School

71 pages

7 m, 7 w, and extras (doubling possible)

Here's a hilarious melodrama spoof whose oddball characters seemingly ad lib their way through the wildest plot ever to come down the pike. Lovely, innocent Constance Purdy is about to lose her home to that villain-about-town, Wiley Schlink. Will hero Monroe Mannerly ride to the rescue in time? Will her long-lost prospector father show up and save the day? These questions aren't really answered because we're laughing too hard at the sheriff who has a mortgage on her own jail, a medicine man who ends up in a dress, and a saloon-smashing suffragette whose ax wo...

74 pages

With doubling 4m, 5w, 2 flex

Kira, the little mermaid, longs to see life on the surface. When she realizes her overprotective father will only show her a deserted island and has promised her hand in marriage to nerdy Duke Dorsal, she takes matters into her own hands. She sings for the Sea Witch who takes her voice, with the knowledge that she must win the heart of a human or be turned into sea foam. While on land, she saves the prince who falls for her cousin, and finds true love in the end. Jellyfish telling knock-knock jokes, a kingdom with a yoga instructor, a magical triton that can ...

28 pages

Widely flexible cast of 12

Two writers poke fun of the pitfalls and perils of producing problem plays while The Problem with Problem Plays Players act out the comical conundrums. They explore the challenges of censorship, the madness of metaphors, and the awkwardness of adults who tackle teen dialogue. All is well and witty until unexpected guests and unearthed secrets send things amusingly awry. Realizing they have become trapped in a problem play of their own, the cast and crew must scramble to escape. Will they perish in the predicament or persevere and produce a positive payoff? Th...

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 ...

21 pages

2 m, 11 w, extras

Mr. Litel Quirt has difficulties from the start trying to maintain the gavel as the appointed foreman of the jury, composed of 11 others, all women. Each word spoken reminds the ladies of some personal incident that must be told. Tempers rapidly develop into a good old knock-down fight with Mr. Quirt at the bottom of the heap. When the door is opened by the court attendant and twelve dinners are brought in, his fears reach a climax. They are going to be kept there all night!

58 pages

4 m, 9 w, 1 flexible

Katherine and Jonathan Prescott are hysterical when their cousin Lino, a famous Italian botanist, cancels his visit at the last minute. Katherine had planned for him to be the guest speaker at an important flower society fund-raising dinner. Her brother, Jonathan, had wanted Lino to impress his upper-crust girlfriend. So when Jonathan's long-lost but quick-witted friend Robert shows up, Jonathan convinces him to play Lino. Trouble is, Robert's Italian (limited to pizza menus) and knowledge of plants (they're green) could torpedo this sophomoric plan. Of cours...

62 pages

3 m, 11 w, doubling possible

Ivy McEwin, a college history major, is so intrigued by a photograph of a young woman who lived during the Civil War that she travels to the woman's home, Ravensgate, an old Southern plantation. Ivy hopes to unlock the secrets of the woman's life, but instead meets the woman in death. The current owners, who are trying to restore the house into a bed and breakfast, have already noticed a number of strange things going on: the mournful sounds of a woman weeping at night; the frequent, unrelenting beating of a heart, and the rocking of an empty chair. As ghosts...

70 pages

4 m, 5 w, 1 flexible, optional 1 boy

Armed with a sharply judgmental attitude and a pair of binoculars, homeowner Leona Crump is consumed with anxiety over her new neighbors. Will they be California beatniks? Or paroled drug pushers? Or more frightening yet, perhaps someone with children?! Her worst fears are realized when an odd-ball "hill-folk" family move in across the street. She quickly realizes that neither God, nor her favorite telephone psychic, has prepared her for the series of showdowns set to take place in her living room. Gafina Hambefferschmidt, an obnoxious, gum-chewing woman, tog...

45 pages

11 principal roles, numerous supporting. Doubling possible.

Magic, morals and music highlight Pinocchio's many adventures in this hour-long show. When Geppetto carves a wooden puppet which magically springs to life, the old toy maker is thrilled by the prospect of having a real son. But the innocent Pinocchio needs to learn so many thing, and he learns them all the hard way! First he meets Sly Fox, who steals his coins then the greedy carnival master Calzoni, who tries to keep him a prisoner. He escapes only to encounter the thieving Rachel Weasely, followed by the evil witch Consuella on Party Island where playful ch...

35 pages

11 m, 7 w, 5 flexible, extras

We've all heard the story of the geek who turns chic, but wouldn't it be interesting if the popular kid was forced to become a geek for the good of mankind? Well, that's exactly what happens in this hilarious farce. Cooper Clawson is destined to become a geek, but when his conscience, C.C., decides to take a well-deserved vacation, Cooper is suddenly freed from his inhibitions and becomes the coolest kid in school. Now C.C. must figure out a way to turn Cooper back to the way he was because the fate of the world depends upon it. Full of physical comedy, quick...

