High School Plays
High School Theatre! We understand finding play scripts for high school students is never easy. That's why we've partnered with popular playwrights to create plays specifically written for student actors - short plays, comedies, mainstage hits, and more.
Whether you are searching for a riveting one-act play for competition, a crowd-pleasing comedy, a large cast mystery, or a holiday hit, Stage Partners has the perfect high school play for your program.
Browse our selection below and read every play script for FREE!
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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... -
Dr. Jekyll and Miss Hyde
Length: 30-35 minutesCast Size: 15 actors (suggested casting 2F, 13 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Dr. Jekyll does not seem herself lately, as a series of strange attacks strikes London. Jekyll's honest lawyer Utterson is determined to get to the bottom of the matter, after the seeing the abominable Miss Hyde flee a crime scene into Dr. Jekyll's house. But as Utterson questions the Londoners in Dr. Jekyll's orbit, it becomes clear that the secrets of Jekyll and Hyde are intertwined... Thi... -
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... -
Little Women
Length: 80-90 minutesCast Size: 9-10 actors (suggested casting: 6F, 4M)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Jon Jory brings his theatrical magic to this spirited adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic coming-of-age drama. The American Civil War is underway, and four sisters -- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy -- must hold the family together as Christmas draws near. A timeless and sentimental testament to the endurance of family, the power of love, and what it means to stay true to oneself. (A one-act version... -
Instructions for Hugs
Length: 30-35 minutesCast Size: 7-25 actors (suggested casting: 1F, 20 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
After isolating at home for what feels like forever, Sunny is finally ready to go out into the world again to see a friend’s play. Except...maybe she’s not. Maybe she has forgotten how to do simple things like smile, and greet a friend, and hug someone. Maybe she should just stay inside on her comfy couch, and eat beef jerky with Brandon, the embodiment of her need to isolate. Fortunately for... -
Shakespeare, Clearly: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Length: 25-30 minutesCast Size: 10-35 actors (suggested casting: 6F, 6M, 9 any)Genre: ComedySynopsis:
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... -
Trials: The Story of Joan of Arc (and Beth)
Length: 75-90 minutesCast Size: 7-26 actors (suggested casting: 3F, 4M)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Before the myth, there was a girl. Beth’s constant clashes with her family make home feel like an emotional battleground. As Beth becomes immersed in a project about Joan of Arc, past and present poignantly intertwine onstage as both conflicted young women face the realities around them – and learn unexpected truths about themselves. -
The Search for Delicious (one-act version)
Length: 45-55 minutesCast Size: 10-22 actors (suggested casting: 3F, 5M, 8 any)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
In this magical adaptation of Natalie Babbitt’s classic tale, a troupe of actors recreate a mythical medieval kingdom in the midst of a fierce disagreement over the most “delicious” food. To avoid a civil war, the kingdom sends 12-year-old Gaylen (and his loyal horse, Marrow) on a journey to settle the definition once and for all. On their quest, Gaylen and Marrow must face the evil Hemlock... -
The Hound of the Baskervilles (one-act)
Length: 30-35 minutesCast Size: 7-11 actors, gender flexibleGenre: DramaSynopsis:
The game is afoot in this swift one-act adaptation of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most beloved novels. When the body of Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on the moors, surrounded by the footprints of a gigantic hound, his friend Dr. Jenna Mortimer fears an old family legend has returned to terrorize the countryside. Concerned for the safety of the heir to the Baskerville estate, Mortimer... -
Sherlock's Best: The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
Length: 30-35 minutesCast Size: 7-13 actors (suggested casting: 8F, 5M)Genre: DramaSynopsis:
Join famous sleuths Holmes and Watson as they uncover the truth behind London's most recent unsolved mysteries. In The Adventure of the Six Napoleons case, they must catch a murderer who may be a lunatic, a thief, or really just hate Napoleon. In Sherlock is Dead, Holmes himself is at the center of a poisonous crime and must rely on a trusted doctor...as long as it's not Watson. Performed together...