L. Don Swartz

L DON SWARTZ received his BA in Theatre Education from Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Illinois and a MA in Theatre and English from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His plays have been produced in 47 states, Novia Scotia, Ireland, Guam and British Columbia. Don has been Artistic Director of the very haunted Ghostlight Theatre in North Tonawnada, New York since 1982. Don married his favorite actress, Debby Koszelak, in 1991 and they share a noisy home with their four children, Emily, Rosemary, Donald and Michael.

Picture of L. Don Swartz.
Sort by
Display per page

  Fright Night

Classic by L. Don Swartz

63 pages

9 m, 9 w, extras, doubling possible


Here are three updated tales of horror. "The Monkey's Paw," by W. W. Jacobs, tells the story of a family destroyed by a grisly talisman that promises to grant three wishes. When a college-aged daughter is crushed while chiseling a huge marble tombstone, her parents wish her alive - at first. "The Tell-Tale Heart," by Edgar Allan Poe, is set in a contemporary prison where clinical experts delve deep into a killer's scarred psyche, only to discover that the motiveless murder is anything but. "Midnight Wax," by L. Don Swartz, is the story of an ambitious reporte...

  The Forest of the Dead

Horror by L. Don Swartz

75 pages

6 m, 8 w


A cold-blooded killer stalks the dark woods surrounding Chestnut Hollow. As the body count rises, three families drawn into the Sheriff's investigation refuse to accept the possibility that the murderer is one of their own. A group of young friends, abandoned by the rational-thinking adults, are left alone to confront Chestnut Hollow's most sinister secret. "The Forest of the Dead" tells its suspenseful tale with Hitchcockian touches and a dash of dark humor. Unit set.

  Final Notice

Comedy by L. Don Swartz

66 pages

5 m, 6 w


Mickey Chigger, a nasty newspaper critic, turns up dead at the Chestnut Hollow Little Theatre’s final dress rehearsal of “The Curse of Infant Isle.” The players, desperate for a box office success, will go to any lengths to avoid a scandal. And that means, yes!, moving the critic’s body from the rest room where he died to the parking lot. That way the late Mr. Chigger will keep his dignity, even thought he doesn’t really deserve it, but even more importantly, the theatre won’t get bad press such as “The play was so bad it killed him!” But just when they think...

  A Christmas Carol (Swartz-Play)

Classic by L. Don Swartz

54 pages

11 m, 11 w, 2 flexible, 8 boys, 6 girls.


This faithful yet unique adaptation of the Charles Dickens' holiday story begins in "another world" where Tiny Tim appears. More than just an employee's crippled son, he is a symbol of Scrooge's own infirmity. Scrooge's deceased business partner, Marley, is granted permission to return to Earth with a small but powerful army of holiday spirits on his adventure to convert the covetous old sinner into a Yuletide saint. The most popular scenes of the novel are dramatized, but especially powerful is the future scene of Bob Cratchit's gut-wrenching loss of his bel...

  A Christmas Carol (Ghostlight)

Classic Holiday by L. Don Swartz

71 pages

17 m, 11 w, 7 b, 1 g, 2 teen boys, 2 teen girls, flexible carolers, party guests and townspeople


This unique and faithful adaptation of the holiday classic takes a closer look at the character of Jacob Marley and the circumstances which lead him to his decision to save his unrepentant friend, Ebenezer Scrooge. The play begins in "another world" where Marley is granted permission to return to Earth. A "small but powerful army" of holiday spirits is to accompany him on his adventure of converting the covetous old sinner into a Yuletide saint. The most popular scenes of the novel are dramatized with added bits that are not often included. The play is fast m...

  A Candle in the Window

Christmas Holiday by L. Don Swartz

60 pages

5 m, 4 w, 3 boys, 4 girls


A small group of weary travelers discover the power of the season while trapped in a lonely train station on Christmas Eve. As a blizzard rages outside, the troubled people are forced to turn to each other for companionship. Trying to make them more comfortable is the old stationmaster, Charlie. When the clock strikes midnight, there is a knock on the station door and seven youngsters appear. They've seen the station lights from the nearby church where, in secret, they've been practicing the story of the nativity which they plan to present at regular service....

  The Birds That Stay

Drama by L. Don Swartz

70 pages

5 m, 5 w, extras


It is the summer of 1969 -- Vietnam, drugs, and a "Helter Skelter" killing spree. In a world seemingly out of control, five young friends struggle desperately with personal demons. Kyle tries to keep a dead man's promise; Chance is being driven closer to a deadly encounter; Kelly fights to hold together her disintegrating family; Angie tries to escape from her world of silence; and Dylan is terrorized by his dead grandmother. The children turn to a mysterious gravedigger who teaches them how to live. One of the most moving plays you'll ever present. Exterior ...