Unfiltered: A modern retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray

Set at the prestigious and gothic RoseWhite Academy, Unfiltered reimagines Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray as a high school drama steeped in status, obsession, and the dangers of vanity in the social media age.

Dori Stone is the mysterious and dazzling new student who instantly captures the attention of both students and faculty. Quiet art student Basil Hallward paints a portrait of Dori that is so striking, it begins to reflect not only her outer beauty—but her inner darkness. While Dori remains flawless in appearance, the portrait begins to grow grotesque, mirroring her increasingly manipulative and destructive behavior.

Dori uses her charm and influence to climb the social ranks, drawing in Lena, the popular queen bee; Sawyer, the golden-boy fencer who falls hard for her; and Basil, who becomes obsessed with capturing her essence on canvas. But as her choices grow more toxic—ruining relationships, betraying friends, and framing others for her misdeeds—Dori spirals into paranoia and fear of the very image that once made her powerful.

As the Art Festival and Midnight Ball approach, Dori’s secrets begin to unravel. Basil uncovers the truth, Lena begins to suspect her, and the portrait—Dori’s dark reflection—becomes increasingly monstrous. In a desperate attempt to control her legacy, Dori destroys the painting… and mysteriously vanishes. The final scene, years later, suggests her spirit may still haunt the school through the painting itself.

With biting wit, poetic language, and a sharp critique of curated identity and performative beauty, Unfiltered is a haunting and stylish tale of power, perception, and the price of perfection.

Duration: 80 Min
Roles: 12F, 5M (Almost all roles are gender-flexible)
Performance Group: High School, Community Theater
Setting: Various rooms at a private school