One-Act Plays

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  Director's Nightmare

Comedy by Wade Bradford

28 pages

4 m, 5 w, 1 flexible, possible extras


It’s five days before the premiere of the non-musical version of Les Misérables, and high school drama director, Chris, has actors who are still on script, cast members absent from rehearsal, a sick stage manager, an unbuilt set and only twelve dollars left in the budget. Oh, and the principal is bringing the superintendent on opening night to see if funding for the drama program for the district should be cut. It’s a director’s nightmare, but Chris tells the cast and crew about a pocket watch from her great-grandfather that is known to help turn everything a...

  Displaced: An Animal Adventure

Comedy by Bryan Starchman

35 pages

3 m, 1 w, 16 flexible


A small California town is under mandatory evacuation as a huge wild fire threatens its citizens, their homes, and the surrounding forest. Just as the family is about to leave, their unsuspecting dogs Loony and Max are tricked by Prince, the evil cat. Following the cat’s sinister advice, the sweet but gullible dogs disappear to avoid the vet and to find the barbecue sausages, leaving the family no choice but to drive off without them. During their big adventure to find their family again, the dogs journey through the forest where they encounter pushy raccoons...

  Divided We Fall: A Series of Teenage Monologues

Drama by Bryan Starchman

44 pages

Widely flexible from 11 to 20


Everyone has some burden, but shared pain is always easier to bear. This monologue-based play is sure to strike the hearts of teens, showing them that any frustration, embarrassment, loneliness, and grief they are experiencing is not limited to them alone. Some major issues within the dozen monologues include a girl’s concern about her body image, a boy who feels smothered by his girlfriend, a girl who runs to escape her home life, and a boy who feels guilty after failing to defend someone who needed help. Each actor, while wearing a hooded sweatshirt that sy...

  Doctor Frank'n Styne

Comedy by Larry Hillhouse

39 pages

Flexible cast, approx. 4 m, 4 w, 3 flexible


Franklin Kenneth Styne, or F.K. as he’s called, inherits an old castle from a distant relative. Upon arriving, he finds that he also inherited the Styne Castle staff, consisting of Egor, a hunchback experimenter who converses with a portrait, and Hilda, the no-nonsense housekeeper. An inept local constable and his beautiful niece stop by to welcome the young Styne, and to check him out. F.K., who has a penchant for poetry, soon finds himself entwined in the centuries-old mysteries of Styne Castle! This show is perfect for Halloween or any time you want to pro...

  Doctor Is In

Comedy by J. Michael Shirley

16 pages

2 m, 2 w, 6 flexible


If humor is the best medicine, get ready to feel great! Slade, new to the hospital housekeeping staff, has just been given his cleaning duties in a patient's room when a lovely nurse mistakes him for a new doctor. She thinks his bumbling is just a little professional humor and even calls in student nurses to watch him administer a suppository. After blowing up a rubber glove like a balloon and conning all the nurses into exercising the patient's limbs while singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," the poor patient finally crawls from bed just to escape. Lots of vis...

  Don't Say Macbeth!

Comedy by Burton Bumgarner

36 pages

Widely flexible cast from 9 to 40


A poor student is struggling to read Shakespeare's great tragedy, "Macbeth," while in a coffee shop next door to a theater. The student gets a study boost from waitress, who was an English major, and four customers, who are actors, as they act out the Scottish tragedy in fast-paced farce. Soon, a pompous actor who has just finished a Shakespeare matinee next door, enters and tells of the "Scottish curse," and all of the unfortunate events that surround the play's past productions. Actors portray characters throughout history including Shakespeare, King James,...

  Door Bang

Comedy by Leslie Hewitt

16 pages

5 flexible parts


Ever worry about leaving your car in a parking lot? Then here's the play for you! Beamer, who owns a nice car, is tired of being pushed about by fate and circumstance. When Ford accidentally bumps Beamer's nice car door with his not-so-nice car door, followed by the grocery store clerk who adds another bump with the carts, Beamer practically becomes apoplectic. A police officer and store manager soon add to the flaring tempers. But don't worry, Beamer soon gets his revenge! A hilarious play with a real bang!

  Dracula in Paradise

Comedy by Tom Jordan

31 pages

15 flexible characters, approx. 6 m, 9 w, doubling possible.


The Countess Dracula needs money badly, so she's allowing a movie to be filmed at her castle. Everybody's excited by the prospect, especially the kids, Doug and Donna Dracula; the castle muscle men, Wiener and Schnitzel; and the attorneys who arranged the deal. But when the loud movie director, the catty actresses, and the bubbly dancers enter on the scene, there's plenty of chaos and the Countess is stricken. There's a quick trial and justice is handed down Transylvania style, with gravely funny complications. 40 minutes.

  Drama Club

Comedy by Anthony Giordano

20 pages

6 m, 6 w, 1 flexible


As auditions for the school play begin, members of the drama club hear a voice from the back of the auditorium claiming to be the director, Mr. John Shakespeare - a character they made up to get permission to put on the play! The plot is complicated by the unrequited love of several of the students, a club member who lapses into characters from plays mentioned and the possibility the Mr. Shakespeare might be the ghost of Alice's father! Since some of the exits, entrances and character positions are in the rear of the auditorium, the audience is drawn quickly ...