Plays for All Year

64 pages

5 m, 14 w, 1 flexible part

If you're ready for some hard-nosed action, spying, deceit involving a stolen painting, a shady real estate deal, and an auto repair shop that's more a chop shop, stop in at the convent of St. Fermilda. The Sisters of Faith, Hope, and Charity are in the midst of all kinds of intrigue and they're not even sure how they got there! But don't think because they took vows of reverence and poverty that they'll let some hard-nosed hoods get the best of them. After all, the Sisters have work to do for the poor in this rundown neighborhood, and they're bound and deter...

52 pages

17 roles (minimum 4 m, 3w)

Here's a contemporary and comedic interpretation of the allegorical story of a man who learns he must prepare to meet his Maker, and then does! As his doom approaches, Everyman discovers that family, friends and fortune cannot accompany him, and that even strength, beauty, intellect and emotion are no match for the Grim Reaper; yet faith, hope and charity prevail. This timeless tale is especially intended for groups ready to move beyond religious skits and homily dramas to do something more challenging, less preachy, and more theatrical. And did we say funny?...

74 pages

8 m, 8 w, 2 flexible

All the fun and nostalgia of the '50s make this play a winner! Judy Harding's life as a 16-year-old isn't too sweet right now. Her dad can't find the money to fix up the family's soda shop; her older brother is flunking out of school; and her younger brother has retreated into a fantasy world of comic book superheroes since their mom died. To add to the dilemma, Judy has a major crush on a new student who's a mysterious loner. Enter Angela, a bumbling angel-in-training who must earn her halo by helping the Hardings. But when the shop is hit first by a fire an...

36 pages

3 m, 3 w

Amy Westmond and her husband Floyd, along with his brother and father who comprise a country music group, return to Amy’s home church. They reminisce and catch up on the gossip with Marie, the church’s housekeeper, and Betty, the choir director, who inspired Amy earlier but now seems to have somewhat of an attitude. The Westmonds are told that a search committee will be there for the evening hymn-sing to try to lure the church’s beloved pastor away. With the unseen organist who communicates through charades, they form a plan—a fake pastor and fake service! Ll...

38 pages

Cast: 3 m, 3 w with doubling or 4 m, 4 w, guest acts optional.

The year is 1960. “The Piety Variety Gospel Show” is a locally televised religious program that blesses folks between church services with music, religious news, and much more. But now the host, Brother Shelby Greene, faces a crisis. With new regulations that require him to start paying for his airtime, how will he raise the money and stay true to his calling? This is a comic tale about becoming a televangelist when selling religious items, having nice hair, and asking for money on air was something new. A singing quartet performs ten well-known hymns, and th...

48 pages

3 m, 3 w

In this play, six witnesses to the Sermon on the Mount recreate the experience for an early assembly of Christians. In the recreation, witnesses take turns acting as Jesus, audience members, and narrators of the story. Though much more entertaining and humorous than most translations of the Sermon, Jesus’s words in this version closely follow the original Greek in the order that He spoke them. This word order demonstrates the warmth and cleverness that Jesus used to draw people into His message. This allows audiences today to hear these words in an exciting n...

56 pages

3 m, 2 w

Buck Howard is a successful author but his personal life has been marred by the loss of his wife. Howard blames God for this tragedy. He also begins to blame God for every minor ache and pain that comes along. Finally, God decides to confront Howard and visits him in the form of a dapper little man who is somewhat of a klutz. Everything he does seems to turn out wrong and the audience is left wondering just what kind of Deity this is. But is he the stumble john that he appears to be or is it all an act? This very funny play says something important about how ...

76 pages

16 characters (approx. 8 m, 8 w)

You should never make a pact with the, well, you know, because the consequences can be disastrous. Jimmy Faust, Jr., great-great (etc.) grandson of the legendary Faust, makes that mistake. In exchange for his soul he first demands to be made valedictorian of his class, even though Essie outscores him on every test. Big mistake. Then he tells the, you know, that he wants a date with Deshara, the sexiest girl on campus. Bigger mistake. Greedily, he further requests great wealth. Biggest mistake. His friends and Essie disown him, and he becomes an outcast. But e...

