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G.L. Horton's One-Act Plays

All these plays are © copyrighted by G.L. Horton. Please Contact the author for permission to perform or to make any other use of any of these plays. Be sure to mention the title of the play you want!

listen to this playThis symbol in the text below means you can listen to this script. Click on the headphones to return here. Then select the name of the play from the list on the left. Move your mouse over the list to scroll up or down, then click to play the selection.

I am a student of Dobson High School, and I am requesting to use your one-act play "Help Wanted" for a project my Drama Teacher has assigned me. As you stated on the website, I must have an okay from you to use your script. Allowing me to use it will be a great help for me. --AY

GLH replies: Yes, you may. For an in-class presentation, this is all the permission you need. If it's public and tickets are sold there are formalities: simple, can be done via email-- but another step.



listen to this monologue on podcast * The 10:04 to London—In Love and War
(2003) Worldly beauty "of a certain age" talks with a screenwriter, hoping that a film of her life story would both make her rich and free her from her dangerous past. Comedy/drama; 1 woman, 20 minutes.

* The 11:08 Brighton from London/Victoria
(2003) The backstage boys from London invite an American theatre fan to join the oldest established permanent rolling cast party. Comedy/drama; 1 woman, 2 men, 30 minutes.

* The 12:22 Brighton
(1999) Pamela, a divorced career girl from the suburbs, rides the commuter train back and forth to her glamour job in London. However, Pamela's latest romantic coupling threatens to veer off the track. Comedy/drama; 1 woman, 20 minutes.

     
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* All For Love
(2001) As a practical romantic, Aunt Maxie knows just what her old friend Bertha needs, so what can her niece Barb do but help?-- even if Maxie's scheme is so far on the shady side of legality that it might be called "kidnapping". Comedy; 2 mature women, 1 young woman, 1 old man, 10 minutes.

* Autumn Leaves
(1999) Neighborhoods, career paths, courtship customs-- Janet has grown old enough to know that everything changes but the changing seasons and her childlike heart. Comedy; 1 mature woman, 1 young woman, 1 young man, 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* (Autumn Leaves II) One Fiery Leaf  listen to this monologue
(2000) A stand-alone sequel to "Autumn Leaves". When Ann's marriage has gone sour, she knows she can count on her mother, Janet, to help her out. But Janet's advice takes an unexpected turn. Comedy; 1 mature woman, 1 young woman, 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* Best Practice
(2008) When Mrs Cradditch is very sick but uncooperative, a social worker intervenes. Drama; two mature women, hospital bed. 10 minutes.

* Beyond Measure
(1998) Revenge is a dish best enjoyed cold, and Grace has been cooking up hers ever since her husband dumped her for Paulette, a younger lighter Second Mrs. MacPrick. 1 mature woman, and 1 woman between 10 and 20 years younger than the first. Drama; 10-15 minutes.

* Cast Spell
(1985) The closing night cast party of a failed musical turns dangerous when the actors begin to dabble in the occult. Thriller; 2 men, 4 women, no set (i.e.backstage) 35 minutes.

* Christmas at Grandma's: What Big Teeth You Have!
(2005) A family squabble about whether to visit grandma for Christmas. Drama; 1 man, 2 women, minimal set, 10 minutes.

listen to this monologue* Conventional Behavior
(1984, 1996) In this romantic comedy set at a Boston Science Fiction Convention, is love just a role playing game? Or is there real magic in a virtual world? Weird Costumes. Science fiction comedy; 3 men, 3 women, 40 minutes.

* Cyberscripture Part I: Unplugged
(1998) Panacea, a messianic visionary, loses her cool when she loses her access to the InterNet. Science fiction; 2 women, 1 (optional) security guard either male or female, office set, 15 minutes.

* Cyberscripture Part II: Revelation
(2000) Panacea consults her ancient mentor, Hypatia, and enlists Captain Goober to bring down the towers of Mammon and establish Pantopia. Science fiction; 2 women, 1 man.

 * The Dark Side
(2008) IT professional Joanne has just been laid off; two former colleagues cheer her up by predicting the end of civilization. Dystopian Drama; 2 men, 1 woman: ages and ethnicities may be decided by the director. 10 minutes.

* Deus Ex Machina
(1982) Aspiring Playwright calls on Dionysus and Euripides for help in winning a drama contest. Comedy; 3 men, or 2 men and 1 woman, no set, 15 minutes.

