Open Forum

Hello Beautiful Hive Mind,

Does anyone have a suggestion for a 60-90 minute play? I'm looking for this year's fall play. The director (who is an older volunteer) and the allotted rehearsal time need a shorter play... now more t2 1/2 hours plays for now.  And quite honestly, our community's attention span has grown shorter ovr the years as well.  It's time to make peace with this and find a good match. Last year we did the One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, (which we added an intermission to) and it was a blast!!!  Everything I like right now is just too long.  Comedies are preferred - but I'm open to other suggestion.  What ideas do you have?

With immense thanks,

Becky Beth

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[Becky Beth [Benedict]
[Theater Teacher, Director & Arts Dept Chair]
[The MacDuffie School
[Granby] [MA]
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Hi Becky,

You might take a look at these roughly 90 minute plays for your school:

PUBLIC SPEAKING 101 - Comedy / 2W, 3M  When a neurotic, amateur actress leads her community college class of terrified adults to compete in their county's First Annual Public Speaking Competition, their cross-currents, tongue-tied quirks and foibles escalate as the pressure builds.  https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/public-speaking-101/

ROMEO AND JULIET WALK INTO A BAR - Comedy / 15-20 Actors  A small midwestern college decides to stage Shakespeare's classic tale of young star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet with an all female cast. Add in a mysterious guest director with dubious credentials and a bizarre show concept, and anything might happen. Can the students rescue the bard from being hijacked? A smart, hilarious, thoroughly contemporary look at what the Bard might mean to us today.   https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/romeo-and-juliet-walk-into-a-bar/

JOURNEY TO THE POLES OF INACCESSIBILITY - Comedy / 5-15 Actors. Indiana Jones meets Around the World in 80 Days in this fantastical romcom! Dylan likes his safe life, working at an insurance company and living with his wheelchair-bound aunt. Then he meets Chris, a young woman of boundless energy, who's convinced magic is real and the last of it may be found at the world's most remote places, the Poles of Inaccessibility.  Fate intervenes and Dylan must circle the globe with Chris on an epic journey of discovery, comedy, danger, and love.  https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/journey-to-the-poles-of-inaccessibility/

JANE AUSTEN IN 89 MINUTES - Comedy / 4W, 3M.  In this uproarious comedy, narrator Jane Austen and a madcap cast of ladies and gents deliver condensed versions of all six of Jane Austen's beloved novels at a lightning pace, including modern day zingers about Austen's fame, fandom, movies, and TV series.  https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/jane-austen-in-89-minutes/

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Craig Pospisil
Vice President - TRW
TRW - Theatrical Rights Worldwide
New York NY
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Hello-- Here are some great suggestions! Let me know if you have any questions or need anything!

THE GOOSEGIRL (2, male, 2 female, 1 any gender). A hilarious adaptation of a German fairy tale. A spoiled princess trades places with her servant-and ends up herding geese. A witty, heartwarming romp about love, identity, and royal mishaps. Here's a link to a free perusal.

BE LIKE WATER (flexible casting; as many as 19+ actors (3 male, 4 female, 12 any gender); with doubling as few as 11 (2 male, 3 female, 6 any gender). Be Like Water is a dynamic high school play about a rule-following teenager who challenges a stereotypical dance role in The Nutcracker. This humorous, magical, and heartfelt production explores cultural identity, creativity, and the courage to break tradition. Perfect for high school stages, this play asks: Can traditions evolve? Here's a link to a free perusal. 

TECHIES: (3 male, 4 female, 6 any gender, optional extras). The lights are focused on The Crucible, but the real drama is offstage. When a juicy rumor hits the high school tech crew, everything starts to unravel: friendships, trust, and the illusion that backstage is a safe zone. Cue the power struggles, passive-aggressive clipboard wars, and emotional support Nutella. A fast-paced ensemble play about accountability, consent, and the blurred lines between truth and perception. Here's a link to a free perusal.

INNER SANCTUM (16+ actors, any gender). A thriller-comedy where a local high school girl vanishes just as a mysterious mobile game sweeps through town. As her friends uncover the game's sinister secrets and its connection to a shadowy tech company, they embark on a daring quest through time and space-both real and virtual-to stop the company's apocalyptic plans. Join this squad of amateur investigators on a gripping journey of mystery, friendship, and courage in this electrifying exploration of the blurred lines between reality and virtual worlds. Here's a link to a free perusal.

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Jason Sebacher
IL
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You could look at A Simpler Time. I'm pretty sure you can pick and choose which vignettes to include to meet your allotted time.

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Cassy Maxton-Whitacre
Theatre, Film, and Communications Instructor
Shenandoah Valley Governor's School
Fishersville, VA
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'Parody This!' might be a good option - it's very flexible in that you can pick and choose which scenes you want to use, so you can tailor it to your specific needs: https://www.yourstagepartners.com/parody-this

Similarly, 'Quest!' (https://www.yourstagepartners.com/quest) and 'Rogues' Gallery' (https://www.yourstagepartners.com/rogues-gallery) are very flexible and you can tailor the pieces to you needs.

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Brendan Conheady
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Here's a one act play for four African American actors ranging in age from 17 -72.  Deals with accepting change and moving on in the face of adversity.  

Copy and paste this link to read the play:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rRQWJ0VlgHcg_7OMvTKkPCEjnPI1UEYw/view?usp=sharing, or read it here. 

Best of luck, Deb Colony

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Mary Colony
VA
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Hello! Here are some plays that might fit the bill for you. These are all comedies and/or plays that are light in tone with a heartwarming ending--all 45-90 minutes

The Goosegirl. (5 actors, ~45-60 minutes). This is a laugh-out-loud adaptation of a German fairy tale; a spoiled princess switches places with her servant and ends up herding geese--and learning a few lessons along the way. Very witty and heartwarming. Preview the entire play for free: The Goosegirl | Gitelman & Good Publishers

Be Like Water. (19 actors, ~60 minutes). A Chinese-American high school student decides she doesn't want to perform an outdated version of The Nutcracker and ends up turning the entire production on its head. Deals with some sensitive topics in a really funny and smart way. Read the entire play for free: Be Like Water | Gitelman & Good Publishers

Year of Thirteen Moons (5 actors, ~65 minutes). A precocious, astronomy-obsessed girl turns 13 during the COVID lockdown, also a year that has 13 full moons. She navigates this coming-of-age period as her family bonds get tested--and ultimately grow stronger. Full of wry wit, heart, and cosmic wonder. You can read the entire script here: Year of Thirteen Moons | Gitelman & Good Publishers

Answer Key (11 actors, ~90 minutes). A rule-following, straight-A student leads a heist to expose the hypocrisy and corruption at her school's administration. This is a hilarious fast-paced heist with a lot of smarts and laughs. You can read the whole script for free: Answer Key | Gitelman & Good Publishers

I can make more suggestions if you want! Feel free to contact me directly :-)

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Jason Sebacher
Founder, Managing Editor
Gitelman & Good Publishers
Chicago, IL
jason@gitelmangoodpublishers.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-19-2025 20:42
From: Mary Colony
Subject: Looking for 60-90 minute play

Here's a one act play for four African American actors ranging in age from 17 -72.  Deals with accepting change and moving on in the face of adversity.  

Copy and paste this link to read the play:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rRQWJ0VlgHcg_7OMvTKkPCEjnPI1UEYw/view?usp=sharing, or read it here. 

Best of luck, Deb Colony

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Mary Colony
VA
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Silent Sky by Laurent Gunderson

Ohio State University's production of Silent Sky ran 90 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.

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Hans Offenfrish
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