One-Act & Short Plays

#HASHTAG

by Jonathan Rand

COMEDY

2-25 ACTORS (GENDERNEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

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The Acts Of Life

by Jonathan Rand

COMEDY

6-70 ACTORS (GENDERNEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

Through a series of metaphorical and literal comedic vignettes, THE ACTS OF LIFE follows one family across multiple generations as they grapple with those big stages: dating, marriage, childbirth, school, parenthood, and beyond.

LAW AND ORDER: RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS

by Jonathan Rand COMEDY

14-81 ACTORS (GENDERNEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

In the nursery rhyme criminal justice system, citizens are represented by two separate yet equally ridiculous groups: the nursery rhyme police who investigate nursery rhyme crime, and the nursery rhyme district attorneys who prosecute the nursery rhyme offenders. These are their stories.

Jonathan Rand is among the most popular playwrights writing today, his stage plays having been performed over 24,000 times in theatres across 65 countries. His one-act comedy CHECK PLEASE was the #1 most-produced short play every season for the last 16 years. His work is published by Random House, Smith & Kraus, Dramatics Magazine, and Macmilllan.

MUSINGS OF A CRAZY TEXICAN: Eight Short Plays

by Alvaro Saar Rios

This “crazy” collection of comedic short plays contains works that have entertained, inspired and sometimes offended. To be enjoyed by Texicans & non-Texicans across the country.

Juliana

1 WOMAN, 2 MEN

While rehearsing Romeo & Juliet, a Latina actress refuses to kill herself. She then discusses her reasons for wanting to change the ending of the play for the actual performance.

Menudo Pops

1 WOMAN, 2 GENDER-NEUTRAL

In an effort to help Latinx families maintain their culture, a company makes a commercial for menudo-flavoured popsicles.

Brown Only

1 MAN, 4 GENDER-NEUTRAL

When the director of Pancho Villa—The Musical refuses to let a Caucasian actor audition for the lead role, the actor pleads by sharing the historical tradition of white people portraying iconic Mexicans.

WHERE ARE YOU?

2 WOMEN

As the Covid pandemic rages on, a worried daughter makes a FaceTime call begging her joy-riding mother to return home and be safe. Mom has her own reasons for leaving the casa.

THE WANNA BE’S

3 WOMEN, 3 MEN

Six college students post hopes and dreams on Facebook while also revealing concerns about what will happen once they graduate.

The History Of Mexicans In 10 Minutes

3 ACTORS (GENDER-NEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

A fast-paced attempt to briefly tell 500+ years of Mexican history that includes human sacrifices, Aztec gods, smallpox, lisping Spaniards, and Mexicans with bad hair.

The Play About 2 Mothers

2 WOMEN

A young woman settles into her new apartment. A stranger appears with a key to the same apartment. They both discover a connection to their own mothers.

Psycho Gringa

1 MAN, 1 GENDER-NEUTRAL

After years apart, two friends reconnect. One recounts a disturbing tale that caused him to change his name, lighten his skin and disappear from his hometown.

Alvaro Saar Rios is a playwright and educator living in Chicago. His plays have been performed in New York, Mexico City, Hawaii, Chicago, and all over Texas. He has received commissions from Kennedy Center, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Alley Theatre, Purple Rose Theatre, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, and Zoological Society of Milwaukee. He is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and Playwright-In-Residence at Milwaukee’s First Stage.