10 minute plays
10 minute plays
#110 minute plays
Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:30pmI always hate going online for assignment help, but my theatre class is putting together a night of one acts and 10 minute plays. I have absolutely no idea where to start with the latter. Ten-minute play suggestions, anyone?
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#2re: 10 minute plays
Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:00pm
I loathe the form, and hate the idea of a sketch being called a play. But they are popular, and don't seem to be going away. Take a situation and find some interesting wrinkle -- conflict -- or surprise. An ironic twist. Think of Noel Coward's CAVALCADE, when the honeymoon couple stand mooning at one another on the deck of a ship, contemplating a rosy future, only to part and reveal a TITANIC life preserver. The O'Henry tag.
Or something that works for friends of mine: Write a 20, 30 or 40 minutes play, then separate the final ten minutes as a stand-alone. Sometimes, amazingly, it works. Audiences will be fascinated by what they don't know, and play catch-up. (Think how many times in acting classes that climactic scenes are more compelling.) Whatever you do, don't take the first ten minutes. Serve the old playwriting adage -- start as late in the story as you can.
#2re: 10 minute plays
Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:47pmThanks for the suggestions! Any one else have any, or any more specific examples of 10 minute plays or "sketches"?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#3re: 10 minute plays
Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:54pm
15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play.
I think this play is longer than 10 minutes, but you can take scenes out of it. It's HILARIOUS!
rf12792
Swing Joined: 3/26/07
#4re: 10 minute plays
Posted: 4/9/07 at 11:50pm
Find a copy of this book:
Take Ten: New 10-Minute Plays
Edited by Eric Lane and Nina Shengold
It is a actually a pretty good collection, with contributions by John Guare, Tony Kushner, Christopher Durang, David Mamet, and many others. There are 32 short plays in all.
#5re: 10 minute plays
Posted: 4/10/07 at 12:43amThere's a great 10 minute piece by John Wooten called "The Role of Della" Its a real tour de force for one of the actresses, and has a fun twist at the end. I'm not sure where to find it, but I believe it's in a short play collection. Good Luck.
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