Tag Archives: American plays

The memory jar – AMERICAN DRAMA play

American drama play

THE MEMORY JAR – AMERICAN DRAMA PLAY

Like any family matriarch, Cassandra Barrett sometimes knows things her three kids and her husband, Christopher, may not. It’s the job of a mother to know things about them, things about herself. Things best left to the last minute, to blurt out and have the fast approaching reality concerning this or that, cushion the blow. In this two act drama, a few weeks after Thanksgiving, the Barrett kids will be paying their parents another visit. Alan, the somewhat spoilt baby, Alexandra, the neurotic daughter and Arthur, the very reserved, eldest son, impending visit is suspicious to Christopher and his suspicions fall squarely on Cassandra in this American drama play. It’s a reunion that may never happen with the entire family again and Alexandra is determined to make it count. She suggests a memory jar that the family can work on to make a record of the best times they shared together as a unit. With the hospitalization of Christopher smack in the middle of the reunion, a memory jar might not be such a bad idea.

A story of loss and how to prepare for it.

“The Memory Jar,” was produced by Theatre 29 in Twentynine Palms, California, in 2012.

Author: Kurt Schauppner

Type: Two-act play

Genre: American Drama play

Cast: 5M, 3F

Ages of the actors: All adult, the youngest in his twenties. The rest are each a decade apart with the eldest actor in their eighties.

Suitable for : All ages to watch but written for adults. Adults to perform.

Length: Two and a half hours

Set: The kitchen/family room of the Barrett family home in Deseret Valley. A small dining room table and chairs dominate the center of the room. To stage left sits a refrigerator, sink and stove. A window over the sink looks out over a desert garden. There is a frying pan on the stove. Next to the sink a strainer holds some dishes, including a cereal bowl, some silverware and the pieces of an old-fashioned coffee percolator. To stage right is a doorway leading to bedrooms. Upstage is a front door. To the left and right of the door are cabinets. The cabinet to the right is decorated with souvenir plates from around the country. The cabinet to the left is covered with Barrett family photos. A ceiling fan spins slowly overhead. A hat rack directly left of the front door holds several trucker caps. There is a cordless phone on the table.

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – portraying the real raw emotion involved with a family death.

Read a Sample of the Script


Cost is $6.50 for this previously staged digital play script.

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about The Memory Jar

Copyright © March 2019 Kurt Schauppner and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Others you may enjoy:

Check Off in the Sun – family drama script
The Appointment with God – when you receive that final phone call
Waiting for John – drama about losing a son

Snow in July – collection of one act plays

collection of one act plays

SNOW IN JULY – COLLECTION OF ONE ACT PLAYS

A collection of one act plays by American playwright James Campbell. From the comedic absurd to the dark and sinister, these plays are both thought provoking and enjoyable to stage.

Hossback: This satirical off the wall comedy rips off typical cowboys from the old west, or at least modern society’s idea of what cowboys actually were like by taking an over the top view of them. From the way they loved their hosses like real women, to their predilection for hanging ‘criminals’ of an description to their manner of speaking – all those cowboy traits we are so fond of are chewed up and spat out again.

Murder in the asylum: The patients and the staff in the local lunatic asylum are getting murdered one by one until there’s only two men standing. One of them’s the murderer…. But, since they’re mad as hatters, they both think it isn’t them.

Sunset on the Potomac: Under absurdia, but poignant comedy about a music teacher and her family, her loves, life and children at the end of which a dark twist is finally revealed.

Baboons: It’s the time of the Romans and those annoying Christians (sorry Baboons) keep getting in the way! Should they kill them like wild boars and baboons? Or do they put on a play?

First to see the lights go on: A drama about post natal depression and its consequences. When Frank meets Arlene at the bus stop and they strike up a conversation, Arlene seems both child like and innocent. But her innocence hides a deathly secret.

Jumping the league: A comedy for a small cast. A priest (who has a foul mouth) and his best friend in 1960’s Pre Vietnam have both decided, and chosen this day to tell each other that they are literally both ‘jumping the league’ and leaving their old lives behind forever.

