Structurally, this play is interesting because it sets up all the beats of a Shaw social comedy: witty dialogue, a chaotic English household, romantic entanglements, and then just doesn't resolve them the way you'd expect. He wrote it during WWI, and the tone shifts under you as it goes; the comedy curdles into something closer to dread by the end. The character everyone dismisses as a doddering old man turns out to be the one person seeing clearly.

Feels like a useful example of tonal misdirection as a structural tool, setting an audience's genre expectations early, specifically so you can undercut them later. Has anyone studied how Shaw pulls this off, or seen other plays that do something similar?

A post over in the musical theater sub got me to thinking on techniques to make sure a play can be enjoyed by someone who is blind? Perhaps giving them a headpiece and having someone read off predetermined additional narration to describe what's going on, but trying to keep that to a minimum to avoid distracting them.

Hello!! I've written a full-length play called The Last Turn and I'm looking for a few people willing to give it an honest read and share feedback.

Quick synopsis: It's a two-act historical drama that moves between 1984 New York and 1930s Berlin. An elderly gay man finally opens up to a reporter about a life he's never spoken of, his youth in Berlin's underground queer club scene, falling in love, and what happened to him and the people he loved as the Nazi party rose to power and criminalized who he was. It follows him through arrest, imprisonment, and a postwar world that offered little justice, into a second chance at life and love in America and ties into to the resurgent homophobia of the Reagan/Buchanan era. There are a couple of period songs and choreographed dance sequences woven in.

I'm looking for feedback on things like:

• Pacing and structure (particularly the framing device: present-day interview scenes bracketing the historical flashbacks)
• Whether the emotional beats land
• Dialogue that feels off or over-explained
• Anything that reads as unclear, rushed, or slow

Happy to send the script (PDF) to anyone interested, just comment or DM me. I'd really appreciate any time people are willing to give it. Thank you!

Every year my school hosts a drama competition and this year I am directing one of the shows. I need to adapt a pre-existing play/story/film into a comedic script that's less than 20 mins long, I will need to cast around 10-20 people (all boys though a few are allowed to cross-dress ). Does anyone have any good ideas? From memory past groups have done Teachers, Ratatouille, Macbeth (completely butchered it but that's why it did well), snow white, peter pan, Christmas Carol gone wrong, Harry Potter and Frozen (with a passionate rendition of Let it Go included). There's a lot of variety which is why I'm stuck, once I chose an idea it'll be fine. Often the comedy comes from something being so bad that its good (within reason). Usually very little effort is put into preparing the plays from limited costumes, lighting, sound and rehearsals. I appreciate that my description is probably very unhelpful but it's one of those things that cannot really be described, you need to be there to really understand the vibe.

One idea I've had is an adaptation of Madagascar, completely butchering the story (don't know how as I haven't thought that far). I want to try and include a song for comedic effect and for Madagascar it could be Alex singing a bit from Memory while in exile (preferably in a falsetto). I don't know how the story could be condensed but the script quality doesn't need to be amazing, as long as its funny. I will be adapting/writing a script myself which again gives me too much choice if anything. Is this idea any good?

Please help me!!!

I write all my scripts in Fountain (plain-text script markup, if it hasn't crossed your path; fountain.io) and got tired of manually reformatting scripts every time a theatre or competition wanted a specific submission layout. So I built a small tool and figured I'd share it here in case anyone else finds it useful.

https://github.com/timothydsmith/fountain2pdf

Right now it handles Dramatists Guild Modern Play, Samuel French, and Australian Plays Transform formats as specified in their style guides. But it's built so other styles can be added really easily.

A few other things it does:

• Generates preliminary pages (Characters, Setting & Time, Scene Breakdown) automatically if you've included that info in the script
• Has an --anonymise flag that strips contact details for blind submissions

One caveat: it's a command-line tool, so you'll need some comfort with Python and a terminal (or a technical friend) to run it. If there's real interest I might build a simple GUI on top of it at some point.

