Plays & Musicals A-Z
The Ascension
In this very short comedic church-appropriate skit for elementary and middle-school kids, Jesus says goodbye to his disciples, but they don’t fully grasp the big picture. Jesus ascends into Heaven, and two Angel Narrators send the confused disciples home to wait for the Holy Spirit. Based on Acts 4:1-11. Royalty-free.
CLICK HERE to purchase The Ascension. Available in all e-book platforms.
Audition Monologues for Young Men
Edited by Gerald Lee Ratliff and Patrick Rainville Dorn
This compelling collection of 70 monologues for young men approximately 15 to 30 years old includes a complete chapter that details how to choose a monologue, develop the character, and audition with confidence. With a variety of contemporary sources including both published plays and original works, this book provides selections that will help capture the minds and hearts of directors. Each monologue is prefaced by a description of the character and his emotional context, as well as hints on how to effectively portray the mood of the piece. The characters are diverse in age, background, ethnicity, and social status. The book is organized into unique categories based on the mood of the monologues: A Lighter Touch, Guilt and Regret, Tragedy and Trauma, Hope and Gratitude, Outsiders, Birds of a Feather, and Literary and Period. With excerpts of various lengths that are ideal for auditions, contests, workshops, and acting classes, this anthology belongs in every school and theatre library.
CLICK HERE to order your copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Babushka’s Basket
Exhausted by “holiday season” commercialism? Looking for a more heartfelt and rewarding alternative to staging yet another Christmas pageant?
BABUSHKA’S BASKET is an uplifting one-act drama inspired by the cherished Russian folk tale about a peasant woman whose grief-inspired compulsiveness prevents her from joining the Wise Men on their journey to meet the Christ Child.
This emotionally honest and ultimately heart-healing play offers a challenging yet rewarding role for a middle-aged actress, with an inter-generational supporting cast. The simple set and minimal production requirements make BABUSHKA’S BASKET ideal for performance on a budget, in a variety of settings.
With a hint of humor and large helpings of hope, audiences will be moved and inspired by BABUSHKA’S BASKET, a beloved yet non-traditional Christmas redemption story.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Be Careful What You Wish For…
Receiving your heart’s desire can have unexpected, comical results!
In this delightful collection of popular folk tales, magical wish-givers and their apprentices replay instances of wishes gone hilariously awry, and how the recipients ended up preferring things they were before.
A nearsighted gardener learns that some things are best not seen too clearly. A hard-headed stonecutter aspires to become the most powerful thing in the world and learns about power in the process. A house-hungry fisherman’s wife allows her greed to push upward mobility a bit too far, and a sausage-savoring woodcutter’s wife nearly cuts off her husband’s nose to spite his face.
Action-packed, classic tales from Russia, Japan, France, and Germany come to lighthearted life in this economical, easy-to-stage, tour-friendly, 45-minute ensemble comedy. With an extremely flexible cast of up to seventeen, everyone has plenty to do, and the laughs are non-stop in this upbeat, hassle-free show.
Be Careful What You Wish for is a dream come true for directors of elementary and middle-school students.
CLICK HERE and purchase a reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Beggar and the Wolf
— The townsfolk of Gubbio are howling mad when a lone wolf stalks their medieval village.
Based on the popular 13th-century legend of St. Francis and the wolf of Gubbio, this easy-to-stage, single-set, 45-minute comedy with a flexible cast of sixteen, is loaded with outrageous puns, slapstick humor, and quirky characters.
When all else fails, Mayor Gasbaggio fetches Francesco, a renowned holy beggar from the neighboring village of Assisi, who is reputed to have a wondrous way with animals.
Audiences will sit, stay, and roll over with laughter as they witness the hilarious and heart-warming antics of The Beggar and the Wolf.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Bethlehem Shepherd
A Christmas Monologue
It’s Christmas night, and Shep Davidson tells everyone he can about the extraordinary events he’s witnessed, from the census of Davidsons in Bethlehem to watching his flock by night, to a visitation by an angel, and finding the promised newborn Messiah lying in a feeding trough.
This short, simple, heartfelt monologue is laced with humor, wisdom, and a couple of Bible references.
Purchase of the script includes unlimited performance rights for one year. CLICK HERE to purchase The Bethlehem Shepherd.
The Blabbermouth, the Puff Monster, and the Wolf
What is Ukraine’s brightest, funniest export?
(Hint: It’s NOT Chernobyl’s radioactive cloud.)
It’s the stories! The Blabbermouth, the Puff Monster, and the Wolf is a fast-paced collection of hilarious Ukrainian folk tales, brought to life on a bare stage by a troupe of 6-24 traveling players.
In “The Blabbermouth,” a clever woodsman devises an ingenious ruse to keep a buried treasure secret, despite his gossipy wife. The next story is about a goofy, cellar-dwelling “Puff Monster,” who bites off more than it can chew. The trio is complete with the classic “Sirko and the Wolf,” in which canine cousins outwit a cranky, noodle-wielding Babushka and make their wildest dreams come true.
This 60-minute, action-packed comedy is extremely tour-friendly and can be staged almost anywhere, with minimal props and an expandable cast. Ideal for elementary, middle and high school students with varying degrees of experience and training, this show also encourages students and audiences alike to learn more about Ukrainian culture.
CLICK HERE and purchase a reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Blather, Blarney and Balderdash AND
Once Upon a Leprechaun (musical version)
— Three hilarious and action-packed Irish folk and fairy tales collide in raucous laughter when a trio of wild and crazy leprechauns try to help tongue-tied shepherd Fin O’Grady learn to tell a story and win the hand of his one true love. Included are fast and funny storyteller theatre adaptations of “The Hunchback of Knockgrafton,” “The Griffin’s Feather,” and “The Bird, the Mouse and the Cricket.”
This uplifting, easy-to-produce ensemble comedy with a flexible cast combines clever dialogue with slapstick humor and features numerous ’showcase’ roles so that everyone, even the least experienced, has a chance to shine.