66 pages

5 m, 5 w, 1 girl, extras

He's back! And this time he's online! Scrooge is on the net. Set amid modern technology, this new adaptation of Dickens' classic tale introduces us to Monica Banks, ever so "affectionately" called Money Banks by her overworked staff. She has no time for holidays. Scrooge first appears on the screen of Monica's computer for the start of her virtual adventure across the World Wide Web to find the true meaning of Christmas. In a blithe trip with the outrageously costumed Scrooge, Monica reviews her whole life, from a lonely childhood, to her current overworked c...

38 pages

4 m, 8 w

Otto and Spider are trying to crack a safe in what seems to be a mansion. However, they have inadvertently stumbled into an exclusive girls school. The headmistress mistakes them for a visiting professor and newly-hired stable hand. The girls have a plot of their own. They've invited a TV hero to the school - without permission. The action is lively, especially when the headmistress hands Otto the combination to the safe and an envelope containing a thousand dollars.

45 pages

3 m, 11 w

What happens when a high schooler brings a pistol to biology class? In this tense drama, Wesley, a 17-year-old boy with a handgun, holds 13 of his fellow students as voluntary hostages as he tries to come to grips with the events that brought him there. In the 24 hours that follow, the tension of the stand-off outside mixes with the casual attitude of the students inside. By the end, we see these rich characters relate their own experiences with violence, parental authority, peer pressure, high school and the pains of outgrowing childhood. Finally, too, we le...

75 pages

5 m, 8 w, extras as desired

It is the most critical time in a teen's life when the prom is only a few hours away and nobody has a date for it! Oh, but wait! Chemistry student Beatrice has devised a concoction that will cast a spell over all the male students, causing them to appreciate the girls so much that they will undoubtedly invite the girls to the prom. Oh, but wait! Pokey adds some blue stuff to the mixture for "better color." The result is that a "switcheroo" takes place - the girls now think they are the boys, and the boys now think they are the girls. Oh, but wait! Beatrice re...

36 pages

1 m, 11 w

A hilarious calisthenics session, funny prayers to the Goddess of Softball, and a mimed ball game that's as exciting as any real one provide the comedy in this poignant one-act. Al's Pizza Pounders haven't won a game all season and it doesn't help when Dabney is taunted about her "secret," that her father is in prison. An unlikely friendship keeps Dabney from quitting and helps the team win the final game.

80 pages

5 m, 9 w, extras

Billionaire industrialist Wentworth Jefferson invites private investigator Joey (Jo Ellen) Reynolds to a party at his mansion where she meets, and secretly photographs, the people he believes might wish to see him dead. Frozen for a moment, as if caught on film, we meet the suspects: his flighty wife, Mamie; her children, playboy Sam Kane and sculptress daughter, Selena; his bitter ex-wife, Julia Jefferson; society columnist Felica Phillips, whom he once jilted; his spinsterish personal assistant, Debra Mason; and a senior executive in his firm, Paul Carter, ...

68 pages

3 m, 11 w

As the Nazi noose tightens around the neck of the common German, the effects are felt even in a classroom at the Scholoss Strasse School for Girls. Dorchen Werth, a young teacher just beginning her career, sees her students as a microcosm of society. Eleanore is in love with the local Hitler Youth leader; Hilde is a hard worker who strives to protect her young sister, Gertrude; Lilli is desperate to find a man who will show her affection; Paula has aspirations to attend the university; Renita is afraid because of her heritage; Annabelle is torn by divided loy...

66 pages

7 m, 7 w

West Texas in the late 1800s was wild, lawless, and rife with robbers. And that just suited Judge Roy Bean right down to his socks. But when the Judge reads a dime novel about Buffalo Bill, he figures his story should be told as well. And fortunately for him, the "boys," Hank, Pete, and Ralph, have just found a reporter they want to hang. Freed from the gallows, Butler Boone agrees to write Bean's bio...but at what price? Civilization is about to descend on the little town of Langtry in the form of school marms, pushy mothers, conniving matchmakers and an occ...

76 pages

5 m, 8 w, unlimited extras

A group of high school film students have a chance of a lifetime if one of their films wins a competition. The winner will get a college scholarship and a guaranteed job at the sponsoring studio. Each student pictures himself in a winning "film" which is acted out - everything from a "talkie" melodrama to parodies of lots of popular films including "Frankenstein," "The Terminator," "Pink Panther," "Psycho" and others. Use our specially designed 34-image PowerPoint package to introduce and close each daydream. (Optional.)

32 pages

5 m, 9 w, extras, doubling possible

High school students Mike and Shelly are breaking up. Later, Shelly sees Mike at a party with his new girlfriend and between her depression and a few too many drinks, allows herself to be coaxed outside by an unscrupulous guy. Things go too far in the bushes and Shelly is date-raped. When she returns to school on Monday, she has a reputation and school officials want to get to the bottom of the rumors they have heard. With characters immediate and believable, this play is powerful, timely and significant.