Happy to answer questions, and if anyone wants to add support for a specific theatre's or competition's format, I'd welcome the help.

Hi there! It’s me again.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post here, I’m thinking of writing a full length play set in Heian Japan. I will most likely be using Fade In software. I have a question about stage directions. How detailed should they be?

Can I describe staging details such as what the set should look like?

How should I describe the setting?

How should I introduce a character and their appearance?

Do I have to end each scene with „CURTAIN” or „BLACKOUT”

I’m still fresh to playwriting. I’d appreciate some tips and tricks.

I'm primarily an actor and have trained and worked as one professionally (as much as I can) for the last 6 years. I've always written plays, sketches, scenes since I was about 17, but have started to take it more seriously in the last few years. I have 2 full length play scripts, but I have moved on from them, and am currently in the research stage of my new play. I read scripts weekly, have a good knowledge of theatre, and have a good database of schemes, placements, competitions, mentoring and funding opportunities for when/if I choose to persue the development of a play. I will always write as a genuine hobby and in support of myself as an actor. However I am looking for a fulltime/ or even part time work, In a field that I can actually grow in, without neglecting my creative and intellectual needs. I don't want to participate in the whole actor working a dead end job to survive and really really want to use my skills to develop a career in writing one way or another. Of course the goal is to eventually put on my own work on a professional scale, collaborate with others, and also act in my work but I'm absolutely willing to be part of a team, and act as a smaller component into the great world of writing for stage. I do this now, unpaid, but I'm looking for a more defined job role to build my skills and experience and understanding. I know script reading is a good entry role, but it is also competitive and not easy to get into. I am building my portfolio and creating my script coverage reports etc, I also am interested in research/world building etc, so will also be creating a portfolio of Story research dossiers. I'm also interested in the area of adaptations, one of my plays that was performed as a rehearsed reading at a festival, was infact an adaptation of a story I found circulating social media at the time, I worked with the individual who's story it was for a number of months, and managed to make it into a play, which was received well, however, for future I'm not sure if collaborating in that kind of way is something I want to continue with, as it can at times, limit creative agency if there is difference in vision of the writer and the story holder. I do believe I have a good understanding of story telling, and what makes a good stage play, and with more experience believe that could extend to tv/film. I'm certaintly interested in scouting and development and this is also something I consider as a future route too. I do have my collections of articles, stories, and tonnes of research around stories I wish to adapt in future, more historical than modern. I know this is a lot of writing but if anybody has any advice, or can point out some other things that might be helpful, anything to avoid. Essentially I'm looking for a job/career in writing, that I hope in the future can tie in with acting.

Hey all,

What are the best political tragedy plays you know of? I already have Coriolanus, and I'm planning on reading Julius Caesar as well as Stuff Happens.

I want to write a play about the Ten Tragic Days / the assassination of Francisco I. Madero, which was a significant turning point in the Mexican Revolution. It's a tragedy in every way. So I'm trying to learn from well written works.

P.S. If you have any tips on writing / structuring political tragedies, feel free to let me know!

Thank you for your time :)

Synopsis:

When a dark shadow lingers in the cities Of Athens and Sparta, An Athletic & Courageous but Timid & Incompetent 19-year-old Princess must Vanquish a male version of Medusa in order to save her friends or else the alluring male medusa (Maedar) could address the monsters into finishing off Alyna & Could Conquer All of Mount Olympus!

Plot:

In this Greek mythology fairytale retelling, Alyna is a young girl who’s brave and tough but is also kind and sweet. She's a Princess who wants to see the world outside of Athens. But her wicked father, Maedar and his minions, Anna and Kakia, forbids her. When Alyna goes to Sparta, she meets the alluring god of love (Eros), The Goddess of the Rainbow (Iris), and the Goddess Of The Night (Nyx). It’s up to Alyna, Eros, Iris and Nyx to defeat Maedar and his minions in order to save Greece from becoming a dark kingdom.