The full-length musical version features lovely Celtic melodies and dance numbers along with clever lyrics by Bill Francoeur.
Audiences will thank their “lucky charms” that they are treated to these delightful and comical tales from the Emerald Isle.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Blather, Blarney, and Balderdash (non-musical version) or HERE to purchase a reading copy of Once Upon a Leprechaun (musical version) today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Bullied
In this short sketch, a club for bullied students takes a sudden turn. Royalty free.
CLICK HERE to purchase Bullied. Available in all e-book platforms.
The Blue Priest
Asthmatic and prolific composer Antonio “The Red Priest” Vivaldi is smothered by the affections and attentions of an adoring soprano and a crusty caregiver in this short but broad comedy sketch.
This easy-to-stage skit, with plum roles for two women and one man, is sprinkled with biographical factoids, but is otherwise totally made up. About 1,600 words. Rated PG-13 for language.
CLICK HERE to purchase this 99 cent comedy sketch on all e-book platforms.
A California Surfer in Cleopatra’s Court
Cowabunga Dudes! Surf’s up…in Ancient Egypt!
Totally awesome teen surfer Brody Morgan is mysteriously transported from a California beach in the 1960s to 41 BC Ancient Egypt and Cleopatra’s court. After proving himself worthy by surfing a tsunami up the Nile River, Brody introduces hilarious 20th-century inventions like flip flops, Egyptian cotton sheets, and mummy-style sleeping bags to Cleopatra and her Roman boyfriend, Mark Antony. When Cleopatra’s wicked adviser Pothinus and ambitious sister Arsinoe attempt a venomous coup, Brody saves Cleo and the Romans, then returns home in time to compete in a totally gnarly surfing competition and be crowned Boss Kahuna.
Inspired by Mark Twain’s classic time-travel tale, this action-packed, hilarious 90-minute comedy boasts a flexible cast, silly but simple costumes and props, uproarious gags and jokes, and loads of slapstick humor. The play is a mash-up of the goofy “beach party” movies of the Sixties and a comical take on the Antony and Cleopatra story from ancient history.
King Tut is rolling over in his sarcophagus—with laughter—and all because there’s… “A California Surfer in Cleopatra’s Court”!
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Brooklyn Publishers
Cleaning House
In this short, two-person sketch, a hoarder misplaces the paperwork for renewing her rental agreement and must find it before the new landlord arrives. Based on the Parable of the Lost Coin, Luke 15:8-10. Royalty free.
CLICK HERE to purchase Cleaning House. Available on all e-book platforms.
Creepy Camp Out
Simple Back Yard Set
About 20 Minutes
Five precocious “tween” boys camp out in a backyard, scaring themselves silly by telling and acting out goofy and gory, creepy and spooky poems, jokes, stories, and urban legends. Some of the fast and frightfully funny stories include “The Choking Doberman,” “Two Dead Boys,” “Great Green Globs,” “Rap, Rap, Rap,” “The Red Spot,” and more, using whatever props they have on hand. This comedy is ideally suited for Webelos seeking a Showman activity pin or a drama camp activity with a minimum of rehearsal and resources.
CLICK HERE to purchase your e-book copy today. Also available in PAPERBACK.
The Death and Life of Everyman
–Moldy Medieval Morality Play turns out to be contemporary, funny and relevant! Who’d have thought it?
This modern and comedic adaptation of the classic allegory concerns a man who learns he must meet his Maker, and then does! As his doom approaches, Everyman discovers that family, friends, and fortune cannot accompany him and that even strength, beauty, intellect, and emotion are no match for the Grim Reaper; yet faith, hope, and charity prevail.
This timeless tale is especially intended for groups ready to move beyond religious skits and homily dramas to do something more challenging, less preachy, and more theatrical. And did we mention funny? This boldly theatrical show takes on a serious subject in a playful environment.
With a flexible cast of 7-17 and minimal set requirements, this 80-minute show is ideal for those with a limited budget or who wish to tour.
Buy and stage this script! You’re eventually going to die anyway, but maybe this show will help you crack a smile along the way.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of The Death and Life of Everyman today. Published by Eldridge Christian Plays and Musicals.
Doc…Doc…Goose!
When Mother Goose gets her MD, funny bones everywhere crack up!
Freak accidents abound in Nurseryland. Mother Goose opens an “urgent care” clinic, and a host of unlucky nursery rhyme characters line up to prove that laughter really is the best medicine. Among the patients is a cow with a sore calf from moon-jumping, a crooked man needing a chiropractic adjustment, a daredevil who burns his seat jumping over candles, and a blonde juvenile delinquent who breaks into bears’ houses.
Doctor Goose and Nurse Gosling also run a nutritional support group and fitness class for a man who eats no fat and his opposite wife, a tea-guzzling girl named Polly, and a Queen who craves tarts. But will Dr. Zhivago from Fairy Tale Land close down the clinic? There are three blind, tail-less mice who sure hope not!
There are fun, flexible roles for six to fifteen elementary or middle school-age actors, with doubling possible. A simple interior doctor’s office set and bargain basement costumes make this an easy show to stage anywhere, from classroom to auditorium, on a bare bones budget. It can even make “house calls” to other schools or venues. Young actors will love comparing the original nursery rhyme characters to the contemporary versions and have loads of fun being silly and showing off while learning the basics of performing slapstick humor, gags, jokes, and puns.
Your audiences—and the cast—will be in stitches when they get a dose of the cut-up, side-splitting 45-minute comedy “Doc…Doc…Goose!”