43 pages

5 m, 6 w, 3 flexible parts

Villainous Bernard Blackburn is in debt up to his dark moustache, but he plans to wed innocent Polly Goodson to remedy that! She believes she is penniless, but actually her late father's insurance policy is very valuable. Blackburn is somewhat daunted when he meets Polly's eccentric family and disapproving maid, but he easily gets her boyfriend, John Trueheart, out of the picture by convincing him to go off to make his fortune before asking Polly for her hand in marriage. Luckily, Trueheart finds his fortune in a diamond mine and in a final blackout scene, ev...

76 pages

5 m, 8 w

Who killed Osgood Buckely-Lodge? His widow admits her actions killed her husband. But she says it was a trap and anyone who had stepped into the room that night would have been the murderer. Is she telling the truth or setting yet another clever trap? Perhaps the murderer is Osgood's eccentric sister, Olga, or the spoiled, lazy children, Simon and Jasmin. Then there's still the eerie butler and his sarcastic wife. To add more confusion, not one but two mysterious strangers in trench coats appear at the mansion during a thunderstorm. To catch the murderer amon...

40 pages

6 m, 4 w, 4 flexible, extras,

Mild-mannered suburbanite Rob Clark is shocked when Eugene, an unlikely angel, tells him that he is going to have a baby. Rob and his wife, Cindy, have wanted a child, but they never expected Rob to be the one to get pregnant! Their family physician, Doc Mitchell, an old-fashioned doctor who'd rather be fishing, confirms the pregnancy, but Dr. Stern, a cynical psychologist, says everyone is nuts! Meanwhile, Rob and Cindy, who are trying to come to terms with the situation, are besieged by a parade of curiosity seekers, led by Dr. Stern, while Doc Mitchell com...

41 pages

6-16 m, 5-15 w, flexible casting, some doubling possible.

This one-act version of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth maintains the Bard’s original dialogue but changes the setting to a post-apocalyptic world affected by nuclear fallout. The setting allows for many opportunities for creative staging, props, music, and lighting. Three witches arise from piles of mannequin parts, looking as if they were just pieced together. Use of a shadow scrim intensifies the violent and edgy nature of the play. About an hour.

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...

48 pages

14 speaking roles, extras

Here's Romeo and Juliet, along with Hamlet and Ophelia, updated as today's high school campus personalities! Written in couplets, the ferocious rhymes create much of the humor. With its nice mix of characters, the high school faculty will even want to join in the performances. The script also includes many opportunities to insert local information and take jabs at rival schools, making your performance unique to your school and magnifying the fun. Split stage and pantomime scenes help keep the play moving, and there's room for creative staging and slapstick. ...

57 pages

4 m, 8 w, 1 flexible, doubling possible

Adam Cogswell is a likable guy whose meager paycheck often makes him "financially challenged." It doesn't matter to Adam's family and friends who like him for who he is - a caring and generous person - but it's a thorn in Adam's side. Then he meets an eccentric billionaire, Mr. Pierpont, who makes him the bet of his life: if Adam can start with a dollar and keep doubling it until he reaches a million dollars, Pierpont will match whatever Adam has accumulated! What follows is a hectic and hilarious pursuit by Adam to win the bet while his friends try to show h...

44 pages

6 m, 5 w

A group of high school drama students known as the Rainbow Project is tasked with developing a show to promote the acceptance of diversity. Throughout their rehearsals, important issues like grades, jobs, family commitments, and prejudices are all explored. But art mirrors life a little too closely, and rising tensions threaten the production. In the end, they realize that with all human enterprises, “it’s about us.” This insight allows the show to go on. This drama speaks to its target audience of adolescents and young adults in their own language, wi...

28 pages

2 m, 13 w

It’s Princess Daylight’s christening, and the blessings of the good fairies are interrupted by a wicked Swamp Fairy.  The Swamp Fairy vexes the princess with two evil curses: she will never see daylight, and her vitality will wax and wane with the phases of the moon. The good fairies mitigate the curses as much as they can. Thanks to their help, the princess will be awake at night, and the curse will be broken when she is kissed unknowingly by a prince. As the years go on, Princess Daylight’s curse seems to worsen. Her only joy is dancing in the moonlight.  F...

65 pages

5 m, 9 w

Here is an outrageous comedy for community theatres that puts the audience on the hot seat! A series of sixteen, quick-paced scenes illuminate the joys and tribulations of the modern theatre-going experience. In "An Audience of One," a single theatre patron delivers an impassioned monologue to convince the actors to perform the show just for her. The scene, "What the Crowd Is Thinking," allows us to hear the real thoughts of an audience sitting through an uninspired performance. In "Uber Ushers," a band of ushers, driven to the brink of madness by the boorish...