Sally Spectre logo Sally Spectre
Original Stop-Motion Animated Musical Feature

Sally Spectre

She’s cute, she’s dead, and she has a hatchet in her head…

A stage-tested gothic musical property with a completed feature screenplay, original score, pitch presentation, and award-recognized theatrical history.

Stop-Motion Feature Original Musical Gothic Fantasy Completed Screenplay
Watch the Pitch Explore the Project Contact the Creator

Pitch Presentation

A brief introduction to the story, visual world, theatrical history, and feature-film vision of Sally Spectre.

Logline

Trapped inside her childhood bedroom for nearly fifty years, the ghost of a lonely little girl must uncover the truth about her own death before a malevolent force destroys her last hope of ever seeing her family again.

The Project

Born as a stop-motion feature in 2008, Sally Spectre evolved into an award-recognized stage musical before returning to its original form as a feature screenplay.

Screenplay

Completed Feature Script

A gothic animated musical centered on a lonely child ghost who must uncover the truth about her death before she loses her final chance to reunite with her family.

Music

Original Score

A complete original musical score developed through multiple stage productions and refined for the feature adaptation.

IP

Stage-Tested Property

Productions in Los Angeles, Houston, and New York, supported by documented press coverage, reviews, programs, artwork, and audience history.

The World of Sally Spectre

A darkly funny, emotionally driven ghost story blending gothic chills, theatrical whimsy, and haunting original music.

Sally Spectre set artwork

Hauntingly Original

A wholly original world created by David P. Johnson, with book, music, lyrics, characters, and mythology developed across multiple media.

Sally Spectre character artwork

Dark, Playful, and Emotional

Equal parts humor, terror, mystery, and heart—designed for young and adult audiences alike.

Sally Spectre mansion artwork

Built for Stop-Motion

A tactile gothic world of puppets, miniature environments, music, and expressive visual storytelling.

About the Creator

DPJ
David P. Johnson
Writer • Composer • Director • Producer • Actor

David P. Johnson is an award-winning writer, composer, director, producer, and actor whose work spans theatre, film, television, and animation.

He created Sally Spectre in 2008 as an original stop-motion animated feature. The project later evolved into an original stage musical with productions in Los Angeles, Houston, and New York before returning to its original form as a feature screenplay.

Sally Spectre was named a Finalist for the Richard Rodgers Award for New Musical Works.

His science-fiction screenplay Ganymede Pan was named an Official Finalist in both the Oregon Film Awards Screenplay Competition and the Alaska Screenwriters Competition. The project later became the television pilot Supernova 45, which David produced and starred in and which was released on Amazon Prime Video.

He also created This Is Laura, which was produced and released on Amazon Prime Video. In 2017, David received the Valley Theatre Award for Best Director of a Musical for Children for Sleeping Beauty.

He continues to develop original creator-owned properties for stage and screen, with a focus on imaginative worlds, memorable music, and emotionally resonant storytelling.

View IMDb Profile Contact David

Selected Works and Recognition

A selection of original projects and professional recognition across theatre, film, television, and animation.

Original IP

Sally Spectre

Original stop-motion animated musical feature with a completed screenplay, original score, pitch presentation, and multiple stage productions in Los Angeles, Houston, and New York.

Recognition

Richard Rodgers Award Finalist

Sally Spectre was named a Finalist for the Richard Rodgers Award for New Musical Works.

Screenwriting

Ganymede Pan

Official Finalist in both the Oregon Film Awards Screenplay Competition and the Alaska Screenwriters Competition.

Produced Television

Supernova 45

Television pilot developed from Ganymede Pan, produced by and starring David P. Johnson, and released on Amazon Prime Video.

Produced Television

This Is Laura

Original television project created by David P. Johnson and released on Amazon Prime Video.

Directing

Sleeping Beauty

Winner of the 2017 Valley Theatre Award for Best Director of a Musical for Children.

Press and Recognition

Selected coverage and reviews from the stage life of Sally Spectre.

BroadwayWorld

Creator Interview

A feature on David P. Johnson and the creation of Sally Spectre the Musical.

Read
BroadwayWorld

New York Premiere

Coverage of the New York production at 30th Street Theatre.

Read
TheatreMania

Production Listing

Dates, venue, and production information for the New York run.

Read
More Than the Play

Review

“Pure Halloween fun… an intriguing combination of macabre, dark, and silly humor.”

Read
CitiTour

Halloween Recommendation

Selected as one of five Halloween shows to see in New York.

Read
Splash Magazines

Review

“A ghostly visit for Halloween.”

Read

Interviews and Behind the Scenes

Selected conversations and production material from the project’s stage history.

Stage Whisper

Podcast feature

Listen

The Roundtable with Robert Bannon

Video interview

Watch

Behind the Scenes with Bobby Bognar

Behind the Scenes with Mykeal North

Stage Production Archive

Explore selected past productions of Sally Spectre the Musical and view their digital programs.

Sally Spectre 2025 program

2025 — New York Premiere

30th Street Theater, NYC
Sally Spectre 2023 program

2023 — Los Angeles

Theatre West
Sally Spectre 2017 program

2017 — Concert Reading

Multimedia-assisted presentation
Sally Spectre 2011 program

2011 — Los Angeles

NoHo Stages

Development Inquiries

Screenplay, score, and additional project materials are available upon request.

Email David