CLICK HERE and purchase a reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Girl of La Mancha
(The Cosplay Con Quest)
Geek out with this exciting contemporary adventure, very loosely adapted from Cervantes’ Don Quixote. There’s nothing quite like this show for your drama students — it’s loaded with pop culture and comic book and gamer fandom. La Mancha Mall is overrun by costumed teenagers at the annual Cosplay Con. But when a clumsy gamer bumps her head and assumes the character of Donna Quixote, the event takes on a whole new, hilarious twist. Donna’s farcical, mixed-up adventures include obtaining “armor” from a sporting goods store, tilting a windmill at Harry Putter’s Magical Mini-Golf, enraging the wizard Gandaldore, having mock battles with pool noodles, and mistaking the food court busboy Alonzo for a magnificent nobleman. Meanwhile, all-too-normal Simon Carrasco makes a bet with the Goth girl, Darkness, that he can restore Donna to mundane reality. Loaded with laughs, the play also promotes heartfelt messages about idealism and acceptance of others. Students and audiences alike will cheer the misguided, madcap adventures of Donna Quixote!
CLICK HERE to purchase a reading copy GIRL OF LA MANCHA. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Greatest Prequel Ever Told
If you’ve got a “seen one, seen them all” mindset when it comes to Christmas pageants, you’ll be surprised and delighted by this upbeat performance. A handful of adults, teens and/or capable elementary-aged kids may carry the show’s larger lines while countless toddlers and preschoolers may play dancing angels, gamboling sheep and other cute-and-adorable, just-lead-me-around roles. Features snappy dialogue with no lines too long, enough of the biblical Nativity characters and events to satisfy even the staunchest of traditionalists (including the prophecies) and a deft touch of humor throughout. Only minimal rehearsal required. This pageant also functions as a carol sing-along, inviting the whole congregation to celebrate the birth of Jesus through their vocal participation.
CLICK HERE to purchase a perusal copy or place an order.
Faery Free for All
— Scotland’s mythical, magical beings bewitch audiences, with frantic antics and fantastic folktales.
Friendly and fearsome fairy folk from the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland gather in a moonlit meadow for a raucous, rambunctious re-enactment of classic stories of the Summer (Seelie) and Winter (Unseelie) Courts. Pixies, brownies, and sprites tussle with a banshee, wraith, boggles and trows, while two teenage human captives plan their escape.
Costumes for this hour-long, twenty-two role ensemble comedy may be simple or elaborate, with minimal set and prop requirements. All resources are devoted to fast action, silly characters, and constant comedy, punctuated by references to Scottish food, folklore, geography, and culture. Suitable for both student and inter-generational casts.
No accents or kilts are required when you enter the frivolous fray of FAERY FREE FOR ALL!
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of FAERY FREE FOR ALL today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Fair Game
Learning about choosing priorities and life values has never been so much fun.
Three teenagers are lured into malevolent Professor Carny Barker’s Once-in-a-Lifetime Traveling Career Fair. There they are tempted with futures of glamor, riches, and power by warped and wicked counterfeit pretenders from the military, medical, legal, and business professions. The teens, with the oddball assistance of a janitor, weigh what they’re willing to trade off to achieve “success.”
This 45-minute modern morality play is loaded with slapstick comedy, wry satire, and a flexible ensemble cast of over-the-top comical characters.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of FAIR GAME today! Published by Eldridge Plays and Musicals.
The Gingerbread Man
Every child’s favorite talking cookie leaps off the picture book pages and onto the stage in The Gingerbread Man, an action-packed, fun-filled, easily staged comedy for kids.
In a surprising and delightful variation on the beloved tale, city girl Sally is unhappy staying on her aunt and uncle’s farm while her parents are on vacation. To cheer her up, Sally’s aunt makes a gingerbread cookie, which promptly leaps out of the oven and takes Sally on a merry adventure to see traveling players perform Aesop’s “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.”
Along the way, the intrepid runaways encounter a karate-kicking donkey with a scrambled vocabulary, a fashionable skunk with a nose for rare fragrances, and a sly fox who tries to put a bite on the Gingerbread Man. There’s even a gentle message about finding your place in the world.
The Gingerbread Man is loaded with funny puns, comical characters, and slapstick humor, boasts a flexible cast, minimal costume and set requirements, is easily toured, and suitable for all ages.
The cookie never crumbles in this silly and sweet version of The Gingerbread Man.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of THE GINGERBREAD MAN today. Published by Dramatic Publishing.
The Gingerbread Man Gets Schooled
The race for non-stop laughter begins at Baker Street School, home of the Spatula Flippers, when the irresistible Gingerbread Man hot foots it out of the kitchen and into the cafeteria. Pursued by a host of faculty, staff, nerds, and cheerleaders (each named after a delicious baked treat), the elusive, slick-sneakered spice cookie gives them the slip until the students combine brains and beauty to trip him up.
This silly and smart, fast-paced 30-minute comedy is filled with jokes, gags, slapstick humor, chases, and a riotous climax that will have audiences cheering with delight. Along the way, they’ll catch lessons in cooperation, accepting people with different interests, and even an easily digested helping of math and science vocabulary!
With a simple interior set, easy props and a baker’s dozen of well-balanced and totally fun roles, THE GINGERBREAD MAN GETS SCHOOL is ideal for elementary, middle and high school, touring and home school performances.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Eldridge Plays and Musicals
Heaven Sent (Tobit)
— The Book of Tobit is the most free-wheeling, fun-loving, supernatural fantasy adventure and romantic comedy in the entire Apocrypha!
As an answer to prayer, the angel Raphael helps a hopelessly naive lad fight a demon, marry a damsel in distress, and heal a father’s blindness. Found in many Bibles, Tobit is one of the greatest literary hits from the period between the Old and New Testaments. Surprisingly true to the original, Heaven Sent is filled with contemporary sensibilities, clever dialogue, sight gags, and slapstick humor.
Heaven Sent is an easy-to-stage full-length comedy that has a simple set, easy costumes, and delightful roles for four men and three women, plus an active comic ensemble. If your church or drama ministry is ready to step up to the next level, Heaven Sent will get you there, and provide an entertaining, edifying, theatrical experience for your audiences.
