Sightings
Genre: Contemporary Coming-of-Age Drama with Sci-Fi Elements
Format: Live In-Person Performance
Keywords: UFOs, science and belief, truth and credibility, peer pressure, friendship, moral courage, media ethics, identity, coming of age
Cast Size: 22+ (3 female, 8 male, 11 gender-flexible); with doubling 6 (2 female, 4 male); optional extras
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
Time Period: 1983
Cautions: Some strong language; mild sexual references
On a spring night in 1983, three high school seniors witness something strange hovering over the river in their small Hudson Valley town…something they can’t explain. For Rickey, a gifted science student on the margins, the sighting deserves to be understood and shared. But once the story leaks, curiosity turns into ridicule, and the truth becomes a liability.
As the local paper, school administrators, and neighbors get involved, the pressure begins to pull them apart: friendships strain, and silence starts to feel safer than speaking up. When honesty could cost aspirations and relationships, each teen must decide where to draw the line. Warm, funny, and powerfully human, Sightings is a coming-of-age drama about speaking up when the world would rather explain you away.
How We Price
Our pricing is simple and transparent. Each play includes two parts: a one-time script fee of $150, which grants you immediate access to the play and permission to copy and share it within your program; and a performance license of $65 per performance, which covers your live productions for the selected license duration.
How You License
At checkout, select your license duration (for example, the current or next school year) and the number of performances you plan to give. Each license covers live, in-person performances.
What You Get
You’ll receive an instant download of the following:
- the full script
- lesson plan set
- Author Insights article
- cast doubling guide
During your license period, you’re free to copy, print, and share the script within your school or theatre program for rehearsal and performance use—no per-script fees or copy limits.
Praise for This Play
"A bit like Stranger Things (but not scary) ... In 1983, three teens get the shock of their lives when they see something in the night sky they can't explain ... A funny, thoughtful, and uplifting coming-of-age play." - LoHud.com
"I loved the friendship, bonding, and hopeful message." - Amy Dul: Executive Director, Depot Theater
"You start in the hilarious chaos of a pick-up basketball game and suddenly we’re in this quiet, heartbreakingly awkward moment between two boys who used to be inseparable and now can’t find any words to bridge the terrible rift between them. ... You had me at scene one. Beautiful." - Ed Cheetham: Producing Director, Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College
"Sightings makes you think, and wince a little, and laugh a lot. There are so many things to talk about when the show is over. ... A great theater experience for teens, parents, and educators." - Meg Akabas: Founder of Parenting Solutions and author of 52 Weeks of Parenting Wisdom: Effective Strategies for Raising Happy, Responsible Kids.
Audience Response to This Play
"It was the most frightening and exciting thing that ever happened to me! I loved every minute!" - Karen Kapoor: Montessori school founder/director, parent, artist
"Still smiling from last night’s show. That physics class scene is hilarious! (We’ve all been there.)" - Cindy Pierce: author, speaker, and storyteller
"This play is so impressive and so enjoyable on so many levels. I left thinking about ways that I can be an even better and more compassionate friend and teacher and parent." - Katie MacInnes, parent and educator
"Everybody wants to feel seen, but sometimes you get ignored by the very people that hold the key to your future. If you can relate, if you’ve ever wanted to be part of something bigger than just yourself ... Sightings strikes a chord. A great play based on real experiences." - Michael Jennings, actor
"This play was incredible! I loved it. Funny, beautiful, poignant. In fact, I kept crying, which maybe was not the norm, but that was my truth ... Anyone who has ever felt like they just didn’t belong (maybe that’s all of us?) will see themselves in this play. Thank you." - Melissa Angier, parent
"The characters, the relationships, the suspense, the humor was wonderful. An amazing play." - Virender Sethi, parent
"Any play with UFOs and tin foil hats is definitely a masterpiece! In all seriousness, this play rings true about teenagers, teachers, and parents. Entertaining and meaningful for people of all ages." - Kaj Sinclair, parent