The Restaurants are Screaming: In this period drama set at the end of the second world war, Ludwig has been living with his daughter, Marcia and his son in law, Joe for the past three months. The play focuses on an abusive father, who now he is old, struggles to understand the consequences of his actions as well as the effect he has on other people. The play draws parallels between his two adult children freeing themselves from their abusive father, the death of the old way of life and the rebirth of the new way of life as the allies win the war in 1945.

Style: A drama about a rough group of factory workers on the line and the day they get the news their factory is closing and their work is gone. It’s all they’ve ever known.

The Watch Below: A group of sailors on a boat in the war are isolated due to an outbreak of deadly meningitis. It’s a tension filled situation as the sick man is at first missing then aggressive and no one can get away.

Read other plays by American playwright James Campbell – The Ragged Trousered Philanthropsists – the musical.

Author: James Campbell

Type: Collection of one act plays

Genre: Comedy, theatre of the absurd, drama

Cast: Various from cast of 2 (First to see the lights go on) to 10 for Style.

Ages of the actors: All adult

Suitable for: Some of the plays are for adults only due to suggestions of sex and the occasional bad language.

Length: From ten minutes to forty minutes

Set: As per play

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – play dependent – plays tend to be character driven, and explore the human condition

Many of these plays are also available to purchase singly.

Read a Sample of the Script for Hossback

Read a Sample of the script for Murder in the Asylum

Read a sample of the script for Sunset on the Potomac

Read a Sample of the script for Baboons

Read a Sample of the Script for First to see the lights go on

Read a Sample of the script for Jumping the League

Read a sample of the script for The Restaurants are Screaming

Read a Sample of the script for Style

Read a Sample of the script for The Watch Below




Cost is $12 for the digital compilation.

Contact Off the Wall Plays with any queries about Snow in July, the play compilation

Copyright © 2015 James Campbell and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Others like it:

Mirror – a collection of ten minute plays all revolving around a mirror
The Dark Chronicles of the Golden Raven society – horror anthology
Holiday shorts – collection of plays for the holiday

Take my Wife, Please. Adult Comedy Script in two acts

adult comedy script

TAKE MY WIFE, PLEASE. ADULT COMEDY SCRIPT IN TWO ACTS

Stephen’s a womanizer and married to the ever faithful
Susan. Thomas is recently divorced and Stephen’s hapless and harried long-time best friend.  Stephen’s business is finally taking off. Stephen has a young, tantalizing girlfriend named Debbie. Stephen’s
life is great but for one thing-being married to  the annoyingly faithful Susan.  A real thorn in his side.  He wants to get rid of her, but how?

He hatches an idea to solve all his problems-he only
needs to persuade Thomas to seduce his wife, on video,
as grounds for divorce.  Will he do it? Or rather, her?

Take my Wife, please has had a full production history including productions in new York Off Off Broadway.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

TAKE MY WIFE, PLEASE Productions

Soaring Eagle Productions, New York, NY
Yorkville Players, York, South Carolina
Chester Little Theater, Chester, South Carolina
Yarmouth Arts Regional Centre, NS, Canada – 2019
The James F. Dean Community Theatre, SC, USA – 2021
Teatrul In Culise, Romania – 2022

The play was a favorite of the Rock Hill Little/Community Theater and produced 4 times between 1991 and 2006.

Rock Hill Little Theater, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill Community Theater, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill Community Theater, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill Community Theater, Rock Hill, South Carolina

Dinner Theater Productions
Raintree Country Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
Pine Lake Country Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
Rock Hill Country Club, Rock Hill, South Carolina
Tega Cay Country Club, Tega Cay, South Carolina
Rock Hill Country Club, Rock Hill,
On Stage Four Theater, Spartanburg, South Carolina
ImagiThéque Rock Hill, South Carolina

Read about American playwright Terry Roueche. Other full length plays by Terry – Parade Day – play about Roswell – a small town with big memories

Author: Terry Roueche

Genre: Adult comedy script, farcical comedy

Type: Two-act play

Cast: 2M 2F

Ages of the actors: Three middle aged, one F in her twenties

Suitable for: Adults, community theatre

Length:   One hundred minutes

Set: THOMAS’ Small Apartment

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – getting comic timing and farcical elements in it

Read a Sample of the Script

pay now shakespeare

Cost is $8.00 for this editor’s choice well produced script. Just Click Shakespeare!