CLICK HERE to purchase a reading copy of Heaven Sent today! Available in digital or PAPERBACK.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
— Here’s a comical classic to set your bells ringing!
The unforgettable characters from the beloved novel come to thrilling, laugh-happy life in this funny and frill-free “festival” adaptation of Victor Hugo’s popular literary classic.
A troupe of youthful players recreates the riotous adventures of the misshapen, but tender-hearted bell-ringer Quasimodo, the beguiling gypsy dancer Esmeralda and her clever goat Djali, dashing Captain Phoebus, despicably devious Dom Frollo, romantically starving poet Pierre, and more. Many scenes from the original masterpiece are presented, but with a comic twist!
With simple props and an essentially bare stage, this full-length comedy is easy and economical to produce, providing a large cast of variously-skilled actors an opportunity to participate in a literary classic with imagination, ingenuity, surprise, and delight.
Peals of laughter will roll through your audiences when The Hunchback of Notre Dame swings onto your stage.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of The Hunchback of Norte Dame today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Imperfections
In this provocative fifteen-minute comedic play set in the near future, Chip and Cissy make an appointment to genetically engineer their first child at Build a Baby Corp. After selecting traits such as hair and eye color, the couple learns that they must choose an “imperfection,” a flaw in their test tube baby which will create a challenge to overcome and so facilitate character development.
Humor, a sprinkling of real science, flexible casting and no-hassle production requirements create a compelling vehicle for an intriguing ethical dilemma. If you had to select a genetic anomaly for your child, what would YOU choose? Cast of 1M, 1F, 1 either, simple furniture set, contemporary costumes. Published on Amazon-Kindle.
Kung Fu Kitty
With Jacob Dorn
Everybody is kung fu fighting—like cats and dogs—in this hilarious, action-packed, slapstick comedy.
Fur (and puns) fly when feisty kitten Princess escapes the clutches of the sinister, catnapping Ting Tang and his hysterical henchcats. Princess finds refuge with a mongrel martial arts master and his clumsy canine companions. With the help of the punchy pooches, and after a rousing training montage, Princess faces her fears, finds inner strength, then defeats (and declaws) her adversaries.
Ideally suited for elementary and middle school students, this single “vacant lot” set, 30-minute madcap comedy has great gags, a flexible cast of ten memorable characters, and plenty of opportunities for controlled, choreographed comical stage combat.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Kung Fu Kitty today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Lineup
A short comedy sketch
A police officer leads three “suspects” out for a typical lineup. Without expression or emotion, the suspects recite corny cop jokes, accompanied by rim shots performed by an increasingly desperate suspect (or officer).
This Absurdist comedy runs about 10 minutes, with an extremely flexible cast of five.
Purchase of this script includes production rights for one year. CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of The Lineup.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Baba Yaga
— Baba Yaga, Russian folklore’s funny and fearsome wicked witch, takes a terrible tumble when her chicken-legged hut slips on a banana peel!
Characters from Baba Yaga’s most beloved stories gather for a “funtastic funeral,” reenacting their hilarious adventures outwitting the comical witch. With the help of an audience full of “enchanted toads,” spirited young Vasilisa and her nurturing nesting doll, Matryoshka, along with her father, a cat and a dog, perform seemingly impossible tasks—acting like trees, playing leapfrog, and folding laundry!
With an extremely simple, tour-friendly set, six outlandish characters, slapstick humor, clever dialogue, and non-stop action, this 45-minute participation comedy is filled with whimsy and delight.
Young audiences will shed tears of laughter when they become active participants in The Marvelous Misadventures of Baba Yaga.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Heuer Publishing.
Nightmare High School
And…
Tales of Terror from Nightmare High School
A student’s worst nightmares… live on stage!
Six teenagers join forces one dark and stormy night, staking out the bare stage of their school auditorium to discover the identity of the mysterious Locker Stalker. What begins as a half-hearted joke turns into a roller coaster evening of thrills, chills, and side-splitting laughter as each student’s nightmare comes to life onstage!
One confronts a living, growing blob of cafeteria-style mashed potatoes. Another is horrified to discover the real reason why everyone at school is ignoring her, and a third student’s worst fantasies about science lab and what teachers do on weekends is like nothing you’ve ever seen!
Audiences will be screaming — with laughter and suspense— when you produce this no-set, no problems comedy-thriller. Flexible cast of fourteen, plus ensemble/chorus. About 90 minutes.
Available as a full-length comedy, or check out the musical comedy version, with music and lyrics by Stephen Murray.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Nightmare High School. Or… CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Tales of Terror from Nightmare High School (musical version) right now! Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Nutcracker
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker without toe shoes!
No dancing or choreography is required in this swashbuckling comedy that leaps back to E.T.A. Hoffmann’s original tale and spins comic gold. The short and silly children’s musical adaptation of the classic holiday fantasy combines Tchaikovsky’s famous score with cute and clever lyrics, arranged and simplified for young voices by Bill Francoeur.
On Christmas Eve, the mysterious Drosselmeier presents brave Marie with an unusual Nutcracker. That night she is awakened by a band of renegade mice, led by the evil Mouse King. The Nutcracker, joined by a Ballerina, Feline Legation, and Mistress Clara, battle the rodents. Marie defeats the Mouse King by hitting him with her slipper. The heroes travel to the Land of Toys to rescue Princess Pirlipat from the wicked Mouse Queen and her hilarious helpers. The Nutcracker and the princess are reunited, and the curse is broken. Marie and her toys return home in triumph.
NUTCRACKER is a budget-friendly musical with a cast of 14, plus chorus. There’s even a music CD if your resources don’t include live accompaniment.
Your cast and audiences will dance with unchoreographed delight when they experience the jolly joy of NUTCRACKER, the musical.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of NUTCRACKER today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
O Holy Knight
Celebrate Christmas in a Castle!
