Todd Wallinger

Now available from Heuer Publishing!

It's 1955, and Trevor Stanton is an ambitious young actor about to make his Broadway debut. There's just one problem: Bertram Finch, New York City's most powerful theatre critic. Bertram has never liked Trevor's work, and it's guaranteed that the infamous Barracuda of Broadway will use the occasion to pen a scathing, career-destroying review.

The solution is obvious. Trevor kidnaps Bertram and plans to hide him in his dressing room until the next day, preventing the critic from writing his review. But when Bertram begs for a drink, Trevor accidentally switches the bottle of rat poison in which his boozing co-star Jack keeps his scotch with a real bottle of rat poison.

By the time Trevor realizes his mistake, it's too late. Tortured groans emanate from the wardrobe where Trevor has stashed his victim, and as a parade of outrageous characters make their way to his dressing room, Trevor must take increasingly desperate measures to hide his horrible deed.

Only at the end, when a pair of bumbling cops arrive to arrest Trevor, does Bertram prove to be the greatest actor of them all...

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Now available from Pioneer Drama Service! Commissioned by a private school to meet their DEIB requirements.

Ever hear of a musical without songs? Well, we haven't either. Which might just make this madcap comedy a first!

Jules, Sydney, and Elliot have some mighty big dreams. An up-and-coming musical composing team, they've rented the creaky old Edgar Street Theatre for six weeks so they can mount a workshop production of their latest show. All the top investors on the Great White Way are slated to attend, and the team is going to need every minute of those six weeks to rehearse and polish the musical.

To their dismay, however, they discover that the theater is scheduled for demolition the very next day—and they don't have the money to rent another venue. There's only one thing to do. Throw the show together in just two hours and present it to any investors who can make it on such short notice.

And so the rehearsal begins. Unfortunately, every time a performer gets ready to sing, and the music starts to swell, someone bursts into the theater to cut the song short. There's the annoying child actor who desperately wants to be in the show. A group of very confused protesters. A pushy politician seeking a splashy photo op. And of course the bumbling demo crew themselves.

Things are looking bleak. How can they put on a show if they can't even rehearse one song?

Requiring only a few generic musical tracks, one informal dance number, the barest of sets, and no actual singing, this hilarious farce may just be the easiest "musical" you'll ever produce!

Run Time: 90-100 minutes

Now available from Brooklyn Publishers!

Think the dinosaurs were just helpless victims of that asteroid that crashed into the earth 66 million years ago? Well, they weren't—and this action-packed, large-cast comedy tells the whole hilarious tale!

As the play begins, two dinosaur scientists, Professor Broadbeak and Doctor Duckbill, discover the asteroid just three days before it's due to strike. When they try to warn the plant-eating citizens of Fernville, however, they get mocked and ridiculed. After all, the scientists have been predicting doom and gloom for years. But when one of their predictions finally comes true, and the town is attacked by a pack of hungry meat eaters, the plant eaters realize that some dangers are too serious to be ignored. Now it's up to a clumsy young dinosaur named Snaggleclaw to venture into the Crags—the very heart of the meat eaters' territory—and bring back a special crystal that offers the plant eaters their only hope of destroying the asteroid.

Can Snaggleclaw convince the meat eaters to cooperate? Or will he end up becoming a late night snack? Find out in this easy-to-produce play that teaches the importance of working together while sneaking in a ton of fun facts about the world of the dinosaurs.

An allegory for our time, this light-hearted comedy presents climate change in a way even the youngest kids will understand and with the animals they love the most--dinosaurs!

Run Time: 80-90 minutes.

Now available from Pioneer Drama Service!

All Junie wanted to do was show her friends the cool time machine in the lab where she works after school. Can she help it if Warner—careless, clumsy Warner—accidentally pushed the red button that clearly said DO NOT PUSH and, as a result, timeported George Washington ~into the twenty-first century?