 
Video—Part 1   Video—Part 2

* Dream Music
(2004) A colorfully dressed pair of musicians from opposite ends of the world describe for a New Age gathering how they found each other through their dreams. Drama; 1 man, 1 woman, no set, 10minutes.

* Elegy
(1992) Is talent all that counts? The pressure is on, in spite of the idyllic setting of a summer music festival. Drama; 2 women, 1 man, no set, 15 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* Fantasia for String Trio
(1999) Harassed Harry drives his kids to camp while fantasizing improved models of wives #1 and #2. Comedy; 2 women, 1 man, 45 minutes.

 * The Gender Agenda
(1983) Members of a liberal church's Women's Committee plot a protest for equality at the upcoming denominational convention. One of them is a transexual. Comedy/drama; 1 man, 3 women, 50 minutes.

 * Happy Hour
(2003) When addiction meets malice: Members of a perfect marriage, who share the same evil obsession, advise a quarreling couple to learn from their example. Comedy/drama; 2 man, 2 women, 40 minutes.

* Heaven and Hades
(2000) The Creative Team brainstorms a killer TV commercial. Comedy; 4 actors in the cast: their ages, genders and ethnicities may be decided by the director. 20 minutes.

 * Help Wanted
(2003) Group of unemployed people in support group try to keep their spirits up while their desperation level rises. Drama; 2 men, 3 women: ages and ethnicities may be decided by the director. 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast * In the Dark
(1997) Two people who have been very close go on retreat at a New Age summer camp and come to a crossroads in their relationship. Comedy/drama; 2 women and 1 man, or 2 men and 1 woman (the pair's genders are optional), a tent, 10 minutes.

listen to this monologue* In the Livery of the Immortals
(2004) INGRID, a large handsome woman who wears a Tee shirt that sets her apart from the the Mortal and Mundane, reveals the inner workings of another, brighter World-- of Swords and Sorcery, of Stars and Warriors. Comedy/drama; 1 woman, 10-12 minutes.

* Jenny Does Shakespeare
(2003) Technical difficulties and stage fright overwhelm a high school student when she stands before the ASS (American Shakespeare Society) trying to read her honors paper titled "Shakespeare and the youth of today." Comedy; 1 young women, offstage voice, no set, 25 minutes.

* Kintry Matters
(2003) A randy student c. 1700 wagers that he can smuggle a barmaid into his college rooms. This prank is made more complicated because he must hide the doxy not only from his tutor and the University's authorities, but from his vatlet Kintry, who is not an ordinary manservant but an actor pretending. Comedy; 2 young women, 2 men, one young, college room, 30 minutes.

* Kiss The Twins For Me
(2011) Their loving mother has disappeared, revealing that she has a secret -- or perhaps a whole secret life? Can even a close family ever really know each other? Drama; 1 mid- 30s woman, 2 30s men, her older and younger brothers; an empty room, 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* A Late Lunch
(1998) Two old friends try to find common ground in spite of the different directions their lives have taken since one of them became a mother. Comedy/drama; 2 women, 10-15 minutes, one table in a restaurant.

listen to this monologue* And the Lion Shall Lie Down With....
(1997) On spiritual retreat at a New Age summer camp, a love-making couple is interrupted by an other worldly cry. Comedy; 1 man, 1 woman, 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* The Lost Prince of Paradise
(2004) Does Fuzzy have a sex problem? Or is it just that after Paradise, it's downhill all the way? Drama; 1 man, 1 woman, 10 minutes.

* Oh, Baby, Baby!
(2002) A belly dance instructor shows her class secrets of the traditional moves, revealing what it is like to dance on the knife's edge in the Middle East. Comedy/drama monologue for 1 woman dancer. No set-- Bare stage. 10 minutes.

* On Speaking Terms
(2010) Sparks fly when a divorced couple come face to face at a family party. Comedy; 1 man, 1 woman, 1 chair. Suggested ages 30s to 50s. No set-- Bare stage. 10 minutes.

hear monologue on podcast* One More Time
(2003) Sharon can't seem to free herself from her obsession with a notorious heartbreaker. That's what friends like Marva are for-- or isn't it? Drama; 2 women, no set (Bare stage with bench) 10 minutes.

* One Song
(2010) Libretto for a mini-opera. A mother's ghost reaches out to her unhappy daughter. Musical Drama; 2 women, no set, 10 minutes.

