Community

32 pages

12 Actors

The best and brightest young adults and college students are invited to apply for their dream job. Applicants for this government job are tasked with seemingly simple games in order to advance to the next round. But they soon find out failure has severe consequences. Dr. Kellas explains what is being asked of them and the large reward that awaits the lucky one. What will each applicant do in order to secure their promising future? This show requires very little set, few costumes, and is entirely gender flexible. It is perfect for one-act competitions. About 3...

30 pages

5 m, 4 w, 5 flexible (4 m, 3 w, 3 flexible w/doubling)

   Based on a real-life 1977 incident in which three oddball characters tried to steal the late Elvis Presley's body out of the cemetery, "Law & Elvis" is also a screwball parody of the long running "Law & Order" TV series.

   Caught red-handed in the graveyard with picks and shovels, Leroy, his dimwit cousin Billy Joe and an odd Cajun character named Zydigo plead their innocence while detectives Olivia and Elliott interview an audience pleasing line up of colorful characters to gather evidence for the no-nonsense ...

60 pages

7 m, 5 w

Inspired by the screwball movie comedies of the 1930s and ‘40s, Don’t Give Up Because tells the story of Faye Burntwhistle, a cocktail waitress who is determined to marry a wealthy man. Faye falls in love with the heir to an Italian family fortune, but because he fears that women only love him for his money, she concocts a fiction that she is also an heir to an enormous family fortune. She is surprised when she gets the news that he’s coming to visit her “mansion” in Indianapolis and meet her well-to-do “family.” So Faye recruits several members of t...

19 pages

5 w

In a sunny suburban living room, circa 1960, five women gather for tea. Hostess Bettie has sent friends Bonnie, Bunnie, and Bootie out to see her garden – a ploy which allows Bettie to share a juicy tidbit of gossip with the fifth woman, Darla. It seems that the “man-crazy” Bonnie once again disgraced herself at the bridal shower which all five recently attended. Darla listens obediently but is plainly reluctant to be made the keeper of secrets. The others return, and now Bonnie button-holes Darla and relates a similar tidbit concerning the “sweet but dumb” B...

62 pages

2 m, 5 w

It’s July 3, 1956 and the jockettes of WHER, America’s first "all-girl" radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, are having one heck of a day: the copywriter has run off to elope, they have just found out that the Elvis Presley is coming to the station to be interviewed on-air and their star DJ Bettye has shown up… in pants! When Elvis’s record promoter arrives and is none other than Bettye’s former flame Benjamin, sarcastic zingers fly, sisterhoods are forged, and secrets are exposed. Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

68 pages

3 m, 5 w, plus one offstage female voice

Meet the residents of Moonshadow Apartments: Irene and two of her favorite tenants—Henry and Shake. Henry is secretly in love with longtime friend and content creator Emma. When she invites Henry to accompany her to a distant tropical paradise, he must choose between his comfortable, controlled existence or the intimidating world outside his door. Advising Henry is his elderly, still-a-hippie landlady Irene. She’s at a crossroads in her life as her guardian niece Sloane and her lawyer Miss Penny are plotting to oust Irene and take control of the building. Ire...

48 pages

3-4 m, 3 w, 3 flexible, extras

Electra is a young woman who mourns—and ultimately avenges with the help of her brother Orestes—her father Agamemnon’s murder. The story is based on a lost epic of ancient Greek literature, set in a period between Homer’s Iliad and his Odyssey.

This show explores the psychological costs of resisting evil in a society bent on ignoring or even sustaining that evil. Written in blank verse, the language is conversational despite its formality. Poetry best expresses that ...

22 pages

10 gender flexible roles

Hannah has less than an hour to convince a group of young adults that the world is about to end and their only hope for survival is to travel to the future. Her answers are brief, and they only lead to more questions. The others try to process what she is saying. Ultimately, they must decide what’s important and what matters the most to themselves and to the survival of humanity.

20 pages

1 m, 1 w, 1 child, 6 - 16 flexible roles

When Thomas hurriedly flushes the deceased family goldfish down the toilet to replace it with a new one while his young son, Lewis, is at school, he receives a knock on his front door. Greeting him is a golden-clad warrior claiming that he and his Viking-like associates knew and fought alongside the deceased Stanley (the goldfish). With his living room now invaded by these unusual warriors demanding to have the funeral in his house, Thomas must make them leave before Lewis and his mother come home. All just because of a dead goldfish. About 35-minute runtime....

54 pages

5 m, 4 w, 2 flexible, extras

’Tis the night before Christmas, and the employees at the local Shop Smart are forced to work a double shift. Soon a no-good Secret Santa with questionable intentions shows up to pay off the layaway. Will greed win out or will he get put on the naughty list? Throw in a live broadcast with a disgruntled local news anchor, a once in a lifetime mystical fog, and Santa’s giant energy weapon powerful enough to destroy Earth (Pew! Pew!), and you have a superstore full of workers ready to take down the capitalist machine and ultimately help everyone celebrate the ho...