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about Take my Wife, Please

Copyright © September 2019 Terry Roueche and Off the Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Other plays about adultery – both comic and serious:

The Mistress of Wholesome – one act comedy where the Mistress takes on the Wife
Cuckold – ten minute comic raunchy period piece
What Happens in the sky – drama about suspected infidelity

343 Union Street – comedy set in Brooklyn

comedy play set in Brooklyn

343 UNION STREET – COMEDY SET IN BROOKLYN

Gary and C.J. are just two regular guys from Brooklyn who, inspired by the hot day and the beer they’re drinking, decide that they are going to write a play. C.J.’s friend, Holly is currently in a play which to all accounts sound terrible, and they’re convinced that they could write something at least a little better than that one in this comedy set in Brooklyn.

After all, who knows what inspiration may just walk around the corner? For example, there’s Vinny, the ex boxer who lives in the same building. He went out every night and got beat up , just so he could support his sisters.  That’s a great story.  And how about the creepy old lady who lives in the building? She’s got to be known as “Killer” for a reason.  And the homeless guy on the corner? Rumor has it he’s the landlord’s brother and had it not been for a little incident, he would have been the landlord and not his brother. Plenty of material there!

Or they could just go to the store for more beer…

Other plays – Uncovered – a romantic drama by American playwright Greg Urbaitis.

Author: Greg Urbaitis

Genre: Comedy set in Brooklyn, character driven

Type: One act comedy play

Cast: 4M 1F

Ages of the actors: One older lady, four adults, two main characters young adult

Suitable for: All ages to watch and teens up to perform

Length: Fifteen to twenty minutes

Set: The front steps of a typical Brooklyn apartment building (but could be adapted to any apartment building)

Level of difficulty: 6/10 – easy play with easy lines. Character based.

Read a Sample of the Script




Cost is $5.50 for this new short digital comedy script

Don’t have Paypal? pay with a credit or debit card

Contact Off the Wall Plays with any queries about 343 Union Street

Copyright © May 2018 Greg Urbaitis and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Other plays set in American cities you may enjoy:

The things that happen in New York – drama about a couple losing their apartment
A Contemporary Christmas Carol – modern day Beverly Hills Scrooge
A mayor for Dixie – comedy about running for Mayor

The Passion of Mary – American historical play about the Quakers

American historical play

THE PASSION OF MARY – AMERICAN HISTORICAL PLAY WITH TOPICAL ISSUES

Forty years before the Salem witch trials, Massachusetts’ Puritans were hanging other Christians for slight differences of opinion. The play THE PASSION OF MARY details the importance of the Separation of Church and State in early America through the battles and life story of a young woman that builds self-awareness and confidence while keeping her sense of humor intact in this American historical play.

“It wasn’t just witches they were hanging, but their own.” This is the story of Quaker Mary Dyer, who was hanged by Puritans in the Boston Commonwealth in the 1600s.

Featuring a cast of historical characters including early leaders Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, plus England’s Lord Oliver Cromwell, the play starts as Mary buries her child that was stillborn and disfigured. Within weeks Mary’s world crumbles, first seeing her best friend kicked out of Boston where they had settled for over 16 years. Then the colony’s leaders discover the dead baby, and publicize to the entire community that Mary gave birth to a monster. She, too, is excommunicated, and scorned by her neighbors.

Mary ends up in Providence, Rhode Island, with others that were kicked out of Boston. The open-minded Roger Williams invites Mary to visit England with him. It is their hope to create a positive relationship with the Native Americans that live in the new colony.

In England, Mary becomes versed in the loving deeds of Quaker beliefs, and helps soothe the country’s leader Lord Oliver Cromwell through his many fears. Though respected in England, she wants to return home to the new world where her family lives.

Upon her return, Mary’s ship lands in Boston where the Puritans have declared the Quaker religion as illegal. She is arrested. Because her husband still has political ties with the Commonwealth, she is set free and ordered to never return. Mary returns, and is arrested yet again. One of her party is put to death. Mary’s husband, who has been fighting to keep his wife at home, realizes the Puritans’ cruelty, and finally offers his blessing for Mary to return again. His support allows her to sacrifice her life for religious freedom.