In this mirthful, medieval, 60-minute Christmas comedy, a blizzard has confined a motley mix of commoners, merchants and courtiers together in the castle’s banquet hall. The ladies-in-waiting are becoming inpatient, Christendom’s oldest squire has the hiccups, and Jabber the Jester’s outrageous antics aren’t helping. To pass the time, and to cheer Lady Dolores, whose husband is being held for ransom in a foreign land, they agree to perform a Nativity pageant, using whatever props and costumes they have on hand.
With a simple set, extremely flexible (and potentially large) cast of colorful characters, loads of slapstick humor and clever dialogue, this genuinely touching inter-generational holiday play even has an inspiring Christmas miracle to warm everyone’s heart. The “pageant within the play” is uproariously inept, yet sincere. The show is easy-to-cast and stage, and is suitable for both church and community theatre production.
O HOLY KNIGHT is sure to become a holiday season favorite for your audiences, whether they be princes or peasants.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Once Upon a Leprechaun
and
Blather, Blarney and Balderdash
— Three hilarious and action-packed Irish folk and fairy tales collide in raucous laughter when a trio of wild and crazy leprechauns try to help tongue-tied shepherd Fin O’Grady learn to tell a story and win the hand of his one true love. Included are fast and funny storyteller theatre adaptations of “The Hunchback of Knockgrafton,” “The Griffin’s Feather,” and “The Bird, the Mouse and the Cricket.”
This uplifting, easy-to-produce ensemble comedy with a flexible cast combines clever dialogue with slapstick humor and features numerous ’showcase’ roles so that everyone, even the least experienced, has a chance to shine.
The full-length musical version features lovely Celtic melodies and dance numbers along with clever lyrics by Bill Francoeur.
Audiences will thank their “lucky charms” that they are treated to these delightful and comical tales from the Emerald Isle.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Blather, Blarney, and Balderdash (non-musical version) or HERE to purchase a reading copy of Once Upon a Leprechaun (musical version) today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Parable Plays
Available from Christian Publishers. A series of ten-minute contemporary sketches based on Jesus’ parables. Purchase includes permission to photocopy and unlimited performances, for purchasing organization only.
Called or Culled (The Sheep and the Goats) Matthew 25:31-46. Emanuel King interviews two candidates for Skycastle Enterprises. One’s a good fit and the other…not.
Dragnet (The Casting of the Net Into the Sea) Matthew 13:47-50. Three crooks take the bait and find themselves caught up by their own greed.
Fined (The Two Debtors) Luke 7:40-43. A librarian shows mercy to two patrons, one who owes little, and the other much.
L3 (The Leaven) Matthew 13:33. A talk show host interviews the creator of an internet movement that went viral.
The Shepherdess (The Lost Sheep) Luke 15:3-7. A distraught shepherdess visits Papa’s Fix-It Shop while searching for a lost lamb.
Squatters (The Tenants) Mark 12:1-12. Two hotel employees abandon their jobs, move into a penthouse suite and refuse to leave.
The Verdict (The Unjust Judge/The Persistent Widow) Luke 18:1-8. Set in the Wild West, a cantankerous saloon-keeping judge buckles under the persistence of the Widow Mite quest for justice.
Peacemaker
In the Old West, a lovestruck schoolboy visits a mercantile store to purchase a gun in order to kill his rival and impress a pretty girl. The storekeep’s surprisingly eager endorsement of the plan causes the youth to reconsider the consequences of his actions.
This breezy seven-minute sketch contains deeper themes and a canny perspective on the consequences of violence. Royalty free.
CLICK HERE to purchase Peacemaker. Available on all e-book platforms.
Phobia Factory
What’s better than screams of fright? Shrieks of laughter!
Phobia Factory is a non-stop comedy machine, churning out thrills, chills, giggles, and guffaws.
Four high school students visit a prototype “Phobia Factory” at the mall. Using cutting-edge virtual reality simulations, the teens face their subconscious fears in supposedly safe computer-generated environments..until a glitch makes the program go terrifyingly, hilariously haywire.
Phobia Factory has plum roles for an extremely flexible cast of 16-40 teen actors and can be performed with a tight budget on an open stage, with simple props and costumes. This slap-happy, action-packed, 90-minute sci-fi/horror comedy is loaded with off-the-wall humor, bizarre sight gags, and memorable scary and comical cameo roles.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Brooklyn Publishers
The Pied Piper
—With Shubert Fendrich.
When the rats come home to roost, the vain Pied Piper must learn to play another tune!
Rats have infested the village of Hamelin, and the nincompoop Mayor is a perfect stooge for the ambitious Pied Piper’s self-serving schemes. When chaos ensues, the rascally Piper’s clever assistant manages to rid the town of rats, organize the Mayor’s schedule, and teach her flaky musician boss that responsibility often accompanies special gifts and talents.
The Pied Piper is crawling with brought-on-stage audience participation opportunities, or supply your own ensemble of kids to play the rats, children, and villagers of Hamelin.
With a cast of six and a simple set, this 45-minute comedy is simple to stage and easy to tour.
Your delighted “rugrats” will squeal with joy at the antics of The Pied Piper.
CLICK HERE to purchase a reading copy today! Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Pilgrim’s Progress
— John Bunyan’s rolling in his grave…with laughter!
In this hilarious, action-packed and contemporary adaptation of English literature’s first great allegorical fantasy, the thrilling adventure of Christian’s perilous journey to heaven is punctuated by uproarious characters and situations.
Favorite scenes from the original classic, though wacky and warped, keep the age-old story fresh and funny. This ensemble comedy has non-stop laughs and dozens of delightful roles, both small and large. It’s perfect for a flexible, intergenerational cast of actors with varying levels of experience. With easy costume accessories, simple hand props and no set requirements, the 90-minute comedy may be presented on a shoestring budget.
Whether or not your audiences know and love the monumental masterpiece of Christian literature, they will rejoice in this upbeat, silly-yet-sublime, faith-filled stage version, then run home to read the original Pilgrim’s Progress with fresh insight.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Pilgrim’s Progress today. Published by StagePlays and all digital platforms. Also IN PAPERBACK!
