10 minute plays

[Katurian2]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 8:30pm

I 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]

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.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 4/9/07 at 9:47pm

Thanks for the suggestions! Any one else have any, or any more specific examples of 10 minute plays or "sketches"?

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]

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.

[mattonstage]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 12:43am

There'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.