60 pages

4 m, 3 w, 1 flexible

Stern patriarch Chester Dumbrosky has decided to make amends. Unfortunately, he waited for the day of his wake to do so. Lots of angst and laughs as his dysfunctional family tries to heal old wounds. Approximate run time 1.5 hours.

"For many, as funny as this play was, it was also introspective and probably hit home for many in the audience."

--Jay Pateakos, Broadway World R.I.

"Dark comedy The Viewing Room a must-see performance" - Th...

60 pages

3 m, 5 w

Six current-day ghost hunters set out to find the truth in the murder legend of Vinney Keller, a naïve teenager who was found dead in her farmhouse cellar in 1903. Historical opinion places the blame on the Keller’s hired hand: Enos Patchett, a lumbering, illiterate man in his 40s, who was with the Keller family for years. But there were other suspects as well. The ghost hunters hope to contact Vinney’s spirit to find out the real story. But for some of the hunters, truth is secondary to hyping their methods and results to increase their media popularity and ...

56 pages

2 m, 2 w, 2 flexible, extras

16 pages

2 m, 1 w

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse gather in a park to usher in the start of Armageddon. But Famine's running late and isn't answering his cell phone. Should the other three kick off the end of the world anyway? What will happen if they do? Or do they need to wait for their fourth member to maintain proper symmetry? Well, at least there are chicken fingers... 

About 30 minutes. This show contains adult language.  Substitutions are permitted.

60 pages

2 m, 2 w, 2 children

Life hasn’t been easy for Alexis this year. After divorcing her husband and setting her alimony payments, he won the lottery. Her children are running her life and her job as a Chicago-area publishing editor is in dire jeopardy because she hasn’t found a new author in some time. But things are finally looking up!  She has been in contact with a Russian self-help author who she is hoping will allow her to publish his books in English. So, when he demands an advance of seventy-five thousand dollars, Alexis approves the advance, only to have him run off with her...

44 pages

5 m, 4 w - 1 optional

Detective Vic Torious is called to the Broken Leg Theatre where the leading lady has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. The theatre’s Christmas extravaganza was her return to the stage after a long hiatus. Clearly, she did not disappear of her own volition, but where is she and who is responsible? From a visiting Hollywood producer, to a jealous understudy, to an ex-fiance, to an opportunistic scriptwriter, eight different suspects remain at the theatre awaiting detective Vic Torious’ arrival. His pun-filled inquiries take the audience on a hilarious seri...

28 pages

1 m, 6 w, ensemble of 15 or more actors

Set in Madame Claudette’s Shadow Circus of 1915, this stirring play follows the life of a foundling infant who grew up to be known as the “Prince of Clowns.” Alfie’s life is narrated by the Bearded Lady, who offers us an insightful philosophy of life. Meet dynamic characters such as the Fortune Teller, Madame Claudette herself, and the refined young woman, Nedda, who is running away from a dark past. Nedda and Alfie become a popular circus act and live peacefully. However, Alfie’s family is threatened ten years later by the villainous mobster Olympia.  Nedda’...

36 pages

2 Actors

David Radman, a young journalist, must write a story about The Vaudeville Theatre, which has recently been designated for destruction.  He reluctantly arrives at the building for an appointment with the President of the Theatre Rescue Society, but is instead greeted by Charles Grimm, the janitor.  Grimm shows Radman the magic of theatre.  During a series of theatrical explorations—in which they dance a soft-shoe, eat lunch on the backdrop, explore the props cabinet, and fence—Grimm and Radman peel away years of heartache and ang...

38 pages

4 or 5 m, 4 w

Psychologist Dr. Henry Valentine is unexplainably late for an open house demonstration of his innovative group therapy ideas. Anna-Lee Silverstein, a temp stepping in due to Dr. Valentine’s secretary’s maternity leave, has never met the doctor. Learning this, a would-be patient, Elliot Noodleman, decides to impersonate the psychologist. As other potential patients arrive, Elliot creates his own “innovative” ideas for emotional therapy. Add in Lydia Bedford, a woman suffering from sinistrophobia (the fear of objects to her left); a community theatre director, ...

23 pages

2 m, 4 w, plus 3 optional roles for the flashback scenes

The play opens with a typical living room scene: a good, old-fashioned dad sitting in a comfy chair reading a good, old-fashioned newspaper. However, things quickly take a turn for the absurd when Mrs. Wright, a professional and serious-looking person, enters the room and is subjected to a barrage of cheesy jokes and puns from the dad. As the rest of the family enters, it becomes clear that they've called Mrs. Wright in for a "Dad-Joke Intervention." But will she be able to help? Or is this family doomed to be forever subjected to the dad's endless supply of ...