Well, at least they can timeport him back, right? Wrong. As soon as they send Washington on his way, they discover that the hamburger restaurant upstairs has turned into a fish-and-chip shop. That's when they realize that the time machine must have sent Washington to the wrong time and place. With the commander of the Continental Army disappearing from history, the British were able to crush the American Revolution almost before it started. Now America is back to being British!

The three friends desperately try to fix the situation, but everything they do only makes things worse. Before long, they've timeported a whole host of famous historical figures into the present day, including Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, Albert Einstein, Florence Nightingale, H. G. Wells, computer pioneer Grace Hopper, and those nastiest of pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Worst of all, they still haven't figured out how to send them back!

Combining wacky humor, fast-paced action, and a chance for the audience to choose the ending by voting for their favorite historical figure, this easy-to-produce, single-set play is as sure to inspire as it is to delight. Plus, your audience might just learn a thing or two.

Run Time: 60-70 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 50 productions since 2022.

Get your kicks on Route 66! America's most famous highway is the backdrop for this sweet romantic comedy set in an Arizona diner in 1955.

As the play opens, Sally, a young, celebrity-obsessed waitress, can't wait for the wedding that day between glamorous movie star Lovey Lamour and crooner Johnny Jerome. So you can imagine Sally's surprise when a mysterious customer turns out to be Lovey herself! Lovey tells Sally that she fled the ceremony and was heading east on Route 66 when her Ferrari broke down. With the press hot on her trail, Lovey is forced to hide out at the diner until her car can get fixed. But how can she possibly keep her identity a secret? Simple, Sally says. Pose as a waitress!

Sally teaches the temperamental star everything she knows about waitressing, but between the crazy diner lingo and the demanding customers, Lovey soon finds that the job is way more difficult than she expected. To make matters worse, their entire scheme threatens to unravel when a nosy news photographer discovers Lovey's identity and tips Johnny off as to her location.

With a cast of hilarious characters including a short-tempered cook, Sally's geeky boyfriend, the world's worst auto mechanic, and a pre-fame Elvis Presley, this affectionate tribute to the golden age of diners is guaranteed to warm your heart as it tickles your funny bone.

Pack your bags! It's time to hit the Mother Road—of laughter!

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

#1 selling full-length play at Pioneer Drama Service. Over 600 productions since 2017.

During the day, A Likely Story may look like any other used bookstore. But at night, it’s a place where magic happens. That’s when the characters inside the books come alive.

Six of those characters — Dorothy Gale, Robin Hood, Pollyanna, Sherlock Holmes, Heidi, and Tom Sawyer — long to help Margie, the scatterbrained owner, save her struggling store. But they’re not allowed to leave the building or be seen by human eyes. So when a pair of smugglers comes looking for a stolen necklace hidden inside one of the books, the characters are torn.

Should they warn Margie and risk disappearing forever? Or can they find a way to defeat the crooks without being seen? Featuring additional appearances by such beloved literary characters as the Queen of Hearts, Long John Silver, and Doctor Dolittle, this charming comedy celebrates the joy of reading in a fresh, fun-filled way.

Run Time: 60-70 minutes.

Musical version of The Enchanted Bookshop. Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 100 productions since 2019.

Celebrate the joy of reading in a fresh, fun-filled, and magical way! The enormously popular children's play, The Enchanted Bookshop, is now a musical!

An ordinary used book shop by day, A Likely Story becomes a magical place each night. Thanks to a spell from the Book Fairy, the characters inside the books come alive each and every night. Six of those characters — Dorothy Gale, Robin Hood, Pollyanna, Sherlock Holmes, Heidi, and Tom Sawyer — long to help Margie, the scatterbrained owner, save her struggling store. But they’re not allowed to leave the building or be seen by human eyes.

So when a pair of bungling smugglers comes looking for a stolen necklace hidden inside one of the books, the characters are torn. Should they warn Margie and risk disappearing forever? Or can they find a way to defeat the crooks without being seen?

