Misfortune (a ten minute play) by Mark Harvey Levine

A couple gets some disturbing news from an unlikely source.

"by far the best...It just gets funnier and funnier ..."
-- Robert W. McDowell, Triangle Arts & Entertainment
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Misfortune (a ten minute play)

Recommended by

  • Stephen Kaplan:
    21 Jun. 2023
    “ We ended our high school senior-directed one-act festival with this play and it was a terrific way to leave the audience laughing and smiling. The way that the humor builds and quick pace of the piece made for a thoroughly enjoyable play for the students to work on and for the audience to enjoy. ”
  • Emily Siegel:
    19 Jan. 2023
    “ A unique plot with such entertaining dialogue to follow along with. I loved the twist at the end, and found it a hilarious read! ”
  • Ian Thal:
    19 Sep. 2021
    “ A dark comedy about fate, and coincidence, chance, and (possible) vengeance, and the mysteries that connect a table at a small Chinese restaurant the factory where fortune cookies are made. It's fun and suspenseful, with joke after joke even as the tension continues to ratchet up to the conclusion. ”
View all 8 recommendations

Cindy: The waitress at a Chinese restaurant. Not necessarily Asian.
Barry: 20's-50's, Stephanie’s husband, a little touchy
Stephanie: 20's-50's, Barry’s wife, mischievous
Non-Speaking Roles:
Man at Restaurant, Woman at Restaurant (optional)
An all-female version of the play is also available.

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Club 529, Attica, GREECE
    ,
    2023
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Aberdeen Community Theatre, Aberdeen, SD
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Bellevue West High School, Bellevue, NE
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Mater Dei Catholic High School, San Diego, CA
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Academy for Visual & Performing Arts/Theatre, Paramus, NJ
    ,
    2023
  • Professional
    ,
    XFade Productions, Various Cities, IA
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Hilliard Darby High School, Hilliard, OH
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Worthington Kilbourne High School, Columbus, OH
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Flexible Grey Theatre Company, Dallas, TX
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Art’s Sake Studios, Winter Park, FL
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Middle Kingdom Creatives, Beijing, CHINA
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    Chaska Valley Family Theatre, Chanhassen, MN
    ,
    2021
  • High School
    ,
    Deer Park High School. Deer Park, NY
    ,
    2021
  • Professional
    ,
    Dramatis Personae, Westmount, Quebec, CANADA
    ,
    2021
  • Community Theater
    ,
    TAG of Coral Lake Coral, Lake, FL
    ,
    2021
  • Professional
    ,
    Giù La Maschera, Bari, ITALY
    ,
    2020
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Panhandle Community Theatre, Pace, FL
    ,
    2020
  • Professional
    ,
    Fat Turtle Theatre Company Indianapolis, IN
    ,
    2020
  • Professional
    ,
    Colonial Playhouse, Philadelphia, PA
    ,
    2020
  • Professional
    ,
    The Cricket Club Players, Toronto, CANADA
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    The Colac Players, Inc., Victoria, AUSTRALIA
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    Teatro Augusta, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
    ,
    2019
  • University
    ,
    University of Tampa, Tampa, FL
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    Areté Ensemble, Giovinazzo, ITALY
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    New Short Play Festival, New York, NY
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    We Three Productions, Whitinsville, MA
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    Forge Theatre, Phoenixville, PA
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Tipping Point Theatre, Northville, MI
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Short Attention Span Theatre, Chestertown, MD
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Giù La Maschera, Bari, ITALY
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Canal Café Theatre, London, ENGLAND
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Etcetera Theater, London, ENGLAND
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Areté Ensemble, Giovinazzo, ITALY
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Areté Ensemble, Giovinazzo, ITALY
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    La Chinchilla MX, Mexico City, MEXICO
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    See Far Project, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    The Barn Theatre, Montville, NJ
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    PencilPoint TheatreWorks, Ypsilanti, MI
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    Town Players of Pittsfield, Pittsfield, MA
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    Seoul Players, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    SlamBoston, Boston, MA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    Theatre Quadra, Quadra Island, British Columbia, CANADA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    La Chinchilla MX, Mexico City, MEXICO
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    Lionheart Theatre Co., Norcross, GA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    Boiling Point Players, Houston, TX
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Laurel Mill Playhouse, Laurel, MD
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    The Horse And Stables Theatre, London, ENGLAND
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Colonial Playhouse, Philadelphia, PA
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Hi5 Entertainment, Bangalore, INDIA
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Teatro Augusta, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Dramatis Personae, Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Theatre Down South, Parañaque, PHILIPPINES
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Changing Scene Northwest, Bremerton, WA
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Marronnier Summer Festival Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    City Theatre of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Cabaret La Ruse, St. Peter, MN
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Cary Players, Cary, NC
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Oh Dragon Theatre Co., Austin, TX
    ,
    2014
  • Professional
    ,
    Snowdance, Racine, WI
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Pensacola Little Theatre, Pensacola, FL
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Brewster Theatre Company, Brewster, NY
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Alleyway Theatre, Buffalo, NY
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Stoner Little Theatre, Somerset, KY
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Blackout Theatre Company, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Annual Fifteen Minute Play Festival, New York, NY
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Awkward Turtle Productions, Daejon, SOUTH KOREA
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    J.E.T. Productions, North Hollywood, CA
    ,
    2013
  • Professional
    ,
    Triangle Theater, Chapel Hill, NC
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Silver Spring Stage, Silver Spring, MD
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Minnesota Shorts Play Festival, Mankato, MN
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    The Mirror Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Changing Scene Northwest, Bremerton, WA
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Acme Theatre Company, Maynard, MA
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Secret Theatre, New York, NY
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Artists Exchange, Providence, RI
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Above The Curve Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Madlab Theatre, Columbus, OH
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Orange Tea Theatre Co., Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
    ,
    2012
  • Professional
    ,
    Vortex Theatre, Albuquerque, NM
    ,
    2011
  • Professional
    ,
    Lakeshore Players, White Bear Lake, MN
    ,
    2011
  • Professional
    ,
    Neo Ensemble Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
    ,
    2011
  • Professional
    ,
    Little Fish Theatre Co., San Pedro, CA
    ,
    2011
  • Community Theater
    ,
    North Park Vaudeville, San Diego, CA
    ,
    2011
  • Professional
    ,
    Play De Luna, Winter Park, FL
    ,
    2011

Awards

Winner
,
Audience Favorite
,
Corti Nella Corte, GIU' La Maschera, Bari, ITALY
,
2018
Winner
,
Best Play
,
SlamBoston
,
2016
Winner
,
"The Charlie" (Audience Favorite Award)
,
Acme Theatre New Works Winter Festival
,
2012
Winner
,
Best Play
,
Minnesota Shorts Festival, Mankato, MN
,
2012
Winner
,
Lakeshore Play Festival, White Bear Lake, MN
,
2011