* Party, Party: Tea and Antipathy
(2011) Civil War breaks out in a suburban household when a family of liberal Democrats discovers that Grandma is a disciple of Glen Beck and wants to recruit the grand kids. Comedy; 2 women, 60-80 and 30-40, 1 man, 30-45 , 2 children, boy 9 and girl 12, 10 minutes.

* Playing In the Bush League
(1992) Three Cambridge matrons try to use the theatre to turn political chitchat into participatory democracy. Interactive political; 3 women, 1 man, presentational, with doubling and improvs. 55 minutes.

* Pregnant Pause
(2004) When a maternity shop is "upscaled" with thongs and silk exercise outfits from new management, will its pregnant manager and sales clerk get screwed? Political satire; 3 young women, 1 man, 10 minutes.

* Regency Romance
(1981-1999) Two working-class young women, frustrated by the prosaic men in their lives, escape into Romantic Fiction. Romantic comedy; 1 man, 2 women, 35 minutes.

* Rehabilitation
(2006, 2008) A recovering, wounded female soldier in a wheelchair and two of her civilian high school friends cope with the war in Iraq. Political drama ; 1 man, 2 women, 25 minutes.

* Ruling Passion
(1982) The Duxbury Ladies Literary Society holds a costume contest to select the Outstanding Woman of History. Finalists: Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Mary Queen of Scots. Satiric comedy; 4 women, 1 man, no set, 50 minutes.

* Sacred Space
(1985) Members of a church's social action committee risk all to test the ancient religious ideal of Sanctuary-- for Central Americans fleeing the CIA-supported Contras. Political drama; 3 women, 3 men, no set, 55 minutes.

* Sarah of Wasilla
(2008) Gorgeous Sarah of Wasilla is inspired by the biblical story of Esther, and grows up to be the annointed savior of her people. Political satire; 1 woman, 1 man preacher, chorus as available, no set, 10 minutes.

* Showtime
(2005) While waiting to enter a theater for the next production, two previously unacquainted women gossip about their opinions and lives while others eavesdrop and take notes. Comedy; 3 women, 2 men, no set, 20 minutes.

* Skinny Teeth
(2004) Two young teen girls wait in line to use the ladies' room after a junior high school trip to see the Wilder play, "The Skin Of Our Teeth". Comedy; 2 teen women, no set, 7 minutes.

* Snakes and Ladders
(2003) A New Age priestess of the Goddess imparts the wisdom of the serpent in an introductory belly dance class with a reluctant recruit. Comedy monologue for 1 woman dancer, 1 woman disembodied voice. Student "extras" may be used if desired. Bare stage, 10 minutes.

* The Sorcerer's Apprentice
(2008) Inspired by the death of their own dreams, a couple creates a diabolical payback game and sets out to recruit another player. Comedy; 1 man, 2 women, 10 minutes.

* Speed Dating with the Divorce Lawyer
(2004) A lawyer tells a prospective date why he quit his devilish job and how marriage is the primrose path to Divorce Hell. Comedy; 1 man, a table and 2 chairs, under 10 minutes.

* Square Pegs
(1993) The downsized meet the down and out in a motivational workshop for the unemployed. Political drama; 3 men, 3 women, minimal set, 60 minutes.

* The Thingjimmy
(1999) When a nameless and unexpected thing is discovered in amongst their underwear, college room mates gird for a culture clash. Comedy; 2 young women, 10 minutes.

* Unbinding Our Lives
(1992) Monologues based on documentary material about 3 Chinese-American immigrant women 1849-1940, developed with Tina Chan, with research by Judy Yung. Historical drama; 1 or 3 women, no set, 15, 20, and 25 minutes.

* Under Cover
(2002) A well intentioned woman responds to the liberal call to wear the veil in solidarity with innocent Islamic women who may be treated as enemies in post Sept 11 America. Surreal; 2 or 3 women, puppets and voices. 10 minutes.

* What Kind of a Life is That?
(1976) Dottie, 70, convalescing after a stroke at her daughter Marie's suburban home, hopes to establish a relationship with her granddaughter before the stressed out family shunts her off to Dustbin Acres. Comedy/drama; 4 women, one set, 50 minutes.


All these plays are © copyrighted by G.L. Horton. Please Contact the author for permission to perform or to make any other use of any of these plays. Be sure to mention the title of the play you want!

 

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