Including appearances by other literary characters such as the Queen of Hearts, Long John Silver, and Doctor Doolittle, and with a toe-tapping score from Stephen Murray featuring jazz, march, and pop tunes, this charming musical will enchant audiences young and old.

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 50 productions since 2020.

Revisit or discover anew the beloved literary characters of the bestselling The Enchanted Bookshop in this very merry prequel. This time, they’re joined by a whole crew of Christmas themed characters, including the Nutcracker Prince, Amy March, the Velveteen Rabbit, the Little Match Girl, and even Ebenezer Scrooge himself!

As the play begins, it’s four days before Christmas and Miss Margie, the scatterbrained owner of the shop, is thrilled to have two very special guests — her serious-minded sister Ellen and book-loving niece Annabelle. Ellen was recently laid off from her position as an astronomy professor, and she’s certain she’ll never find a job again. Her luck changes, however, when high-tech billionaire Philip Brantley stops in at the shop and Margie convinces him to hire Ellen for his new space project.

With Ellen out shopping, Margie has a brainstorm to wrap the bookmark that Philip wrote his phone number on and give it to Ellen as a Christmas present. After all, what could possibly go wrong? Ha!

When the present disappears, it’s up to our come-to-life book characters to solve the mystery of the missing bookmark and save the day for Ellen — all without giving away their magical existence. It’s a hilarious, heartwarming tale that reminds us that the best gifts don’t come wrapped in pretty paper and bows.

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 15 productions since 2023.

Dorothy Gale, Tom Sawyer, and the other beloved literary characters from the bestselling The Enchanted Bookshop are back—and in this hilarious prequel, we learn how the shop became enchanted in the first place!

It all begins with the shop's grand opening. While Margie has high hopes for success, she discovers that running a business is harder than she expected and soon finds herself behind on her rent.

Enter Feonora, a young fairy-in-training who can't wait to use the magic she's learned to help Margie. But her mentor—a strict, older fairy named Ortensia—warns Feonora that the one spell she can never cast is bringing a book character to life. It'll only lead to chaos!

Well, chaos is exactly what happens when the well-meaning but clumsy Feonora attempts to cast the spell in secret and accidentally brings to life a whole shopful of famous book characters, including Cinderella, Don Quixote, and those ravenous rodents from Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Two Bad Mice.

Can Feonora convince these often obstinate characters to give up their newfound freedom and return to their books for good? Why does Cinderella's ballgown have a giant bite taken out of it? And what happened to the priceless first edition that was Margie's sole hope of saving the shop?

With its shorter running time and smaller cast requirements than The Enchanted Bookshop, this play is the perfect solution for schools and community theaters seeking a show that has the same book-loving magic but is easier to produce and features an all-new action-packed story.

Run Time: 40-50 minutes

To be released by Pioneer Drama Service in 2024!

The Wobbly Palms Resort prides itself on being the finest two-and-a-half-star resort in Hawaii—and if it hadn't been for that incident in the goat yoga class last year, they'd still have that third star. Unfortunately, the owners are losing money on the place and will be forced to close it for good if they can't find a buyer soon.

There's still hope, however. The staff has just gotten word that a mystery guest will be arriving soon to evaluate the resort for possible purchase by a major hotel chain. All they have to do is make sure nothing goes wrong during the guest's stay. But then a different guest leaves a creepy-looking tiki with the front desk clerk for safekeeping and everything starts to go wrong.

First, the resort's hot-tempered French chef discovers that the lobster that was supposed to be that evening's dinner special has escaped. Then an obsessive young man determined to pull off the world's most elaborate marriage proposal loses the ring in a pond full of hungry piranhas. Next, a temperamental opera singer preparing for her comeback concert loses her voice, forcing her to communicate by clown horn. And finally the resort's perky activities director loses an entire tour group on a hike!

Could the tiki be cursed? If so, how can they counteract the curse? And exactly who is the mystery guest anyway?

Culminating in a crazy chase scene between the butterfly-net-wielding chef and an unusually large lobster, this hilarious comedy proves that sometimes bad luck is simply good luck in disguise.

