NOT YOUR MOTHER’S GOOSE! is a high-energy, laugh-out-loud romp through Gooseville, where nursery rhymes come to life—and fall apart in the most delightful way! When Hickory the clock-mouse ditches his post, the enchanted Tickety-Tock Clock grinds to a halt, unleashing chaos: time unravels, day turns to night without warning, and rain refuses to fall. With the 100th Annual Peter Pumpkin Eater Harvest Festival at stake, it’s up to the ever-rhyming Mother Goose, the mischievous Itsy-Bitsy Spider, precocious Jack, contrary Mary, and a lovable cast of nursery rhyme characters to restore order. Full of clever wordplay, wild schemes, magical mishaps, and heartwarming lessons about friendship and community, NOT YOUR MOTHER’S GOOSE! is a fast-paced theatrical farce that turns childhood classics upside down—and right-side up again.
Length: One Acts
Shows that are under about 60 minutes, and typically performed in schools for competitions.
At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen
Courtney Berringers would like to welcome you to her wake! But—make no mistake—this ain’t your grandma’s funeral. AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN is an imaginative one-act play that uses magical realism, mythology, drama, and drag to tell the story of a pair of drag queens living (and dying) in rural Georgia in 2004. From African Gods and Goddesses to Trina and Whitney Houston, AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN explores identity, illness, and the celebration of Black, queer life in the rural south. Come party at the wake. Bring your own heels!
Jane Austen in 39+ Minutes
An abridged version of James’s JANE AUSTEN IN 89 MINUTES with optional scenes to extend its length.
In this uproarious, clever, engaging comedy, narrator Jane Austen and a madcap cast of ladies and gents deliver condensed versions of all six of Austen’s beloved novels at a lightning pace, including modern day zingers about Austen’s fame—and fandom. Fans will be delighted, although no knowledge of Austen’s work is required to enjoy the play, which basks in the glory of her major works, while also poking fun at their pitfalls—a hilarious and loving homage to the celebrated English writer whose insightful wit and romantic stories are treasured across the world today.
Sitting Ducks
A delightful and hilarious entertainment awaits all in this gathering of absurdly inspired short plays. These tales of life and love feature shamelessly zany characters and locales and are full of twists and surprises—from a radio station in rural Arkansas with Bubba, a long-time on-air personality who realizes he may have gone too far when he spills some of the town’s juiciest secrets, to a year-round Christmas shop where the overworked proprietress slowly unravels as she attempts to train a new crew of seasonal ‘elves’. You’ll travel back in time to meet three sisters in the tiny town of Fayro, Texas, who are reeling from a huge family secret being revealed just minutes before Lady Bird Johnson rolls into their community for a whistle-stop picnic. Then brace yourself for a quick descent into an unusual locale—hint: it’s really hot down there—for a wickedly explosive men’s support group with Napoleon and Nero as they welcome a newbie into their ranks. Back in a slightly cooler climate—Florida—you’ll get to know a group of wise-cracking husbands who regularly gather on the benches at a discount department store as they wait for their wives to shop ‘til they drop, and watch their extreme reactions to a wife joining their group on the bench for the first time. Not to mention visits with two women having big trouble controlling a giant balloon in a nationally televised Thanksgiving Day parade, a man delivering a singing telegram who has a badly timed mid-life crisis, and a party planner desperately trying to buoy spirits during a gathering for a destination wedding on a disaster-plagued tropical isle. With all that, you have the ingredients for a delicious buffet of comedic delights. With no set required, this easy-to-produce show is perfect for smaller stages. As this flat-out funny Jones Hope Wooten comedy proves, when it comes to life and love, we’re all just sitting ducks!
right before I go: School Edition
Stan Zimmerman (The Golden Girls, Roseanne, Gilmore Girls) brings to life the last words written in letters by individuals lost to suicide—including celebrities, veterans, kids that were bullied, LGBTQ, and the clinically depressed—and those who have survived suicide attempts. Since its acclaimed first performance at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2015, the play has traveled across the country, raising awareness and offering hope for suicide prevention.
The Name Jar
After her first day of school in America, a young, Korean, immigrant girl decides to change her name to something “easer to pronounce.” With the enthusiastic help of her new classmates, she soon has a jar filled with exciting new names. Will she choose a new name? Or will she find value in her own?
The Little Mermaid
Awakened by a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, a family passes the time by weaving their own wondrous and joyful mermaid tale, using comedy, music, and dance to bring the timeless story of love and adventure to life. Hans Christian Andersen’s once cautionary tale about a disobedient girl is transformed into a magical journey that encourages young people to listen to their hearts and choose the right path even when it’s a difficult one.
TRW Presents: Women’s Monologues, Volume 1
TRW is pleased to offer this exceptional and diverse collection of monologues, thoughtfully selected from the rich tapestry of plays we are proud to publish.
These outstanding monologues come from an eclectic group of contemporary playwrights, each with distinctive voices and styles — comic and dramatic, experimental and naturalistic, traditional and innovative — and written for a wide array of characters.
In this book, we know you’ll find monologues that are perfect for your auditions and theater classes.
Imaginary: Young@Part®
This is the authorized Young@Part® edition of IMAGINARY. This show is an exciting, funny and inspiring musical about the wonder of childhood, the power of the imagination and what it means to grow up.
Milo is Sam’s only friend and they spend all their time together, using only their imaginations to transform their world into a place of adventure and excitement. But as Sam’s first day at a new school approaches, his mother worries that Milo is holding her son back, stopping him from growing up. School turns out to be full of surprises – and secrets. With a cast of adults and kids, IMAGINARY centers on an enduring friendship with otherworldly twists and turns that change lives forever.
Finding Voice
Conceived and Created by The Educational Theatre Association and The Cincinnati Black Theatre Artists’ Collective
Featuring Monologues by Candice Handy, Ariel Mary Ann, Derek J. Snow, and Torie Wiggins
Finding Voice: New Works for Young Theatre Artists of Color features newly created monologues and works from four dynamic Cincinnati Ohio Black playwrights written for use exclusively by High School and Middle School aged students of color.
Created through a partnership between the Educational Theatre Association and artists from the Cincinnati Black Theatre Artists’ Collective, Finding Voice brings the authentic voices of Black youth to a series of monologues perfect for use in monologue competitions and educational settings to add to a young actor’s repertoire.