School

17 pages

2 m, 4 w

Clayton Hill is an escaped convict who cherishes his independence. Mabel Pulver is a strong-willed, elderly lady who above all cherishes her independence. And no down-on-his-luck, on-the-run convict is going to make her call for help, which is the first step to a nursing home. Thrown together, this odd couple creates a laugh riot, especially when Clayton must dress up like a lady to pose as a long-lost cousin at Mabel's birthday party AND baby-sit the state trooper's children.

45 pages

11 m, 18 w, 8 flexible, extras and doubling

Hold on to your tumbleweeds 'cause here comes the legendary Katastrophe Kate, the most dangerous woman in the West! Whaddaya mean you never heard of her!!? Didn't ya know that Texas has a panhandle on accounta she was such a great cook?! This Tex-Mex tall tale begins when Katherine, a mild-mannered, Eastern-born and bred protegee of world-famous chef, Madame Julia Enfant, must transform herself into Katastrophe Kate in order to conquer the Wild West with her chili recipe. In a steamy cook-off at Miss Lillian's Saloon, Kate also has a little romance simmerin' ...

80 pages

17 m, 15 w, 4 flexible. With doubling 9 m, 10 w.

The life of the poor country lad, Pip, changes one day when an unknown benefactor sees that the young man is brought to London and made a gentleman. But who is behind Pip’s “great expectations,” and why is it kept a secret? By the time Pip learns the truth of his circumstances, he has gotten involved with some fascinating people and undergone a vital change of character. This adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic is an excellent choice for schools in that it stays true to the novel, including the amusing theatre scene in which a humorous heckler wreaks ha...

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...

77 pages

4 m, 5 w, 2 flexible parts

Lt. Kenneth Paris must discover who poisoned TV actress Linda Parker during the final dress rehearsal of the play in which she was to star. But this play has as many laughs as it does suspects! When the actors and crew repeat their backstage movements at the same time as the "on-stage" actors perform the very melodramatic "Kisses to Die For," the whole play turns into a farcical three-ring circus! Almost everyone had good reason to want to kill Linda, but which one had the opportunity? With so much action on stage, it won't be easy to tell. Paris enlists the ...

49 pages

4 m, 4 w, 1 flex

Failing the literature test, students Brandon, Abbey, Tyler, Hannah, Steve, Kristen, Nick and Lily decide to impress their teacher by performing "Great Expectations." Will Mrs. Eliot go for it, especially after being told by Tyler that he’d rather be at the dentist? With only eight actors, the students dash from one role to another trying to re-enact major scenes to show off their knowledge of the great work. When the plot gets too complicated for the classroom, the students stop and just explain it in their own hilarious terms. And when the action gets to be...

42 pages

4 m, 4 w

This delicious comedy is made up of three scenes set in a restaurant during the time customers arrive, place their orders, and await their meals. The scenes include "The Irritated Man," "Anxiety Dreams," and "Stephen King Goes to Lunch." The eight actors change roles with each scene, playing a spoiled toddler, a flustered waitress, pretentious customers, a celebrity-seeking opportunist, and a man who just might be a famous writer. Waiters, managers and customers all combine to make for a truly tasty drama experience.

28 pages

3 m, 7 w

Summer St. Silver, an ultra-avant-garde director, is asked by Ms. Francis, the overly positive counselor of the middle school, to bring its students together by putting on a play for the state competition. Summer accepts, not knowing the trials and tribulations she will endure. It’s an ultimate clash of personalities from the hilarious auditions, the disastrous rehearsal process, to the cast’s big blowup. Each character offers his or her unabashed thoughts and ridiculously critical opinions in the form of “confessionals” to the audience. When Summer decides t...

41 pages

4-11 flexible

Phoebe finds herself struggling through her first day of middle school. She is labeled by her dad, her teacher, and other students in the school. She finds herself accepting all the labels put on her, including IMPOSSIBLE, CHILD, SCARED, ALONE, SHAME, PANIC, FAT, I DON’T MATTER, TOO SMART, DISAPPOINTED, WORTHLESS, UGLY, and SLUT. In a moment of crisis, she picks up a bottle of pills, only to be interrupted by Clarice, a friend or ghost who helps Phoebe discover the unexpected value of her life. Highlighting cyberbullying, this play illustrates how real-life s...

30 pages

5 m, 5 w, 9 or more flexible

From the short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet. Poor Jake Stone is a total loser. When he finally loses the worst job he's ever had, he makes the claim that he would do anything to be a winner. Soon he meets Lucy, a seemingly attractive, professional woman who can make a special deal with him: she gives Jake wisdom, and he signs away his soul. Rather than waste his opportunity, Jake becomes a kind and intelligent person who gives much to the world. As the time to relinquish his soul draws near, he seeks out the counsel of Daniell...

