Minimal Set Requirements
Great theatre does not require elaborate sets.
This collection of exciting plays for schools and theatres features plays that can be produced with little to no set.
Browse our selection below and read every play script for free!
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Queens
Length: 90 minutesCast Size: 10-35 actors (suggested casting: 7F, 2M, 7 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
King Henry VIII is trapped in purgatory, bound to his throne by a sinister Fool and the ghostly Women in White. Here in his gilded cage, he is forced to relive the sins he committed against his queens, mistresses and people of the court, over and over again, for an eternity. (A one-act version of this play is also available.) UIL Approved -
This Murder Was Staged
Length: 100-120 minutesCast Size: 8-25 actorsGenre: ComedySynopsis:
It's opening night of a brand-new mystery play, but just as the killer is about to be revealed, the body of the play's director falls onstage instead. In that moment, the theater becomes an active crime scene, and everyone from cast to crew to even the audience becomes a suspect. But how is the intrepid detective supposed to find the killer when everyone and their mother (literally) has a motive t... -
10 Ways to Survive the Holidays
Length: 75 minutes (Note: sections can easily be cut to shorten time)Cast Size: 10-40+ (ideal cast: 20 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
Sure, it’s the most wonderful time of the year – but during the holiday season, you have to be ready for anything. You never know when you might be trapped in an increasingly embarrassing family photo shoot; or haunted by ghosts who want to teach you life lessons; or cornered by carolers demanding figgy pudding when they really mean cash. Luckily, the narrators are here to show you how to make... -
The Inseparables
Length: 90-100 minutesCast Size: 9 actors (9 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
The North American Unified Theatre Collaborators of the West really want to put on a show. Like, really bad. Under the leadership of their founder and director, this group of actors has decided to stage a new adaptation of The Three Musketeers. Only, they aren't nearly as prepared as they should be. With puppets and pool noodles, this theatre group prepares for their glorious comeback...that may n... -
Elephant/Man
Length: 100 minutesCast Size: 8-30+ actors (suggested casting: 2F, 2M, 8 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
The story of Joseph Merrick (a.k.a. The Elephant Man) comes to life in this highly theatrical retelling featuring an ensemble of performers that share the role of Merrick. Whether on a bare stage or with an elaborate set, this adaptable play shines the spotlight on the vivid inner life of Joseph Merrick, and his relationship with the good Dr. Treves. This classic story of the ultimate outcast feel... -
The Other Side of Christmas
Length: 110-120 minutesCast Size: 8-35+ actors (ideal cast: 4M, 4F)Genre: Dramedy, ComedySynopsis:
It's easy to look at the Christmas season through rose colored glasses, but the scrappy radio show "The Other Side" makes it their mission to bring you a different point of view. Through a series of vignettes, host Thomas May guides his audience through moments that aren't exactly holiday card material: Camping out on line for a Black Friday sale, spending your first Christmas without a loved one,... -
Silver Belles
Length: 85-95 minutesCast Size: 14-20 actors possibleGenre: ComedySynopsis:
Come celebrate the holidays with the Silver Belles! While the ladies of Silver Meadows Retirement Home are getting ready for Christmas, scheming mogul Frank Davenport has plans to evict them and turn their home into a luxury hotel. But when Frank’s son Nick is sent to deliver the news, he discovers his old flame Kate is Silver Meadows’ fiercely dedicated manager. The more time he spends with h... -
The Littlefield Gazette Does Not End Today
Length: 80-90 minutesCast Size: 10-18 actors (suggested casting: 2F, 2M, 14 any)Genre: Dramedy, ComedySynopsis:
Something is different about the company picnic this year. After 126 years woven into the fabric of this small town, the Littlefield Gazette is closing its doors. For the staff, this is the last hurrah: the perfect time to tell a secret, confess feelings for someone, plan a new future. What could they mean to each other now? And while we’re at it, who brought the best pie? This ri... -
Spoon River
Length: 75-90 minutesCast Size: 8-50 actors (suggested casting: 17F, 23M)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Former citizens of a mythical Midwestern town speak from the grave of the day-to-day hopes and dreams of their lives. Touching, anguished, and contemptuous, their voices and stories weave together in this fresh new take on a modern American classic. You won't forget what you've heard from these distinctively small-town folk as they evoke universal themes of hope, despair, and love. (A one-act ver... -
The Last Cookie
Length: 10 minutesCast Size: 2 actors (2 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
Bri and Lou are roommates and friends. But those bonds are tested when they find themselves stuck at home with only one remaining, delicious cookie. The Last Cookie is a sweet, and funny story about friendship. This play is part of the short play collection Ten(ish): Comedies.