plays by author playwright Donna Hopkins Archives

drama about death of a spouse

THE BEST POLICY – ONE ACT DRAMA ABOUT THE DEATH OF A SPOUSE

Death sets the tone for a chain of events that Penny DuPont did not
see coming when her husband, Bob, dies suddenly, leaving Penny,
their two boys and secrets behind. When she finds a ring hidden in his clothing, her suspicions come to a head in this drama about the death of a spouse. As Penny’s suspicions of Bob’s unlived life make her more uneasy by the minute, she tries to glue the pieces of what’s been broken back together and at the same time has to find a way to honour Bob’s memory for the sake of the boys and her own good sense. This one act drama explores the loss of a loved-one and the pursuit of contentment.

…and in death, life’s secrets are revealed.

Other plays – a Man’s home – family drama about a wife’s death by Donna

Author: Donna Hopkins

Genre: Family Drama about the death of a spouse

Type: One act play

Cast: 4M, 2F

Ages of the actors: Four adult, 2M boys/teens, any age

Suitable for: Actors of all ages and to perform to a cast of all ages but aimed at an adult audience.

Length: Twenty five to thirty minutes

Set: The living room of a middle-class home in a mid-sized town in
the Midwest, maybe Wisconsin. It’s decorated in shades
of brown with blue accents. Early dusk. A jack-o-lantern is
grinning eerily in the picture window. And in another scene: an office with desk and chair.

Level of difficulty: 7/10 – a character based play. Good for drama college/school

Read a Sample of the Script

Cost is $5.50 for this digital play script

Contact Off The Wall Plays with any queries about The Best Policy

Copyright © March 2017 Donna Hopkins and Off The Wall Play Publishers

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

The appointment with God – one act family drama
The things that happen in new York – a young couple loses their apartment in this one act drama
Mateo Falcone – classic tale of a father taking his own son’s life

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