Run Time: 60 to 70 minutes

World premiere opportunity available! Commissioned by a private school to meet their DEIB requirements.

They say the show must go on. But how is that supposed to happen when nobody's read the script and the costumes haven't even arrived yet?

That's the dilemma faced by eight luckless theater students as they prepare to perform an original play titled The Greatest Fairy Tale Ever.

The greatest it isn't. Not when the actor playing the knight struggles to read the script taped to the back of his shield. Or the dragon gets a debilitating case of stage fright. Or the class diva insists on drawing out her death scene to absurd lengths. Or the frustrated narrator storms off before the play is over, forcing the rest of the cast to come up with an ending that's not only satisfying but quick.

Working as both a clever parody of popular fairy tale tropes and a light-hearted exploration of the personality types often found in the theater, this unique play is perfect for competitions and public performances alike!

Run Time: 20-25 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 60 productions since 2022.

Bestselling mystery author Byron Pembroke is dead, and one stormy evening, his highly dysfunctional family gathers for the reading of the will. Each member of the family assumes that they deserve the bulk of the estate, so imagine their shock when they discover that Byron converted his entire fortune into a single mysterious item which he's hidden somewhere in the mansion--with a four-line verse their own clue! Before they can find the treasure, however, the mansion is overrun by a horde of strangers seeking refuge from the storm, and these strangers soon join in the hunt.

Who will find the treasure first? Byron's spoiled, self-serving family members? The bickering trio of ghost hunters? The nosy news team? The busload of obnoxious tourists? Or one of the dozens of other crazy intruders literally tearing the house apart in their excitement and greed?

With a huge number of parts and a story structured around a series of small-cast comical vignettes, this madcap mystery gives every actor a chance to be part of the madness!

Commissioned by Belmont Day School in Belmont, MA to meet their DEIB requirements.

Run Time: 80-90 minutes.

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. A smaller-cast, one-act adaptation of It's a Madhouse! Over 40 productions since 2022.

Bestselling mystery author Byron Pembroke is dead, and one stormy evening, his highly dysfunctional family gathers for the reading of the will. Each member of the family assumes that they deserve the bulk of the estate, so imagine their shock when they discover that Byron converted his entire fortune into a single mysterious item which he's hidden somewhere in the mansion--with a four-line verse their own clue! Before they can find the treasure, however, the mansion is overrun by a horde of strangers seeking refuge from the storm, and these strangers soon join in the hunt.

Who will find the treasure first? Byron's spoiled, self-serving family members? The bickering trio of ghost hunters? The nosy news team? The busload of obnoxious tourists? Or one of the dozens of other crazy intruders literally tearing the house apart in their excitement and greed?

With a huge number of parts and a story structured around a series of small-cast comical vignettes, this madcap mystery gives every actor a chance to be part of the madness!

Run Time: 50-60 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 230 productions since 2015.

Get ready for a comedy of epicurean proportions! Two bumbling jewel thieves are on the run from the cops when they duck into Chez Monyeu, a restaurant so bad the mice are their only customers. And that’s just the start of their problems. Not only has Chez Monyeu’s chef just quit, but the city’s most powerful restaurant critic is about to arrive.

In desperation, the restaurant’s owner, mistaking the thieves for famous French chefs, insist that they make their renowned Million Dollar Meatballs for the tough-minded critic. Insanity ensues as the pair try to keep up the ruse while hunting for the seven priceless diamonds they lost.

Will the thieves get away with their crime? Where could the diamonds have gone? And why are the meatballs so crunchy? Find out in this deliciously funny farce!

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 50 productions since 2022.

Whole Latte Love is a coffee shop with a catchy slogan: Where There's Magic in Every Cup. Only it's more than just a slogan. Each one of Isla's six special blends has a magical power (if only for the duration of the cup). Fuzz Buster turns you into a genius. Chill Pill relieves you of all your worries. Cupid's Arrow is a love potion. Miracle Manna fills even the emptiest belly. Ponce de Leon makes you feel twenty years younger. And Veritas acts like a truth serum.