59 pages

3 m, 5 w

Lord and Lady Lexington have picked a rather beastly night to throw a haunted house party in their newly acquired home, Foxworth Manor. Oddly, the guest list appears to be made up of disparate and desperate strangers. There's the pretty secretary, the acerbic gossip columnist, the local physician, the flighty real-estate agent and a handsome, but somewhat surly young man. Foxworth Manor has a tragic history, and this evening will prove to be no exception. As the storm rages on outside, the guests suddenly discover that not everyone is quite the stranger they ...

39 pages

7 m, 6 w, 1 boy

The wealthy Stanton family and hillbilly Hill family are camping together, but what was supposed to be a peaceful trip turns into a series of hilarious mishaps. The social-climbing wife contracts poison ivy; the pregnant wife is plagued with morning sickness and severe mood swings; and one of the daughters eats some berries that cause her to become strangely intelligent. But it isn't until a wild bear is spotted that the families really become frantic! Hour long.

Also see this hilarious family in the prequel “Second Chance...

41 pages

With doubling: 4 m, 4 w

Set in and around a 1965 Ford Mustang, the play is made up of five scenes, each a decade apart. Each scene depicts events in the lives of people who own, drive, or come in contact with the classic car. Actors portray parents, young children, punks, spoiled brats, criminals, policemen, and winners and losers of all varieties. Throughout its existence the Mustang encounters newlyweds, birth, death, a devastating flood, destruction and restoration. From the first scene when Nicholas, a teen much too poor to ever own such a car, to the last where his grandchildre...

64 pages

5 m, 5 w

Gerald and Cristine Dandridge always give a Halloween party for their friends. This year, however, they're having the party at their country house. It's a nice little fixer-upper with all the conveniences and one haunted scarecrow. At least, that's the story that came with the house. The night of the party things barely get under way when someone notices the scarecrow has vanished. And when it finally DOES turn up, it's carrying an axe. Yes, sir, this time it's personal! Int. set.

40 pages

6 m, 3 w, 4 flexible (or with doubling 2 m, 1 w)

Here is a faithful stage retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic novel. We meet Victor Frankenstein, who is obsessed with finding the secret to recreating life. Of course, he famously succeeds, but fearing he has overstepped the bounds of science, quickly abandons his creation and the promise to make it a mate. The creature, betrayed and forsaken, vows to ruthlessly destroy all that his creator loves and cherishes. The unrelenting pursuit goes to the very edges of the earth. Clever theatricality, such as using actors as lightning and thunder, and as profes...

36 pages

5 m, 6 w, 8 flexible, (doubling possible)

Reality TV stars Roy and Rita Rafferty are full of energy and excitement for their home improvement audience. However, the ratings for “Roy and Rita's Ridiculous Remodel Show!” are looking bleak. After filming only ten episodes, the network has informed them that unless they can boost their ratings – drastically! – this episode will be their last. Roy and Rita consult with their production team and, as a last ditch effort, decide to do a kitchen remodel in 24 hours and film it all live! But can they pull it off with an oddball construction crew? The electrici...

56 pages

8 m, 8 w, 4 or more extras as female pirates

While evading her wedding and overbearing fiancé, Lizette de Champlay, a headstrong French woman, leads her ladies to a British merchant ship. Once aboard, the ladies upset the sailors and their disciplined captain, Roger Thornwood, convincing him to hunt for treasure on an island home to a fierce band of female pirates. As Roger and Lizette begin to fall for each other, Lizette’s fiancé and her father follow them to the island, only to be captured by the pirates. What follows are battles of the heart and sword as everyone searches for their treasure.

36 pages

13 - 22 plus extras

Susan and Xander patiently sit through their dad’s meeting, a gathering of local dentists, where it is decided that the best way to keep patients from being scared of regular checkups is for the dentists to dress as clowns while working. Refreshments are offered, but deciding to not eat Bernice Hoffenbridle’s cookies might be the best decision the kids have ever made, especially when they hear that her new bakery is conveniently located right between the nuclear waste treatment plant and the experimental chemistry lab. But the adult dentists do indulge in the...

71 pages

11 m, 14 w

When wealthy Mr. Lloyd offers the students at Peter Paul Prep $5,000 to be split among any organizations whose members can spend a single night in the House on Gallows Hill, the students jump at the chance. The only problem is the house is haunted, and everyone's who's ever tried to stay overnight has disappeared. Undaunted, the students assemble in Reginald Ravenscroft's house, unaware that his ghost along with the ghosts of his daughter, his servant Patience, and the man his servant loved, Joshua, have all joined the party. Though the psychic connection clu...

