One-Act Plays

28 pages

4 m, 2 w, 1 flexible; genders flexible

Mark, an eccentric scientist, is attempting to make things right with his cousins, Jason and Nina, after accidently putting their parents into a coma the previous Thanksgiving. During their stay with him, he has taken them on fun adventures such as apple picking, swimming with sharks, and betting on turkey fights. But when he takes them piranha fishing, they decide to head back to Aunt Helen’s house even if she’s still healing from her hip surgery. Mark decides to create a storm to prevent his family from leaving, all while trying to hide a genetically mixed-...

52 pages

3 m, 7 w (With optional extended ending: 7 m, 8 w)

Penny Ramsey is a young woman who, like all of us, has different sides to her personality. They are personified in the story by comically stereotypical characters, collectively known as the Egos. The five Egos make up her decision-making process, which gets a lot more complicated when Penny overhears only one side of her boyfriend Matt’s phone conversation and believes he has betrayed her. It’s a stressful time for Penny, made even more confusing by the introduction of a potential new suitor named Rick and the nosy involvement of Penny’s mother (and Matt’s bo...

22 pages

2 m, 3 w

As his teenaged daughter readies for her first date, George Masters must decide whether to act like a father with great wisdom...or allow his imagination to run completely amok. Is his daughter's boyfriend a wild surfer dude, a tough biker hood or even a nose-in-the-air intellectual? Each fantasy sequence between George and the boyfriend is funnier and more disastrous than the last. Even the level-headed mom and cute younger sister get added to the mayhem. Great fun and great roles, especially for the one actor playing all three boyfriends.

32 pages

7 m, 9 w, 4 flexible

Fed up with the unruliness of his school, hard-nosed Principal Wolfenstein hires Janitor Patton and his top-notch cleaning crew to fix the problem. But it’s not enough against Bobby Franko, leader of the pranksters for all of his six years of high school, and his mafia-like group of friends. When the war reaches new heights, Wolfenstein calls for the return of someone so horribly cruel and void of any joy that she was previously banned from ever setting foot in the school again --The Funsucker! She literally sucks the fun out of every student she encounters, ...

40 pages

8 m, 5 w, 1 flexible

In this delirious one-act comedy-murder mystery, evil doctor Gregory Namlive uses a tycoon's questionable death (was it suicide or murder, and if murder, who killed him?) to frame his archnemesis, world-famous detective Shawn Richardson for murder. At the same time, he means to steal Shawn's unfaithful wife Susan, the town's most infamous "street walker," (known to everyone but Shawn) out from under his nose. He invites a motley crew of suspicious characters up to his mansion to hunt for clues regarding the murder. Also on the scene are a scheming butler and ...

36 pages

3 m, 8 w, 16+ flexible or with doubling 3 m, 6 w, 2 flexible

When Angel was a child, she knew she had wings. She knew she could fly. After telling everyone and enduring mockery, she left her wings on the ground in exchange for fitting in. Now she is in high school, and when she sees her friend Hunter being teased for sharing honest feelings, Angel is torn. Standing up for Hunter now means no longer fitting in, giving up her new possible boyfriend Isaac and alienating the few friends she has. But Angel gains one of the most important insights of all — that she is already loved just for being herself. An Angel Chorus use...

26 pages

3 m, 5 w, with some flexibility

Three comedic short plays featuring mixed-up love letters, messed-up decorations, and misplaced notebooks, lead to big laughs and moving reminders that relationships unfold in unexpected ways.

"After Math Aftermath" (1m, 2w) When Alice’s plans to deliver her secret admirer poem to Dylan go awry, her best friend, Gabby, jumps in to save the day.

"Pinning Punning Pining" (1m, 1w) While preparing decorations for a dan...

36 pages

Minimum 4 m, 2 w, 2 flexible, 1 offscreen voice. Maximum 9 m, 7 w, 2 flexible, 1 offscreen voice.

Join this hilarious family as they struggle to endure being stuck at home – together! How many family game nights can teens endure? How are the pets holding up? Can mom convince the kids to do their schoolwork or will they be doomed to a fifth year of high school?  How do first dates and book clubs work while social distancing? And really, who is strong enough to endure more than one Dad joke?

This show is perfect at providing both laugh-out-loud humor as well as flexibility in stagin...

24 pages

18 roles any gender. Doubling possible.

It appeared without warning on a Monday, its origins shrouded in mystery. A week later, it had vanished without a trace. But across the days between, it changed cafeteria life in ways that no one could have imagined. It was a microwave oven, so ancient and decrepit that some believed it to have come from an Egyptian pyramid. Now, in a series of hilarious monologues suitable for stage or online presentation by a gender-flexible cast of 1 to 18 performers …its story will finally be told.

25 pages

1 m, 10 w, 16 flexible, doubling possible, extras

Tallulah, an over-the-top director extraordinaire at her high school, hasn’t gotten the recognition she believes she deserves. It might be because the school principal doesn’t let the drama students perform. Nevertheless, she and her loyal sidekick and stage manager, Calista, build sets for plays that are never done, and the actors rehearse plays that never open!

All is about to change when Tallulah is nominated for High School Drama God of the Year. This all-girls high school has les...

40 pages

2 m, 6 w, 3 flexible, and extras

Ethan is a typical high school junior, well ... typical with the exception of the fact that an attack three years ago left him as one of the undead.  Previously discriminated against, zombies (such an ugly word) have been now given the chance to attend public school, with Ethan being chosen as the first openly undead student in his state to do so.  As he chronicles his journey on YouTube, Ethan learns the ins and outs of fitting in when you're obviously different. This humorous story has an inclusive theme and tackles the difficulty of not feeling normal duri...

38 pages

3 m, 5 w, 5 flexible, ensemble, doubling possible

It’s the final stages of a television talent competition. The show’s immoral and unscrupulous presenter and executive producer Jools wants a particular contestant to win, and he goes to great lengths to influence the public into thinking his way. However, things do not go according to plan. With the pressure mounting under the harshest of spotlights, an unexpected twist shows that in the cutthroat television business, few can be trusted. The play explores how the media can manipulate public opinion, an important theme in today’s unpredictable world. The show ...

32 pages

Widely flexible cast of 9 - 24

When a stray kitten turns up at her sister’s wedding reception, Avery decides to give it a temporary home in her family’s laundry room. When she checks in on the kitten later that night, Avery discovers that a portal to outer space has opened in the wall, a T-Rex is trying to eat the washer and dryer, and the kitten can breathe fire. Then a unicorn shows up. And some aliens. And a few mythological deities. Avery is convinced it has to be a dream—but it’s not. Her life is about to get a whole lot more interesting, and she may never be able to complete another ...

23 pages

4 m, 4 w, 2 flexible

Eleven-year-old Robert, with help from his little sister Sally, has built a flying machine in their backyard. On launch day, he is hassled by his older brother Bryan, as well as the local neighbor kids. When the machine fails to operate as Robert expects, he is laughed at and ridiculed by those who have come to watch. Little Sally comes to his rescue, and together they fly. About 35 minutes.

22 pages

2 m, 1 w, 2 flexible.

Here is a dark, suspenseful play that follows the life of Tiburtius Gerhardt, the gravedigger. As the cemetery he has worked in all his life fills up and comes to its end, Tiburtius tries to cope with his demanding and demeaning boss; his deceased uncle; and two other denizens who should or should not really be there. It’s enough to drive a man to his grave. Approximate running time is 35 to 45 minutes.