No coffee shop ever had such loyal customers. But Isla's in hot water with her landlord, who gives her an ultimatum: pay the three months of back rent she owes or he'll evict her.

Enter Shelly, Isla's perk-y but hopelessly scatterbrained assistant. She agrees to fill in for Isla while her boss ducks out to raise the money. Unfortunately, a visit from an overzealous health inspector flusters Shelly so much that she accidentally mixes up the coffees, leading to a hilarious brew-ha-ha as each customer gets the wrong blend. Will Shelly spill the beans? Or will she let her mistake ruin Isla's efforts to save the shop? And why is a certain landlord suddenly acting like a five-year-old?

Don't worry. Be frappé! In this frothy, fast-paced farce, love and laughter are sure to win!

Run Time: 60-70 minutes.

Winner of the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players New Play Project. Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 180 productions since 2013.

When it comes to solving murder mysteries, it’s always the one you least suspect!

The very proper butler Jenkins and the fiery Cockney maid Sarah Jane are preparing the Covington household for a visit from Edwina Corry, the world’s greatest mystery author and friend to Lady Miranda and Colonel Covington. Other guests arriving include Lady Covington’s feisty old mother, their high-flying daughter Kat, their chatty priest who doesn’t know when to quit and the caddish, eavesdropping neighbor boy Trevor.

Things are soon thrown into confusion, however, when Trevor is found stabbed to death in the kitchen. On her arrival, Edwina eagerly launches an investigation into the murder. Unfortunately, the evidence is stacked against poor Jenkins from the start, and when the bloody knife is found in his pocket, the other members of the household tie him to a chair and call the police.

The only problem? Jenkins didn’t do it. And now he’s got just half an hour to figure out who the real murderer is—while still tied to the chair.

Run Time: 90-100 minutes

Winner of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Play Competition for Youth Theatre. Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 230 productions since 2015.

In this witty film noir fairytale spoof, Fairytale Land has been hit by a crime wave. The Three Bears’ home was broken into. The Three Little Pigs’ homes were destroyed. Now Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother is missing.

The crimes seem unrelated, at least if you listen to those shady Grimm brothers. But could an evil mastermind be behind them all?

Something punny is going on! Only hard-boiled detective Rumpelstiltskin and his wise-cracking partner Ugly Duckling can solve this wacky case.

Full of hilarious roles and snappy one-liners, this private eye parody is pure gold!

Run Time: 60-70 minutes

Winner of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Play Competition for Youth Theatre. Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 100 productions since 2015.

In this hysterically witty, spine-tingling farce, the O. Howe Dulle Museum is about to unveil their latest find—a mysterious mummy named Yo-Wut-Sup. There’s nothing dull about this museum considering everyone wants to get their hands on this ancient man!

A pushy reporter vows to prove Yo-Wut-Sup is a hoax. A wacky mystic intends to sneak him back to Egypt. Three high school students want to use him in their low budget horror film. And two clueless robbers plan to steal the mummy, if only they can figure out what one looks like.

Can Melvin Trimble, the world’s most cowardly security guard, stop all of them considering it’s his first night on the job? Or will he be left taking the ”wrap”? And why are there, not one, not two, but three creepy mummies roaming the halls? Now museum, now you don’t!

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 90 productions since 2017.

In this love letter to small town life, Paradise Junction is the “best little town in the world,” a place where everyone gets along, the sun is always shining, and the tomatoes grow as big as beach balls. So when a TV network offers to film a reality show there, the townsfolk jump at the chance. After all, the town will receive five million dollars, while the publicity promises to turn the residents into TV stars.

But host Wink Smiley has his own agenda. Secrets are revealed, old feuds are rekindled, and the town’s annual pie-baking contest is turned into a massive food fight. Now it’s up to Joe Goode, owner of the Rise ’n’ Shine Diner, to save the town. Will he find a way to stop Wink or will the residents be tricked into destroying their beloved town on live television?