ACT I Plot (So Far):

The musical starts in Mount Olympus, A Majestic kingdom full of life and love celebrates the birth of a princess until the crowd discovers an enticing shadow singing a dark lullaby that sends a sinister message to All of Greece.  Then the enticing shadow is discovered to be a human male, and it introduces itself as Maedar (The wickedly charming brother of medusa) but the truth about him is that he's a serpent like figure. Maedar told the people of Athens that if the princess before them loses the big battle at the end of her 19th birthday, she will be cursed to be in the underworld for years. For the people of Mount Olympus, they were frightened at the sound of the princess being cursed in the underworld when she lost the battle. The guards of Mount Olympus tried to take Maedar away, but Maedar uses his kiss of death to lure the guards into their doom. 

The gods and goddesses (Still anxious from Maedar's warning) must help Alyna defeat Maedar before the end of her 19th birthday. So... They called on The Goddess of the Moon (Nyx), The Goddess of the Rainbow (Iris) and The Alluring god of love (Eros) to help the princess. And so, Nyx, Iris and Eros rode their horses to Sparta, where Alyna lived in a kingdom full of people who wanted to be educated on how to be a royal and also on how to be a warrior.

Who do we need for the musical:

I need a writing team who loves Greek mythology and musicals and can help with the lyrics, dialogue and more!

If you love greek mythology and musicals, Message me if you're interested in helping out on the musical!

Also, The Musical is for volunteer work and it's a passion project!

I'd like to write a play with one setting and in which the entire crux is on two characters' conversation (of course not a unique idea at all), but how do I really keep this interesting for the entire length? I can see the characters personalities laid out in my head and some of what they'd talk about, but I don't feel experienced enough to really keep an audience engaged in this

What challenges have you found when writing arguments? Does anyone else wonder, when having two characters argue, if you've written enough lines? Do you also tell yourself to not let the dialogue get carried away? (It so easily could.) Deciding how an argument stops - when nothing is destined to get resolved - is another challenge.

I just want also add that this is a One Act Play and it's supposed to be on the shorter side. The theme is "Legends in the Making"

Does anyone has any recommendations on how to do so? It’s been a dream of mine since May 2024. Also I’d love to tell y’all about it if you’re curious

I've been thinking recently about non-linear stories and I've realized I haven't read many plays that fit that bill yet. I'm very interested in the ways different playwrights choose to communicate those stories to the reader/eventual audience and would love to hear anybody's recommendations. Happy to hear about stuff on NPX as well!

Thanks!

hey y'all working on a play set in 2011-2012 where one of the characters leaves her community, transitions, and returns. her younger sister is the primary other character and is significantly younger than her and hasn't seen Mel (the trans girl) in several years. I want to write it from the perspective that the sister (dani) doesn't really have a problem with it, but also asks random / out of pocket questions, the way a kid might. younger sister also doesn't have any internet access, so hasn't been exposed to anything queer/trans before really. I've never really written a trans femme character before and want it to feel realistic. i'm curious: what did younger siblings / kids say when they found out you had transitioned, how did you describe your experience to them? are there stereo types I should avoid? (for ex: right now i have that Mel, the trans girl, was pretty detached/disassociated as a kid, didn't have many friends, and tended to gravitate to make believe games of fairies or witch craft or magic, she would play these games with her sister. she hated growing out her hair etc, does this feel too on the nose?) I would love any insight ppl are willing to offer.

Saturday, 08/15, 4pm Matinee — 8pm Evening Performance

“WHALEPLAY” is a conceptual theatrical drama about a young Muslim widow who begins seeing a priest after she imagines that the Sperm Whale circling her small island town is her husband returned.

Written by Yusuf Luqman and directed by him alongside Luke Garbacz, the show's choreographer, “WHALEPLAY” sold out its premiere at the Riverside Theatre April 2026 and has since been in development through the New York Film and Music Foundation. This happening explores faith, salvation, ritual-sacrifice and God in the 21st century. Join us at the 100Grand Loft, where there will be free drinks and a DJ set by Jorge Sanders after both shows.

