows the danger and swears to
himself and Evelyn that he would give his life to
protect Rochelle from harm.
The Characters:

8. Synopsis of Scenes
Scene 1 (Exposition)
Location: Evelyn’s Cabin
In the opening scene of the play, all of the background
information is revealed through dialogue that helps the audience
understand who Evelyn is, why she is hiding from Jeffrey, etc. The
first part of the scene consists of Robert and Evelyn speaking.
Since they are the only two who really know what is going on,
they discuss the situation at length. Toward the end of the scene,
Rochelle enters, and the conversation shifts towards lighter
topics. It is evident that both Robert and Evelyn care for Rochelle
deeply, and she also loves them. Evelyn asks Rochelle to run to
town and buy some eggs and a few other grocery items. She
warns her, as always, not to speak to strangers. After she leaves,
Evelyn again implores Robert to protect Rochelle and he swears
that he will give his life if necessary to protect her from Jeffrey.

9. Synopsis of Scenes
Scene 2 (Development)
Location: Cemetery
The next scene takes place in the family cemetery. Rochelle is on
the way to buy groceries, but has taken a detour to the cemetery,
to meet Robert. Jeffrey is there, examining gravestones. Although
her grandmother had warned her not to speak to strangers, she
finds herself conversing with him anyway. Rochelle inadvertently
gives Jeffery directions to Evelyn’s cabin. Shortly after Jeffery
leaves, Robert enters and proposes to Rochelle. She forgets all
about her encounter with Jeffrey. Robert makes plans to arrange
for a preacher to marry them. Rochelle heads off to the grocery
store, and Robert goes to the church to talk to the preacher.

10. Synopsis of Scenes
Scene 3 (Climax)
Location: Evelyn’s Cabin
While Robert and Rochelle is out, Jeffrey finds Evelyn alone in her
cabin. Enraged to discover that he has been cut out of her will
entirely and that she has made another her heir, he strangles her
and hides her in the closet. Then he hides in a dark corner. When
Rochelle returns from shopping, he pretends to be Evelyn until
Rochelle comes closer, suspicious that the person lurking in the
shadows is not her grandmother. Jeffrey leaps out and stabs her
to death. Just as he finishes killing her, Robert bursts into the
room, seconds too late to save Rochelle. He pulls out his gun and
shoots Jeffrey, killing him. Robert, distraught and grief-stricken,
then turns the gun on himself and dies with the others.

11. Costumes
The costumes will be modern day. Rochelle will wear a red hoodie and
jeans. Robert will wear a flannel shirt and jeans. Evelyn will dress up a
little more, wearing slacks, a silk blouse, and pearls. Jeffrey will be
dressed all in black with a skull on his shirt.

12. VenueI would like to direct my show
at the Long Center for the
Performing Arts in downtown
Lafayette, Indiana. It’s a
beautiful old theatre that I have
performed at many times, and I
would love to direct a play
there It has a proscenium
opening that is over 35 feet
wide and 25 feet high. The fly
system contains 27 linesets, a
framed front projection screen,
and a walkable fly floor. It has
an elaborate sound and lighting
system that would be very
useful to me for this play.

13. Sets: Evelyn’s Cabin
There is very little scenery in this play. Most of the
setting is conveyed with lighting and a few props. The
backdrops for Evelyn’s cabin are black curtains. Two
chairs and a small end table are placed on the stage.

14. Sets: Cemetery
This is the backdrop for the second scene, when Rochelle goes
to the cemetery and meets Jeffrey and then later on, Robert. This
image of gravestones in the wood will be projected on a screen
that will be lowered in front of the set for Evelyn’s cabin. No other
scenery will be used for this scene.

15. Lighting
•The lighting will take a major role in this play. The sets
themselves are sparse and colorless, so I will use
colored lights to create moods and show the intensity of
emotion such as red to show anger, blue to show
isolation and loneliness, etc.
•Another place I will use lights is during the scene where
Jeffrey is hiding in the shadows. I will focus a fairly wide
beam of light onto the stage. Rochelle will step into the
light, and Jeffery will be just outside the circle of light.
Then he will jump into the circle of light, knife drawn.
• I will also make use of strobe lights combined with
music during the killing scenes to draw the action and
prolong the suspense. In the last scene when Robert
kills himself, the play will end abruptly with complete
darkness when he fires the gun.

16. Sound
I would contract with The
Band Perry to compose a
score for my play, based on
their hit song, “If I Die
Young.” The title of my play
comes from a line in this
song. This would be
Rochelle’s theme song, and
parts of it would play in
between scenes, with
variations of the theme
being played in other parts
of the play. This song would
signal to the audience that
the course of fate for these
characters is a tragic one,
and cannot be reversed.
If I die young,
bury me in satin
Lay me down on a,
bed of roses
Sink me in the river,
at dawn
Send me away with the words of a
love song

17. Actors
I will cast Joelle Bellman as the heroine, Rochelle Redding.
Joelle is 16 years old and is one of the students in the Improv
class that I helped teach this year at our homeschool co-op.
She’s tall and beautiful with a sweet, trusting personality. Her
long red hair and freckles make her a perfect fit for Rochelle.

18. Actors
Graham Kelly will be my protagonist, Robert. He’s another teen in
our homeschool group. With his rugged good looks and charm, he
will make the perfect hero for my story. He’s also sixteen, and will be
taking one of the bigger roles in our group’s spring play this year. He
is a very talented actor.

19. Actors
Kate Greenwell will be my Evelyn. She’s a sweet old lady who
goes to my church. She likes to dress nice and especially loves
cute shoes. She’s not afraid to do something fun and new and
she’s excited to a part of this project. I haven’t told her that
her character dies in my play. I didn’t think she needed to
know that.

20. Actors
Tom Barnard will be the antagonist, Jeffrey Wolfe. He’s my
next door neighbor and is about fifty years old. He can pull off
the scary look, with his five o’clock shadow and gold earring.
Thankfully for us, he’s not actually a bad guy.

21. Credits
Thanks to all the people who let me take your
pictures and use them in this project. I couldn’t
have done it without you. I’m sorry your
characters all had to die such brutal deaths, but
it’s for the sake of my education, and for your
willingness to sacrifice yourselves for my sake,
I give you thanks. Thanks to my co-workers
who helped me brainstorm names for my
characters, and to my supervisor for letting me
draw my plans all over the receipt paper while
on company time. You are all the best!
(Hey, what would a play be without credits?)