The ‘Pinocchio’ Shows…
Pinocchio’s nose may have grown, but his story has become a FRANCHISE!
Everyone’s favorite knot-head gets an extreme makeover in this teen-friendly, hip and hilarious stage adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s classic “Pinocchio,” now available as a full-length musical, full-length stage play, or one-act musical.
When Carl decides to run away from home, he lands a job with the mysterious Professor Pinecone and his traveling magical marionette puppet show. Once he feels the magical jolt in Professor Pinecone’s handshake, Carl realizes his bid for freedom has all kinds of strings attached. The teenager becomes Pinocchio and improvises his way through a frantically funny, contemporary yet classic version of the beloved story about a puppet’s quest to become a real boy.
Along the way, Carl/Pinocchio meets a host of comical characters, including generous Geppetto, a cricket with an attitude, the devious Fox and Cat, brassy Tina Tuna, and the sassy Blues Fairy. Will they be able to prevent Pinocchio from making a donkey of himself? Well, no, but he does eventually learn that actions have consequences, and ultimately chooses to love unselfishly. Which, after all, is what makes a person human, isn’t it? There’s even a surprise twist at the end.
This easy-to-stage, fun-for-all, budget-friendly show—in all its permutations—features loads of slapstick comedy and clever wordplay. The musical versions feature a wide range of styles including hip-hop, gypsy swing, bluegrass and good ol’ rock ’n’ roll!
Whether you are interested in producing a full-length musical, full-length play, or a one-act musical, purchase a reading copy of one of these Pinocchio shows today!
Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
No Strings Attached
(full-length musical)
Music and Lyrics by Bill Francoeur
Flexible cast of 12-22, chorus
Simple Interior and Exterior Sets
About 90 minutes
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today.
Without Strings
(full-length play)
Flexible cast of 12-22, extras
Simple Interior and Exterior Sets
About 75 minutes
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today.
The Pinocchio Show
(one-act musical)
Music and Lyrics by Bill Francoeur
Flexible cast of 12-17, chorus
Simple interior and exterior sets
About 60 minutes
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today.
The Polar Bear Prince
Check out the Arctic Circle’s hottest comedy!
The most popular story ever to fly south from the far north, The Polar Bear Prince is often compared to Beauty and the Beast, with its intrepid heroine going to great lengths to end her furry boyfriend’s enchantment, assisted by a supporting cast of hilariously comical characters.
In this easy to stage, low-budget, high laugh-count comedy, a group of revelers spills out of their sleigh bus and into a snowdrift. Keeping their spirits high and lower extremities warm, the partygoers await rescue by acting out their favorite slap-happy, no-holds-barred, fractured fairy tale.
On a quest to recover and restore her Polar Bear Prince, the determined Christiana encounters a wild and crazy, flexibly-cast ensemble of characters, including not-quite-identical crone triplets, the Four Windbags, the tyrannical Troll Queen, Princess Carrot Toes, and her hopping-mad suitor Benny O’Hare.
The humor is fast and physical, the dialogue snappy and sly. This one-hour laugh-fest is ideal for touring or contests.
Teen actors will feel like stars among the Northern Lights when they present The Polar Bear Prince.
CLICK HERE to order a reading copy of THE POLAR BEAR PRINCE today! Published by Brooklyn Publishers.
Poultry in Motion
Barnyard birds hatch high-hilarity, low-cholesterol, crackpot comedy!
Poultry in Motion is an easy to stage, ready to tour, sunny-side-up laugh-fest that is loaded with silly situations, honkingly funny characters, slapstick humor, sight gags, and outrageous puns.
The fractured fable scrambles the stories of Chicken Little, who believes the sky is falling, and the Little Red Hen, who tries to get her feather-brained friends to stop loafing around and bake some bread. Meanwhile, Foxy Loxy is lurking nearby Young MacDonald’s Free-Range Poultry Farm, hoping to snatch some hot wings, while a smorgasbord of chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys stick their necks out laying plans to see the queen.
Poultry in Motion is an “egg-ceptional” 35-minute, over-easy comedy that promises to feed performers and audiences of all ages flocks of fun to gobble up.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Poultry in Motion today! Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Princess and
The Goblins
Goblins from Down Below plot to seize the kingdom Up Above, so it’s up to an intrepid princess and a resourceful miner to save the day.
Princess Irene is looking forward to celebrating her birthday, but the party is about to be crashed by the Goblin King and Queen, and their goofy goblin horde. Curdie, a young and clever miner, knows the goblins’ secret weaknesses—an aversion to puns, and terrifically tender toes.
With fifteen fun and flexible roles, a simple, single set with four locales, and easily managed costumes, this 30-minute comedic fantasy adventure can be produced on a low budget and with minimal rehearsals.
Freely adapted from George MacDonald’s 1870 children’s tale that inspired a young J.R.R. Tolkien, The Princess and the Goblins is an action-packed, laugh-filled show that overflows with whimsy and silliness.
CLICK HERE to purchase The Princess and The Goblins today. Published by Brooklyn Publishers.
Rip Van Winkle
When Van Winkle lets the laughter rip, no one nods or dozes!
Washington Irving’s supernatural time-warping tale comes to vibrant life in this action-packed comedy that combines faithfulness to the original text with slapstick humor, hilarious dialogue, and oddball characters.
Young Rip Van Winkle escapes from an overly-critical wife, bowls with the ghostly Henry Hudson in the Catskill Mountains, then mysteriously awakens 20 years later to find life in his colonial village vastly changed.
With minimal set requirements and maximum involvement by an extremely flexible onstage ensemble, this 45-minute “storyteller theatre” comedy is perfect for touring and contests, or paired with another colonial-era comedy for a full evening’s entertainment.
Early American literature has never been so much fun!