90 pages

Flexible cast of 13 to 40

When Fred is forced to go to the library to do a report, he meets the Book Master, a magical character who introduces him to some of the most popular fictional characters ever created. Before his eyes, sections from several great books are acted out. You can choose whichever 6 to 8 scenes of the 9 included to comprise a full evening's entertainment. Scenes include "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Little Women" (Americana); "Jane Eyre" (Gothic); "Dracula" and "The Monkey's Paw" (horror); "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "A Thousand and One Arabi...

51 pages

7 m, 8 w, 2 flexible

Because of a miscommunication with the principal, high school drama teacher Mr. Morris finds himself with only ONE DAY to cast, stage and perform the school play. In desperation, he turns to two of his best students, Paul and Laura, to take charge and co-direct the show, unaware that the two are in the middle of a nasty break-up and are no longer speaking. Things go from bad to much, much worse when Paul and Laura, practicing with their friends independently, don't realize they are rehearsing for DIFFERENT SHOWS, "Little Orphan Annie" and "Annie Get Your Gun....

65 pages

Large, flexible cast

In Act One, "Voices From the Titanic," the stage comes alive with the passengers and crew who address the audience directly. We see the magnificent, "almost unsinkable" ship through the eyes of both the first-class and third-class passengers. When the ship's lookout, Frederick Fleet, spots the iceberg, all the officers are called upon to carry out the most dreaded command Capt. Smith ever had to issue: "Get the lifeboats ready!" The ending is an emotional powerhouse as the cast recites name after name of those who survived ... and those who did not. In Act Tw...

58 pages

6 m, 6 w, 16 flexible, extras if desired

Follow Prince Tamino in this hilarious tale as he travels to the castle of the evil Sarastro to save the princess Pamina. Along his magical journey he meets a wild cast of characters including Papageno, the three muses, the Greenbird, the spirits, and the fabled Queen of the Night. Armed with a magic flute given by the queen, Tamino is ready to take on Sarastro. Once inside the castle our prince and his friends face monsters, magic, and a test to free his beloved Pamina. Fast-paced dialogue and hysterical characters enchant this large-cast play based on the o...

67 pages

5 m, 10 w, and 5 - 10 flexible

Connor's summer is off to a rough start: the camp bus almost crashes, his cabin mates don't trust him, and the girls on the other side of the camp constantly outsmart him. But when he and his friends Tasha, Parker, and Kimberly investigate the mystery surrounding the "Ghost of Dead Billy," they begin a hilarious adventure that is worlds away from a typical campfire story. This haunted camp comedy with a sci-fi twist has it all: ghosts, aliens, robots, plant zombies and, of course, dodgeball.

45 pages

11 m, 13 w, extras

From the story by Washington Irving.  Ichabod Crane, a nervous and superstitious sort, is the new schoolmaster assigned to Sleepy Hollow, a small town by the Hudson River. He sets his eyes on Katrina, the eldest daughter of rich farmer Baltus Van Tassel. But Katrina is already "claimed" by Brom Bones, the biggest bully in town! As Ichabod woos the fair Katrina, Brom schemes to regain what he considers his rightful place. He blackmails four unwilling witches into conjuring up the infamous Headless Horseman. With the help of a little stage magic, the Horseman m...

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.

43 pages

4 w, 4 m for small cast; 8 w, 7 m, 2 flexible for large cast

Melisande dreams of catching a unicorn, Ana dreams of capturing the perfect sunrise, River dreams of finding the all-consuming love of his life, while Kristi seeks to unlock her love. These are just a few of the stories of love lost and found in “A Day of Dreaming.” We meet young people with powerful dreams which they write in a Dream Journal that is nestled in a covered bridge (which exists today in Winterset, Iowa). There is always the hope that if they write down their dreams, they will come to fruition. The stories run the gamut from forging new connectio...

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.

87 pages

28 depending on doubling. (7 - 16 m, 12 - 21 w, 11 flexible)

Following his shenanigans up the beanstalk, Jack has built a real estate empire in Goosetown, and now his ambitious mother is determined he should solidify their fortune by developing an amusement park and condo complex. But one property owner is refusing to leave, and Jack soon finds he’s up against more than just the old woman who lives in a shoe and her many clever children. No amount of golden eggs are enough to withstand the growing forces that line up against Jack: Pressures from Old King Cole; a dodgy partnership with the not-so-Noble Duke of York; the...

78 pages

Minimum: 4 - 11 m, 7 w. Maximum: 11 m, 19 w, 8 flexible.

“Miracle worker” Annie Sullivan Macy wakes on a lonely stretch of beach. A mysterious hermit encourages Annie to debate and share pieces of her life with him, including her greatest accomplishment, teaching the famous deaf and blind girl, Helen Keller. Like pieces of a puzzle, Annie’s memories spring to life, revealing hard-won victories, childhood horrors, and a rise to stardom. Annie discovers that she and Helen are forever connected, but who needs who? As Annie wrestles with this question, one more secret remains locked within her, and this mysterious man ...