One-Act Plays

36 pages

2-3 M; 8 F; 2 flexible; plus ensemble

In this brilliantly updated tragedy "Blood Wedding" by Spanish dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca, we follow the passion and obsession Leonardo and the Bride have for each other. It also explores how the different relationships between mothers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and lovers interweave into one explosive confrontation where the only clear victor is Death. In this version Death shadows the story every step for the inevitable conclusion that unchecked passion ignites. This dual-language version allows directors to incorporate both E...

34 pages

Approximately 20 Actors. Some doubling possible.

A drama class is bringing a cutting of “Romeo and Juliet,” the famous play about star-crossed lovers, to competition. But the truck with their set pieces and props has broken down on the highway, Romeo’s throwing up backstage, and Juliet is adamantly not using a tall stepladder to replace the missing balcony. But the show must go on! This funny, fast-paced ensemble comedy mixes legitimate Shakespeare scenes with controlled chaos, theater inside jokes, and absolutely no respect for the fourth wall. About 30 minutes.

40 pages

Cast of 22+ (3 m, 6 w, 3 flexible, ensemble of 8-10)

Influence(rs) follows middle schooler AJ Ryan as she embarks on a surreal guided tour of her own past, led by the creators of Mythical Mayhem, her favorite podcast. With their unique blend of humor and storytelling, the podcasters help her revisit pivotal moments in her past: a new school, a bereavement, and a social media calamity. Along the way, she discovers the power of perspective, forms a bond with her alter-ego AJ2, and begins to understand how her choices influence her path. With relevant contemporary themes, just the right balance o...

20 pages

2 m, 2 w, 3 flexible

Aaron, an awkward high-schooler, is struggling to find the nerve to talk to his crush, Emily. After yet another failed attempt, three aspects of his personality, Confidence, Nervousness, and Doubt, appear to help him overcome his woes. These Aspects each demonstrate ways in which they think Aaron should woo Emily, but all end in failure (or just utter embarrassment). Just when all hope seems lost, Sam, the representation of the "true self," appears to offer some sage advice. When Aaron takes this advice, he successfully asks Emily out and exits in victory. Em...

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...

44 pages

4 m, 5 w, 2 flexible, extras

   Three teens. One final year. And the moments that change everything. This is not just a high school drama; it’s a mirror held up to the digital age. In a world where likes mean love and silence means power, Noah, the forgotten “nice guy,” spirals after a breakup and falls prey to an online echo chamber of toxic masculinity. What starts as self-help quickly curdles into rage, entitlement, and radicalization. Sadie, the confident, cutting queen bee, masks her grief with control and cruelty. And Madi, her anxious, self-effacing best friend, finds herself caug...

31 pages

2 w, 6 flexible

Portrayed in a fantasy world, six teens were suddenly collected and taken to a secret government laboratory. Their parents didn’t react to their abrupt departure, and they had no choice on the matter. When the doctor arrives, he immediately begins the experiment. Seemingly simple tests are done to challenge their minds and bodies. Soon the tests really amp up and challenge their entire way of thinking. The teens, both in the dark and suspicious, are then told the truth about their existence. Can they live up to their planned futures? This show requires very l...

34 pages

3 m, 3 w, ensemble

It’s the summer of 1974 and local teen Larissa has discovered that rock musician Paul McCartney has secretly rented a farm just outside Nashville for a few weeks. Larissa camps out on the farm, watching through her binoculars for Paul, certain that his presence in her small town means all sorts of miraculous things are sure to happen. But Larissa has a secret of her own and her need for a miracle becomes the focal point of the summer of ‘74.

28 pages

1 m, 1 w, 3 flexible

When our darling couple finds their newly purchased house haunted, they call in an expert, Harper Davidson, Ghost Exterminator. Little do they know that Harper has plans to remove more than just ghosts from their house. She is attempting to rob their house in their absence when the real ghost of the house appears. Harper must face not only the supernatural, but her own conscience. This dark comedic ghost story explores the hilarity of the supernatural and the horrors of capitalism. It asks what makes a “perfect home,” and unpacks how loss attaches itself to p...

28 pages

3 m, 4 w, 4 flexible, doubling possible

Chad's got a problem. Every time he goes on a date with a girl, he gets so nervous he has no idea what to say. So, his friend Steve gives him some advice: pop in an earbud and let Dia-Logic, a great new AI app, tell him everything to say. Of course, not everything goes as planned... Awkward moments and raucous laughter abound in this one act comedy that examines what it means to really connect with someone in the 21^st century.

20 pages

4 m, 2 w

Here is a perfect play to introduce children to the Underground Railroad. Designed as a Reader’s Theatre, "The Silent War" is a story of three slaves – and eight little mice – who escape to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Uncle Amos, Belle, and Buck Henry, all slaves on a Kentucky plantation, didn’t plan to escape until they met Zakary, a Bible salesman and abolitionist. He shows them the way to cross the river into Ohio and from there travel north to other stations. Along the way, the three slaves are helped by other dedicated abolitionists including...

28 pages

6 Actors

Portrayed in a fantasy world, five confused participants wake up with no memory of their past life … with only one word, a personality descriptor (such as compassionate, courageous or orderly, etc.) written in type on their shirts.  The doctor explains that each is here willingly, and that they are all being compensated for their participation in a research study. Will the assigned attribute of each participant affect their behavior when under extreme duress? Once the experiment begins and they find out that to lose is to die, all five do what they must to su...