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of RIP VAN WINKLE today. Published by Eldridge Plays and Musicals.
Robin Hood: Naught in Nottingham
— With Jacob Dorn
— With a quiver-full of gags, slapstick humor, and hilarious anachronisms, this is a Robin Hood like you’ve never seen him — or rather HER — before!
In this frantically funny, 45-minute version of the classic swashbuckling tale, vain and pompous Prince John squeezes the simple folk of Nottingham’s purses by raising taxes and ordering the Sheriff to set up a speed trap. Robin and her band of outlaws, including panini-craving Friar Tuck, big friendly giant Little John, girly-girl Maid Marian, wandering minstrel Allen-a-Dale and his cheerleading Bench Wenches, along with other merry folk, turn the tables on the benighted Sheriff, thwart crybaby Prince John’s nefarious plans, and take the braggart warrior Gal of Gisbourne down a few notches.
There’s horseless jousting and a show-stopping archery contest with moving targets at the world’s first Renaissance Fair, goofy disguises, silly chases, epic battles with pool noodles, and merriment galore. At last, with a guest cameo by King Richard, all things “naught in Nottingham” are set aright.
This fast, easy, and laugh-filled comedy can be produced on a bowstring budget, with minimal technical requirements. Audiences will cheer with delight when you hit the bullseye with Robin Hood: Naught in Nottingham.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Saints for the Seasons
(Four, 20-minute monologues for church or theatrical use)
Put the “holy” back in several popular but misunderstood “holidays.”
Four great Christians with famous names but less familiar legacies step out of history to share the inspiring, often funny, and historically accurate stories of their lives of heroic faith, sacrifice and service in the name of Jesus.
Nicholas of Myra (December 6) — Popularly referred to as Saint Nick, this early 4th century champion of biblical orthodoxy and prodigal generosity sets the record straight on how different he is from “the other guy”.
Valentine of Rome (February 14) — A defender of Christian marriage and sacrificial love, Valentine gladly faces martyrdom during the Roman persecution of the early church by Emperor Claudius “the Cruel” Gothicus.
Patrick of Ireland (March 17) — An immature teenager becomes a slave, escapes captivity, learns to love his enemies, and answers God’s call to return to the dreaded Emerald Isle. He dedicates his new life to preaching the Good News, engages in spiritual warfare, baptizes tens of thousands, and plants hundreds of churches.
Francis of Assisi (October 4) – Nature lover and friend to animals, Francis abandons wealth, comfort and worldly glory for a life of holy poverty, simplicity, brotherhood, and evangelism, inadvertently creating the religious order of Franciscans and inventing the Nativity play.
SAINTS FOR THE SEASONS will foster a deeper understanding of the Christian role models behind four oft-neglected or misunderstood holidays while entertaining and edify the people of your church. For inspiration, humor, biblical truths, and encouragement in the faith mark your calendars and celebrate these Saints for the Seasons.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of SAINTS FOR THE SEASONS today. Published by Christian Publishers.
The Scavenger Hunt
— When teen angels are involved, heaven CAN’T wait!
Teen angels Maisie and Tori are sent on an action-packed, time-traveling scavenger hunt by Big Momma Angel. It’s a side-splitting adventure of biblical proportions as they meet Abraham and Isaac, just in time for a hair-raising sacrifice. Watch them get caught between a rock and a hard place while David battles Goliath.
Two favorite Bible stories are given a new spin when seen through the eyes of these totally awesome teen angels.
Extremely simple production requirements make this an easy-to-stage, affordable, 30-minute comedy that is ideal for youth groups in touring or even classroom performance.
CLICK HERE to purchase your digital reading copy today. Also available in PAPERBACK.
The Scenebook of Values and Virtues
This entertaining collection of 24 character-driven scenes will guide teens to make positive choices in their lives while developing their acting skills. Each selection presents a realistic scenario that explores multiple character-building values, such as acceptance, compassion, fairness, forgiveness, generosity, gratitude, honesty, loyalty, perseverance, and self-discipline. Each scene is then followed by student-tested discussion questions that can spark conversation about values, personal responsibility, and relationships. Delve into a diverse assortment of thoughtful topics presented in an engaging, lighthearted fashion. Scenes range from 5 to 10 minutes in length with cast sizes of 2 to 7. Use this book in any group setting to encourage meaningful, values-based dialogue. There s no other scenebook like this to help your students develop their own moral compass.
CLICK HERE to purchase a copy today!
The Seven Year Switch
The love at first sight shared by the trickster Jacob and lovely Rachel is one of the most romantic stories in the Bible, but their courtship was filled with surprises and challenges. The Seven Year Switch is about the “morning after,” when Jacob awakens in his marriage bed expecting to find Rachel but discovers her father has pulled a fast one. No wilting damsel in distress, the wily Rachel engineers a suitable payback.
Freely adapted from Genesis 29, The Seven Year Switch is a funny and forthright biblical one-act comedy that is easy to cast and stage with minimal resources.
Purchase of the script includes unlimited performance rights for one year. CLICK HERE to purchase The Seven Year Switch.
Sir Nose, the Burger Rat
This rhyming rodent has a nose for adventure!
An alley rat with the smarts of Sherlock and Cyrano’s schnoz finds the game’s afoot at the Kingdom of Mall’s Food Court. Sir Nose helps the bashful Taco Bill woo the lovely Wendy Freiberger by feeding him romantic rhymes from a nearby trashcan. But when the ace detective/poet’s “arch” enemy Professor McRonald, and his henchmen Corporal Saunders, Herr Wienerschnitzel, Dragon Panda, and Short John Silver kidnap the Burger Queen, the fat hits the fire! Sir Nose and his clumsy sidekick Pizza Mutt race to “take out” the criminals before the Dairy King is forced to fork over the recipe to his secret sauce as ransom.