54 pages

4 m, 3 w

Hailed by George Orwell as “the wittiest play” G.B. Shaw ever wrote, Arms and the Man is a true classic in the history of theater, blending social commentary, romantic comedy, fun and lively characters, and crackling dialogue that leaps off the page! We are in the 1880s, and Raina Petkoff is a young Bulgarian woman, worried about the war her father and fiancé are currently fighting. No sooner is she warned that enemy soldiers may be nearby, than Captain Bluntschli, a war-weary enemy, breaks in and holds her hostage. To their surprise, and the audienc...

46 pages

4 m, 6 w - 1 optional

Detective Vic Torious is called to the ranch of Bill Yonnaire, the host of the Third Annual Super Spectacular Scavenger Hunt. This year’s event is to be televised for the first time. But the ultimate prize, a solid gold 12-inch laughing hyena worth a million dollars, has disappeared before it is officially “hidden.” Who stole the high-priced hyena? Could it be Duane Pypes, the former teen idol from an ’80s sitcom? Or perhaps it’s the newly-crowned champion of the American Superstar TV series, Carrie Oakey. Add in a retired supermodel, a ruthless defending cha...

64 pages

7 m, 5 w, 5 flexible, and kids (doubling possible)

A timeless masterpiece told in the spirit of La Frontera! This holiday ghost story is filled with thrills and chills to delight young and old alike. But more than a yuletide spectacle, this play is a tale of family, solitude, and redemption. By transplanting the familiar Dickens’ classic from Victorian England to the US/Mexican border, the story finds new life and cultural relevance. Though easily understood by English-speaking audiences, the play has a generous helping of español to add authenticity to the borderland story.

24 pages

2 m, 3 w, and unlimited ensemble

Pandora, the first woman created by Greek gods, has opened a box releasing all the evils of humanity. She can't undo the deed so she decides her penance must be to observe the evil play out in the world. She serves as the audience's narrator in this tragic fairy tale told out of time and place. Pandora tells of Freya, a young princess who has been captured in a battle that killed her family. A classically evil queen, Skadaas, is plotting a way to stay in power. Her first-born son, Brono, does not speak and, therefore, cannot be king. Her second-born son, Vol,...

68 pages

7 m, 2 w

At the height of WWII with a frantic need to produce food, yet faced with a critical shortage of labor, American farmers were compelled to accept help in their fields from prisoners of war. While farmers’ sons fought men just like them in trenches and tanks in Europe, the presence of these POWs in rural America led to plenty of emotional conflict at home. Isabelle Hunt knows her husband Fred needs help with their beet crop, so he grudgingly allows German POWs from a camp nearby to work the family’s fields. Fred is furious over the food and privileges the POWs...

42 pages

3 m, 2 w, 1 girl

   Father Christmas has been kidnapped! And it's only a week ’til Christmas! Facing disaster, Mother Christmas calls the Council of Fictional Christmas Characters (who have developed some humorous quirks since their stories ended) to solve the crime in this comical Yuletide mystery spoof. With bright dialogue, plot twists and comic confrontations, this show is for everyone! Mother Christmas, Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jack Frost, the heroes of O. Henry’s “Gift of the Magi” and the strange little girl Want from “A Christmas Carol” join forces to bring their Victorian-...

32 pages

12 roles. While 10 roles are flexible, 2 of them are better played by females.

The Collective has called an Inquiry for Inclusion to decide if all of humanity is to be allowed into their enlightened community. Seven representatives for all of humanity are questioned by opposing sides to see if we are indeed worthy of being considered an advanced and enlightened species. About 35-40 minutes.

51 pages

4 - 5 m, 5 w

“Reading Between the Lies” is a noir farce set in the world of 1940s Broadway. The first read of a new play becomes a crime scene when one of the participants unexpectedly drops dead. In a room filled with old vendettas, jilted lovers, blackmail victims and one loony former child star, it’s anyone’s guess who the killer is, who the intended victim was, and who, if anyone, will save the day! Hilarity and fast-paced whodunit antics ensue.

“The witticisms escalate into over-the-top wacky...

56 pages

5 m, 7 w

Control freak Amber is getting married to easygoing Scott, and she's going nuts trying to organize the perfect wedding. Her goofball siblings Keith and Frankie aren't helping, and her pushy mother won't listen to her. Then Mom comes up with an inspired idea: a double wedding with Amber and Scott, and with crabby Grandpa and his slightly senile girlfriend Bonnie. Keith, entrusted with finding musical entertainment for the wedding, mistakenly hires two exotic dancers (and accidentally proposes to beefy bridesmaid Donna along the way). Amber's frustration mounts...

43 pages

6 m, 8 w, and ensemble cast of 6 w or more

It’s January 1942, in the throes of World War II.  Eddie, the owner of Eddie’s Auto Parts Factory in Cook County, Illinois, is struggling now that there is a freeze on the manufacturing of car parts. His secretary, Rosie, wonders if the factory can secure a government contract and be converted to make airplane parts instead— if only they can find the manpower. At a time when the radio and the mail were the main sources of information, and ration books were in every household, Rosie is willing to shed tradition, roll up her sleeves and do her part. She is chos...