56 pages

5 m, 6 w, 1 girl, optional Piano Player

Four strangers arrive in the little western town of Larrabie, Texas. One is a gunslinger looking for the man who shot his pa, another is a gambler looking for some action, the next is a snake oil salesman who promises to have anything anyone could ever need, and lastly is a preacher who offers the word of God. What follows is one of the most curious bets the gambler has ever seen, pitting the salesman against the preacher in a high-stakes game where lives – and souls – are on the line. With a loveable bunch of characters, from Liza, the soiled dove, to Old Su...

72 pages

6 m, 5 w

Early morning July 1, 1863. Gettysburg, Pa. As thousands of troops from both North and South amass for what will become one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, five teenagers from several local farms escape to the safety of the surrounding hills. There's the level-headed Eliza and her little sister, Justine, who's strong-willed; Georgina, whose mother has sheared her hair to make her look like a boy; and Rachel and Jeremiah, a brother and sister from a wealthier family. As they witness the horrors of battle over the next three days, the teens are force...

64 pages

7 m, 15 w, optional extras

Coco is a lovable French poodle who dies of a broken heart after being DOGNAPPED! Every pooch in doggie heaven gets one wish, and Coco’s wish is to return to school on the day of the mid-term dance. Her former owner, a teacher named Steve Ritter, taught Coco to “sing” and he planned to have her entertain. Coco was anxious to make him proud. Keeper, the basset hound in charge of such things, grants the wish but sends two other dogs to keep an eye on Coco as French poodles are inclined to be somewhat frivolous. The two other dogs are Alice, a blood-hound, and R...

51 pages

14 m, 1 w, 1 child (can be doubled to 10 actors)

The play tells the true story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor who led the resistance to Hitler in the German church. Narrated by his friend Eberhard Bethge, the play follows Bonhoeffer from his early years as a seminary professor, to leading his students to organize an underground seminary and distribute clandestine anti-Nazi literature, and finally to his joining the secret unit of German military intelligence plotting the death of Hitler. Arrested by the Gestapo, Bonhoeffer is sent to prison, where he is visited by relatives and his fiancée in a poignant scene. In a poetic chorus, his...

39 pages

5 m, 5 w

It is the future, a time when it is illegal to own a Bible or to proclaim any faith in Christ. The West family are true Christians. When their older friend Anna gives them a picture of Jesus, they are delighted, yet aware of the dangers of having it in their home. Even more distressing is the immediate threat of Anna's arrest. The government has ordered all those who refuse to deny their faith and refuse to pledge allegiance to the government to be put to death. After the soldiers take Anna away, the family knows they will probably be next. They wonder -- will their faith be strong enoug...

17 pages

2 m, 1 teen, 1 boy.

A young father holds his infant son, contemplating the son's future...and the father's influence on that future. A short, one-act play that takes both father and son on a journey into the future. A future full of innocence, shared victories, growing disobedience and emotional distance, crisis, reconciliation and ultimate hope. Humorous yet truthful, this is a perfect selection for your Father's Day event. It explores the unique relationship between a father and son, and how the future, so easily affected by the past, can be changed through faith and trust.

15 pages

From 1 to 7 men.

Here are two skits and a monologue that will enhance your Father's Day program. In "The Worth of a Father" Peter Saint from station W-O-R-D will humor you, as well as make you ponder what the role of a father is from God's eyes. "Father's Love" is a heartwarming monologue about a young soldier who shows the love of Christ to his sergeant. In "The Dueling Dads," Kenny B. Mediocre and Arthur Christians debate the importance of a father and his priorities. These skits can be used individually or all together with a program built around them. A must for your next Father's Day service.