Though low in nutritional value, the super-sized portions of slapstick humor, non-stop action and tongue-in-cheek puns make this play a recipe for hilarity. The simple set and flexible casting provide the ingredients for a deliciously fun, economical, and over-easy comedy that can be produced on short order.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of SIR NOSE, THE BURGER RAT today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
Spooky Slumber Party
Single Living Room Set.
About 30 Minutes
Seven “tween” girls have a slumber party on a dark and stormy night. When the thunderstorm knocks out television reception, they entertain themselves by telling and acting out not-too-scary, often silly, spooky stories and urban legends, including “The Viper,” “The Greedy Girl,” “The Brave and the Grave,” “Gotcha Where I Want You,” “You’d Better Not Laugh” and more. Yes, there’s a pillow fight, and a lot of popcorn gets spilled during the ensuing action. A couch, blankets, pillows, flashlights, buckets of popcorn and a handful of household toys and props are all that are needed to keep a bunch of hyper, imaginative girls – and the audience – shrieking with laughter.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of SPOOKY SLUMBER PARTY today. Available in digital and PAPERBACK.
Tales of Terror from Nightmare High School
And…
Nightmare High School
A student’s worst nightmares… live on stage!
Six teenagers join forces one dark and stormy night, staking out the bare stage of their school auditorium to discover the identity of the mysterious Locker Stalker. What begins as a half-hearted joke turns into a roller coaster evening of thrills, chills, and side-splitting laughter as each student’s nightmare comes to life onstage!
One confronts a living, growing blob of cafeteria-style mashed potatoes. Another is horrified to discover the real reason why everyone at school is ignoring her, and a third student’s worst fantasies about science lab and what teachers do on weekends is like nothing you’ve ever seen!
Audiences will be screaming — with laughter and suspense— when you produce this no-set, no problems comedy-thriller. Flexible cast of fourteen, plus ensemble/chorus. About 90 minutes.
Available as a full-length comedy, or check out the musical comedy version, with music and lyrics by Stephen Murray.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Nightmare High School.
Or…
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Tales of Terror from Nightmare High School (musical version) right now! Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Three Bully Goats Griff
–With a tweak, a twist, and just a little shove, the classic tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff has become an action-packed, hilarious children’s play about bullying. At one time or another, EVERYONE in this nine-character comedy goes off the bridge.
Two toll trolls have a falling out after Billy, the smallest of the three goats decides to become a “bully goat.” Anyone who dares trip-trap over the bridge gets knocked off by little Billy and his unwitting accomplice and big brother, Fred. Even Willy, the sensible, medium-sized goat takes an unexpected leap.
Billy’s power-mad antics escalate to preposterous proportions as one silly and arguably deserving character after another takes the plunge. Finally, pasture planner Dee Veloper, political candidate Polly Titian, prima ballerina Ismelda Slipper and mail person Carrie Post join forces with the trolls and goats to teach Billy a lesson.
Children will delight in this light-hearted, 40-minute, single-set, easily-toured show. If your budget is tight, the “toll” for this play is refreshingly low.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of The Three Bully Goats Griff today. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.
The Very Best Christmas Card Ever
2M, 2F, 1 either, plus optional ensemble
Simple Interior Set
About 20 Minutes (plus carols)
In this easy-to-stage, family-friendly Christmas play/carol sing-along/pageant, a family shops for a Christmas card to send to an overseas orphan they have sponsored. The manager shows them cards related to Santa, Dickens, Angels, Shepherds, Wise Men and finally commemorating the Birth of Jesus. The family decides to sacrifice their holiday plans and visit the child in person. This 20-minute (plus carols) comedy may also be used to support a church or community’s overseas orphan-sponsoring organization. Add a choir of Sunday School children or adults, or even an Ensemble to create adorable and hilarious “Living Christmas Card” tableaus.
CLICK HERE to purchase your digital reading copy today. Available in digital and PAPERBACK.
Wacky Wizard of Oz
Visit the WACKY world of Oz and you’ll NEVER want to go home!
After her tornado-tossed house smooshes a wicked witch, Kansas farm girl Dorothy steps out in her Ruby Crocs and onto a wild and crazy adventure that is stuffed silly with giggles and guffaws.
Encouraged by a bunch of goofy Munchkins, a brainy Scarecrow, tender-hearted Tin Man and lionhearted Cowardly Lion, Dorothy seeks out the not too terribly Terrible Wizard of Oz and confronts cackling crows, rock-star Ozzies, poppy peddling gangstas, screechy winged monkeys, zombified Winkies, and finally the epically aquaphobic Wicked Witch of the West.
With a large, flexible and active ensemble, there are moments for everyone to shine in this 60-minute, flat-out farce. This contemporary adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic adventure is filled with jokes, gags, puns, surprises and slapstick humor, and can be produced on a shoestring budget.
CLICK HERE to purchase your reading copy of Wacky Wizard of Oz today. Published by Brooklyn Publishers.
Well Bred
1M, 1F
Simple Back Yard Set
About 10 Minutes
A Pomeranian and a Golden Retriever go into a back yard to breed, and there’s more going on than just puppy love. Their convoluted courtship will become the stuff of comic legend, at least among pooches. Rated PG for “immature” language and themes. This silly yet poignant 10-minute comedy is ideal for forensic duo interpretation. Purchase of this script includes production rights for one year.
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today. Available in all e-book formats.
Zombie Family Picnic
— A typical zombie couple goes to pieces when their disgruntled teenaged daughter decides to become a vegetarian!
Gorging itself on tongue-in-cheek puns, gross-out visuals, and keen insights into undead family dynamics, Zombie Family Picnic is a hilarious and tasteless cannibal comedy.
With a simple exterior set, ragged costumes, and a smorgasbord of disgusting props, this 15-minute sketch is easy to rehearse and perform.
Your audiences will shamble, shuffle, moan and groan at the gags. Purchasing this breezy cheesy show is a real no-brainer.
CLICK HERE to buy your Performance Pack today! Published by Heuer Publishing.