One-Act Plays
Stage Partners is home to some of the best one-act play scripts for high schools, middle schools, and theatres. From large cast comedies to intimate dramas for competition, Stage Partners' exciting collection of short plays features some of the most popular playwrights in the world.
Browse our selection below and READ EVERY PLAY SCRIPT FOR FREE!
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Shakespeare, Clearly: The Comedy of Errors (one-act version)
Length: 25-30 minutesCast Size: (suggested casting: 17F, 6M)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
This play is coming soon. Contact Stage Partners to request a prepublication perusal script. -
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (one-act)
Length: 40-50 minutes (the playwrights also allow additional cuts for time, competitions)Cast Size: 8-30 actors (suggested casting: 7F, 8M)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
America’s first great ghost story, Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow follows the quirky and superstitious antics of schoolmaster Ichabod Crane, who is haunted by the dreaded Headless Horseman. This imaginative adaptation stays true to the world that Irving creates in this American gothic tale, but adds a lyrical quality that further enhances the humor, the magic, and th... -
The Real Story of Alice in Wonderland
Length: 45-60 minutesCast Size: 13-30 actorsGenre: ComedySynopsis:
Was Alice really the sweet, innocent little girl the storybooks made her out to be, or was she actually a nasty piece of work? Two Narrators battle as they show the audience contrasting versions of Lewis Carroll's classic story. Cuttings are permitted for competition time restrictions - email Stage Partners for details. -
The Quiz That Almost Killed Me
Length: 25-30 minutesCast Size: 11-30 actors (suggested casting: 2F, 4M, 10 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
A student journeys through space, time and a hilariously idiotic Dickensian theatrical landscape to discover the importance of studying for a quiz. Entertaining for students from the past, present, and future. School was never so terrifying. (If you like This is A Test by Stephen Gregg, consider The Quiz That Almost Killed Me.) -
The Secret Garden
Length: 45-55 minutesCast Size: 12-48 actors (4F, 5M, 3 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Orphaned young Mary Lennox finds herself in the charge of a mysterious uncle, in a mysterious house, on the desolate moor in England. Bored and lonely, she starts exploring the gardens and uncovers a secret that has been kept for ten years. But why is everyone here keeping secrets? And who is crying in the house late at night? As spring arrives, the power of nature begins to unlock a beautiful new... -
A Stitch Here or There: A Sock Tragedy in One Act
Length: 10 minutesCast Size: 3-6 actorsGenre: Dramedy, ComedySynopsis:
What happens to the socks that disappear in the laundry? What about the ones left behind? When Cotton loses the other half of her pair, she looks for answers. A Stitch Here or There is a soulful comedy about loss... with sock puppets. This play is part of the short play collection Ten(ish): Comedies. -
The Scarlet Letter (one-act version)
Length: 35-40 minutesCast Size: 10-25 actors (suggested casting: 6F, 6M, 1 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
In this new and theatrical retelling of the classic tale by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet letter on her chest as punishment for committing adultery in Puritan New England. Throughout time, The Scarlet Letter has endured as a way to examine societal expressions of shame, guilt, and ultimately, redemption. (A full-length version of this play is als... -
The Jungle Book
Length: 35-40 minutesCast Size: 15-30 actors (suggested casting: 20 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
This thrilling and fun-filled adventure is brought to the stage by the theatrical master Jon Jory who has crafted an accessible, flexible, and easily-staged version for all ages! When a human child named Mowgli is taken and raised by a family of wolves, he must learn the ways of the jungle. Fortunately he has the wise panther Bagheera and friendly Baloo the bear by his side. But soon Mowgli finds... -
The Trojan Women
Length: 25-30 minutesCast Size: 13-21 actors (suggested casting: 10F, 3M, 3 non-speaking men)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Euripides' classic tragedy follows the fate of the women of Troy after their devastating loss in the Trojan War. Brought to the stage by theatrical master Jon Jory, this taut, accessible adaptation with a flexible, large female cast is the perfect one-act drama for competition. -
The Semi-Amazing, Sort-of-Sensational, Almost Unbelievable Christmas Spectacular!
Length: 30-35 minutesCast Size: 15-48 actors (suggested casting: 3F, 3M, 14 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
What happens when a school tries to put on a Christmas Spectacular for the bargain price $11.50? You get a ton of elves, a spirit of Christmas, a visit from the little match girl, Jacob Marley and a partridge in a pear tree. It may be low on budget, but it's high on laughs as we watch the Christmas characters we know and love hilariously collide in this Christmas disaster for the ages.