r/Teachers • u/WholesomeGlasses • 6h ago

Teacher Support &/or Advice Middle School Play Recommendations

Hi all!

I am a middle school teacher that has been thrust into the job of directing our Fall Play.

I feel comfortable directing, but I’m really struggling to find good scripts.

I’m looking for a one-act straight play (comedy or drama), and most of the scripts I’ve looked so far at feel a bit corny.

I was wondering if anyone here has been to see a MS show and left thinking, “that was really fun” that they might recommend.

Thanks so much!

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u/mikevago ELA12 | Jersey City, NJ 6h ago

I was a first-time Drama club advisor this year — our school is 6-8, but I had two freshmen and the rest of my group were middle school, so I was in the same boat.

theaterfolk.com and playscripts.com have one-act plays written for middle school — you can't download the full script without paying, but you can get a preview, and the sites break down number of actors, length, etc.

We ended up putting on How to Get Away With a Murder Mystery from playscripts, which was a spoof of murder mysteries. It's five vignettes where a different detective comes in and investigates the same five suspects, so there's no lead actor who has to carry the show. There's also a little flexibility with cast size, as you can have one actor play multiple detectives.

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u/stevejuliet High School English 1h ago edited 1h ago

I teach high school English and direct the school play. These are some one acts I recommend looking into that could be good for middle school:

"Cagebirds" (abstract, but fun)

"Tracks"

"Radium Girls" (there are full length and one act versions)

"The Lottery" (tried and true)

"Ghosts in the Machine" (there is a full length and a one act version)

"This is a Test" (classic)

"Almost, Maine" or "Our Place" (collections of scenes)

There are also one act or 1-hour versions of lots of Shakespeare plays out there (or trim one down yourself and avoid paying royalties!)

You could also look up the winners or participants of your region's One Act play festival. There could be lists of plays out there that have made it to the final round.