Upon Mary’s death, she is welcomed to the afterlife by her child, the one that the leaders of Boston referred to as a “monster.”

Read about playwright Anne Leighton.

Author: Anne Leighton

Type: American historical play, topical

Genre: Three act drama

Cast: 8M, 8F

Ages of the actors: Adult, one child

Suitable for: Teens up to perform and to watch

Length: 1.5- 2 hours

Set: Various – sets should be simple and easy to change

Level of difficulty: 8/10 – portraying a real historical character with the correct body language, tone and costumes

Read a Sample of the Script




Cost is $5.50 for this digital biography

Don’t have Paypal? Pay with a credit or debit card

Contact Off the Wall Plays with any queries about The Passion of Mary

Copyright © May 2018 Anne Leighton and Off the Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Other biographical and religious dramas:

Deliverance – play about Joan of Arc
The Serpent Under It – play about a medium Helen Duncan tried as a witch in World War 2
John Paul Excluded from Paradise – drama about faith

By the Rivers of Babylon – American Drama script

 American drama script

BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON –  American  Drama Script

It’s a small community, really, between two rivers to be exact, in Kentucky State. It is not much, but it’s theirs … or rather it was. In ‘’By the Rivers of Babylon” the  community of this quaint albeit thriving town is facing eviction by land developers, or is it the government, or rather big business.  Does it even matter whom? In this two act American drama script, the relationship between ‘the land’ and its ownership is explored through the eyes of wives, sons and grandpa’s, as families turn their faces up to a darkened sky of what was hope. The citizens of Kentucky’s ‘Babylon’ are in essence facing the firmament of ‘coulda’, ‘woulda’, ‘shoulda’ three words so tightly wound in regret that their chances of moving on both physically and emotionally from the land are as wide as it is a small community really, between two rivers to be exact.

“If we ever owned the land we own it still, for we never sold it…” – Native American Chief Joseph-Nez Perce

By the Rivers of Babylon was given two dramatic readings; one in Cincinnati and one in Hawaii. Read other topical plays by David Clear as clear – play about cowboys and the take over of Native American lands

Author: David Greenberg

Genre:  American Drama Script

Type: Two-act play

Cast: Main Characters: 3 – M, 2 – F Whole cast: 8M, 3F

Ages of the actors: All adult, many older.

Suitable for: All ages

Length: Two hours

Set: Various – the kitchen is central and various outdoor scenes

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – colloquial accents and mannerisms – getting them right

Read a Sample of the Script




Cost is $6.50 for this previously performed stage play as a digital script.

Contact Off the Wall Plays with any queries about By the Rivers of Bablyon

Copyright © November 2016 David Greenberg and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Other similar plays:

Riding a Peacock – African American family drama
Dislocations -m one act drama about a black man caught in the wrong place at the wrong time
Faith – a religious drama about an abused woman

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A Man’s Home – One Act American drama script

one act American drama script

A MAN’S HOME – ONE ACT AMERICAN DRAMA SCRIPT

In this one act American drama script, Frankie arrives to visit her parents in their Chicago home, bringing her partner, Claudette with her to introduce her to them. The family home has been put on the market and Frank and his wife Miriam are considering moving. Frank is a traditionalist and very set in his ways. The computer his daughter gave him is still in its box in the garage. The microwave is only used when he’s not in the house. He can’t even admit that Claudette is anything other than his daughter’s room mate. He’s also a controlling perfectionist – everything must have its place and be perfect.

To an extent, Miriam protects him from the world and lets him have his way, because his motivations are good – he wants the very best for his family, even though he tends to bulldoze his way through everyone to get it. When a family tragedy occurs, Frank is forced to confront who he is in order to come to terms with what has happened and learn to reach out to other people in his life.

Author: Donna Hopkins

Genre: American drama script

Type: One act play

Cast: 3M, 4F

Ages of the actors: Two in their early thirties, four in their 50’s-60’s and one middle aged to older.