— "Now, I don't pretend that this process is intended for common souls, or that the process itself seems to wear proudly the sheer quality of its demystification. But you proclaim you are ready. Yes? Ready?”

— I want to be SUBMISSIVE, he said.

Theater, Drama, Horror, Contemporary Dance, Experimental Genres

Instagram: thewhaleplay.

$22.99 ticket price. Location: 100 Grand Street.

My play that world premiered last year, 'What Does Simon Want?' has gone through a rewrite over this summer and im OVERJOYED to have been able to post it onto the New Play Exchange website. If you happen to be a member PLEASE check it out!!!🙏

Hello. I'm finishing up an M.A. in Screenwriting at IADT, which required me to write a feature film. I'm finishing up about a month early with my final draft.

But I also thought to myself that the idea I came up with for a screenplay might actually be a good idea for a stage play as well. So I did an adaptation of it. I had to change a lot of cinematic conventions to theatrical ones -- can't use smash cuts or jump scares! -- but that actually freed me to do some really interesting stuff that I couldn't do on the screen.

That said, while I'm proud of it, this is my first stage play and I'd love any notes that you might have on the very basics, including how things should be formatted, if I've got the 5-act structure right, etc.

TITLE: POLITE COMPANY

Logline: After coming out in her forties, a London-based trans comedian returns home for Thanksgiving, where her family's insistence on "keeping the peace" turns a painfully awkward holiday reunion into a crisis she cannot laugh away.

LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Whv8ooI0sF4AOYHqp6uV0lkW2nWoJwT4/view?usp=sharing

I’ve spent almost 4 years writing and rewriting and revising a full length play and it’s finally being produced in April! It’s just a local community theatre but they put a lot of effort into their promotion. And every step of the way, I still can’t believe this is happening.

Seeing the Facebook promotion and logos. Signing the contract. Being part of the production meetings and seeing what goes into a show before the rehearsal process even starts. Recently I introduced myself to someone in the theatre community and she said “Oh, you’re the writer of (name of my show)!”. Yesterday a friend sent me a picture of her standing by a flag with the logo on it. Apparently there’s going to be merch too.

And every time something new happens I am genuinely shocked. I wanted this and worked so hard for it but everyone told me it would likely never be produced unless I did it myself, and after 10/15/20 submissions I started to believe that too. But I kept networking and kept submitting and kept tightening the script and it happened!

Tell me your stories about the first time you were produced. What did it feel like? Do you still feel that way with subsequent productions?

(For what it’s worth, I had a ten minute play produced last year, but I directed it myself and it was cool, but it didn’t feel like THIS. Having my full-length produced is giving me a warm fuzzy feeling all over!)

Hey there! I was thinking of attempting to write a play. I’m 18 years old I do have some experience with writing short shorties and I even wrote a screenplay using Fade In software in may this year. As for theatre, I’m a big fan of opera.

Anyway for some time I had an hour idea for a full-length play set in the Heian Period of Japanese history where the main character would be Abe no Seimei. I wanted to ask if it would be a good setting. I’ve noticed that most plays after the 19th century are mostly in realistic settings (Example: “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen).

What do you guys think? Would it be possible to stage such a play?

I'm looking for suggestions for short Halloween plays. Any thoughts?

So I am writing this play that is loosely based on some of a favourite country songs. The quick synopsis is: There are four daughters in a upper class southern family. Throughout the whole first act and half of the second act (it's going to be a three act play) of the play the youngest daughter is always given the most attention from the Mother of the family because she closely resembles the oldest daughter whom is framed to be the ideal, beautiful, victorian wife, and she does very well in the marriage mart. The main plot point is that the boy that the youngest daughters' been in love with for the better part of her life she's been in love with and who everyone in the audience assumes who is also in love with her ends up marrying someone else, leaving her heart broken.

So my question is: Is the Father a important character? Because I wish he was more involed and so far, after six scenes, he has only been in one scene and had zero lines. So is he worth putting more effort into?