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One-Act Comedies

From large cast original play scripts to adaptations of classic works, Stage Partners has an exciting collection of one-act comedies by some of the funniest playwrights working today. These plays are perfect for high schools, middle schools, and theatres. 

Browse our selection below and READ EVERY PLAY SCRIPT FOR FREE!

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Items 1 - 10 of 14
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  • When Bad Things Happen to Good Actors - Stage Partners

    When Bad Things Happen to Good Actors

    Written by Jason Pizzarello and Ian McWethy
    Length: 25-30 minutes
    Cast Size: 10-30 actors (suggested casting: 5F, 3M, 10 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    A simple one-act production of The Wizard of Oz gets derailed by missed cues, forgotten lines, and a renegade sound board op who refuses to play anything but dinosaur noises. A comedy that proves, when it comes to live theatre, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and it will be hilarious.
  • Masterclasses

    Masterclasses

    Written By: Patrick Greene
    Length: 30-35 minutes
    Cast Size: 8-25 actors (suggested casting: 1F, 9 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    Acting. Is. Life. If you are going to be a student at The Morley Buck School of Serious Acting for Extraordinary Actors, you need to commit to your craft. But acting isn't all soliloquies and dramatic scenes; to be a true Actor (with a capital "A") you need to perfect moments such as being Startled Awake, Underwater Thinking, or being hit by a laser B.E.A.M. These are just some of the hyper-specif...
  • The Cast List - Stage Partners

    The Cast List

    Written By: Jason Pizzarello and Rocco Natale
    Length: 30-35 minutes
    Cast Size: 10-30 actors (suggested casting: 12F, 3M, 5 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    Ah, the cast list. Oh, the drama. The casting would be simple if it weren't for constant script cuts, actor trade agreements, backstabbing, helicopter parents, hysterical prima donnas, and the Assistant Director could figure out how to incorporate the songs of Grease into Romeo & Juliet without getting sued. This is a show for any student who has ever been cast or miscast in a school play or a...
  • Peter Pan (Non-flying version! one-act) - Stage Partners

    Peter Pan: Non-Flying Version! (one-act)

    Adapted by Jon Jory from the novel by J.M. Barrie
    Length: 35-40 minutes
    Cast Size: 12-30 actors (suggested casting: 5F, 5M, 5 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    This inventive adaptation can be performed with or without flying, making it a perfect and flexible choice for smaller spaces and limited budgets. In the world of Neverland, Peter Pan is king until he meets his match...a female Captain Hook. Experience a theatrical and inventive Peter Pan like you never have before! Master director and acclaimed playwright Jon Jory has reimagined th...
  • Shakespeare, Clearly: The Comedy of Errors (one-act version)

    Shakespeare, Clearly: The Comedy of Errors (one-act version)

    Written By: Jon Jory
    Length: 25-30 minutes
    Cast Size: (suggested casting: 17F, 6M)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    This play is coming soon. Contact Stage Partners to request a prepublication perusal script.
  • Two of the Fairest Stars, Quadruple Casted - Stage Partners

    Two of the Fairest Stars, Quadruple Casted

    Written By: Maria McConville
    Length: 30-35 minutes
    Cast Size: 11 actors (suggested casting: 6F, 5M)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    When the theatre teacher has to fend off the wrestling team from taking the auditorium right before tech week of the Spring production of Romeo and Juliet, rehearsal is left to budding student assistant director, Wade. Can Sophomore Wade rally the quadrupled cast of Romeo's and Juliet's to block the famous balcony scene? He has been staying in on Saturday nights to watch recordings from the RSC fo...
  • Places in Five - Stage Partners

    Places in Five

    Length: 30-35 minutes
    Cast Size: 10-30 actors (suggested casting: 4F, 5M, 5 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    The one where an actress stumbles into the role of a lifetime...if only she can figure out what play she's doing. Meta-theatricality knows no bounds in this wacky comedy. (​If you like The Actor's Nightmare by Christopher Durang, consider Places in Five.)
  • Dress Rehearsal Disaster - Stage Partners

    Dress Rehearsal Disaster

    Written By: Emily Hageman
    Length: 40-45 minutes
    Cast Size: 16 actors (any gender)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    It’s the final dress rehearsal for The Olive Tree, an inaccessible 1800s Russian play. When overachieving student Derek learns that their director Mr. Norbert is sick (with fake-it-itis), he decides to lead the final rehearsal himself. But as Derek’s attempts to wrangle his fellow cast of misfits only leads to unmitigated chaos, he begins to wonder if the show really must go on.
  • Shakespeare Clearly: Twelfth Night, one-act version adapted by Jon Jory

    Shakespeare, Clearly: Twelfth Night (one-act version)

    Written By: Jon Jory
    Length: 25-30 minutes
    Cast Size: 10-30 actors (suggested casting: 5F, 5M, 10 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    This playful comedy centers on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck, and the courtship, mistaken identities, and hijinks that follow. This straightforward adaptation mixing contemporary and classical language emphasizes story and character rather than the poetry. Master director and acclaimed playwright Jon Jory has reimagined the classic tale to serve as an early introd...
  • Shakespeare, Clearly: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Stage Partners

    Shakespeare, Clearly: A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Length: 25-30 minutes
    Cast Size: 10-35 actors (suggested casting: 6F, 6M, 9 any)
    Genre: Comedy
    Synopsis:
    Shakespeare’s most-popular comedy of adventure, marriage, and forest creatures is boiled down to a brisk 30 minutes in this one-act adaptation. This straightforward adaptation mixing contemporary and classical language emphasizes story and character rather than the poetry. Master director and acclaimed playwright Jon Jory has reimagined the classic tale to serve as an early introduction for yo...
Items 1 - 10 of 14