Length: Thirty to thirty five minutes

Set: A 1940’s bungalow on the south side of Chicago with a For Sale sign visible

Left side – Frank’s workshop in the garage, shiny tools hung in orderly rows on a blindingly bright, white-washed pegboard,
an immaculate, spotless floor. In one corner a large object covered in bubble-wrap and a boxed computer. On the workbench a red vise.

Right side
An unintentionally retro kitchen, with a wooden
kitchen table and four chairs, a coffeepot

A screen door leads to the garden out back
Far right – Frank and Miriam’s bedroom

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – set may need to be adjusted or minimized for smaller stages

Read a Sample of the Script

pay now shakespeare

Cost is $7.50 for this digital play script. Just click Shakespeare!

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about A Man’s Home

Copyright © February 2016 Donna Hopkins and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Other family dramas for you to enjoy:

Memory palace – poignant family drama spanning generations
Chicken Salad – one act drama for two women
Daughter like you – British family drama about losing a daughter

A Deep Rural Tract – court case drama script

court case drama script

A DEEP RURAL TRACT – COURT CASE DRAMA SCRIPT

A DEEP RURAL TRACT is a full-length drama about a Mississippi family, the McMillans.

Mississippi Cotton farmer, Wilbur McMillan stands accused in the death of his wife, Lurene. A controversial 1979 trial takes place in a Townsey, Mississippi courthouse. The court has to decide if Lurene McMillan died accidentally or if Wilbur McMillan willfully shot his wife of many years.

Willis McMillan blames the father for the death of their mother. His outspoken accusations cause tension to be thick within the McMillan family. Bo, second oldest of the five siblings handles the situation quite differently from Willis. No one knew of his uncertainty concerning what occurred that day on the farm when the mother died as a result of gunshot but to get to the truth he conducted a secret investigation into his mother’s death.

Read about playwright Loretta Moore. Other plays by Loretta Moore.

Author:  Viney Loretta Moore

Genre: Court case drama script

Type: One act play

Length: One hour

Number of actors: Eight,  5M 3F

Ages of the actors: Adult 30’s to old age

Set: There are two sets – the courtroom and the family farm kitchen

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – accents which must be maintained.

Read a Sample of the Script

pay now shakespeare

Cost is $6.50 for this new digital play script. Just Click Shakespeare!

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about A Deep Rural Tract

Copyright April 2104 Loretta Moore and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Others like it:

Trailer Trash – drama for four actors
Early liberty – two act drama plays
Great land – a journey of discovery. And Elvis

Insurance on the Line – Ten Minute plays

buy a one act play online

INSURANCE ON THE LINE – TEN MINUTE PLAYS

A husband and wife insurance team, Jim and Lisa, are co-hosts on a radio show on which they answer insurance based questions for people that call in. The rosy bubble of their perfect lives bursts one day, with revelations that come out live on air in this ten minute satire.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

Oakwood High School, OH, USA – 2019

Read The worst law firm in Merry Old England – a full length farcical play by Leon.

Author: Leon Kaye

Genre: Satire

Type: Ten minute plays, one act plays

Number of actors: 4-5 – the smaller roles may be doubled. 2F 3M

Ages of the actors: Main characters late 30’s to 50’s, 1 young female caller and two others undetermined.

Suitable for: All ages

Set:
Slightly to one side but in a prominent location, a radio station announcing booth (or a table with two chairs behind it).

On the table is a microphone in front of each chair. On one or both sides is a telephone switchboard. Between the microphones is a fairly large “Kill” button. LISA and JIM sit at the table.
On the other side the three phone callers appear, holding a telephone receiver or cell phone to their ear. These actors are lighted only when “On.” The playwright’s choice is that the players are actually offstage, and we only hear their amplified voices.

Level of Difficulty: 6/10 – a nice short fast paced play for a small cast.

Read a Sample of the Script

pay now shakespeare

Cost is $8.00 for this digital play script. Just click Shakespeare!

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about Insurance on the Line

Copyright January 2014 Leon Kaye and Off The Wall Play Publishers

Like this play? Read some of our other short comedies

The Chicken or the Egg – a Political Satire
A Blind Date – a short one act romantic comedy
Guy Meets Girl – a one act short comedy play or routine