Inspired by the films of Frank Capra such as It’s a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, this heartwarming comedy will make your audience cheer while reminding them what really matters in life.

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 40 productions since 2017.

Here’s a pun-filled tale of feline fortune that all ages will love!

Poor ”Big Bob” Little. When this cantankerous, old rancher dies, nobody mourns—not his eldest child, Cecilia, a hard-driving, money-hungry businesswoman; not middle child, Annie, a holistic, dizzy lass hoping to turn the ranch into a bovine meditation retreat; and not even youngest child, Little Bob, a lovable loser obsessed with the percussive arts. That’s why it’s no surprise when Bob leaves his entire $36 million fortune to his cat, Wiggles. Just what is a kitty to do with that much money?

Enter a pair of purr-suasive cons who claim to be the world’s foremost pet psychics. Not to let the cat out of the bag, but it’s really an elaborate ruse to steal the kitty’s diamond-studded toys.

But when the crooked cat burglars learn that Wiggles needs a will of her own, they hatch a plan to have it all—The Purrfect Crime! Can the family work together to stop a cat-astrophe? Or will they just end up fighting like cats and dogs?

The Purrfect Crime is a claw-some blend of hiss-terical humor and cat-scratching action. Let the fur fly!

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 50 productions since 2017.

Something’s rotten in Garden City! When Malodorous Mel and his gang rob the town, they use a secret weapon: their smelly feet, guaranteed to incapacitate anyone within twenty yards.

But Rose Peddles, owner of the general store, has a plan to stop them. She leads Lily, Hyacinth, and the other flower-named shopkeepers into the gang’s secret hideout to de-scent the aromatic appendages with lemon juice.

When they find the gang lying in wait for them, however, they’re forced to flee for their lives—and their noses! Is there a traitor in their midst? And if so, who?

Now the shopkeepers have only one hope left—to fight fire with fire! But how do you out-stink these stinkers?

With its large, flexible cast and wacky humor, this Western comedy will leave everyone smelling like... well, a Rose.

Run Time: 50-60 minutes.

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 40 productions since 2017.

Think all those fairy tales really ended with “happily ever after?” Well, think again!

In this hilarious follow-up, Snow White has taken the throne and is about to marry her prince, who actually is quite intolerable. He's trying to outlaw magic and has sentenced the four Wickeds—Snow White’s Wicked Queen, Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother, Sleeping Beauty’s Wicked Fairy and the Frog Prince’s Wicked Witch—to nine million hours of community service.

But even that’s not enough for Prince Intolerable. He vows that as soon as he marries Queen Snow, he’ll send the Wickeds to Grimstad, where they’ll never be heard from again.

Really, though, the Wickeds aren’t so bad anymore, so there’s only one way to foil his plans: stop the wedding! But the Wickeds are a little rusty in the magic department. Can they make their old spells work in time? What if they get caught? And why did the seven dwarfs turn into wombats?

Find out in this zany comedy that proves there’s a little good in everyone... though sometimes, very little.

Run Time: 60-70 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service.

Princess Amber and her sisters are sad to see their princes sail off. The not-so-noblemen have been tasked with taking down the dreaded pirate Blacktooth. As the princes set sail, the princesses decide to act out their own pirate adventures, only to find they’re being spied on by Blacktooth himself. Believing the princesses to be bloodthirsty pirates, Blacktooth makes them an offer they can’t refuse: serve on his ship or else!

Turns out, the real pirate life is nothing like the princesses’ make-believe—the food is frightful, the rats are repugnant, and Blacktooth has the most vile breath on the seven seas! And when the princesses find the princes lounging on a deserted island, all hopes of being saved fall squarely on their own shoulders.

This rollicking spin on the traditional pirate’s tale proves you don’t have to be a pirate to be fierce!

Run Time: 60-70 minutes

2nd Place in the Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excellence. Published by Pioneer Drama Service.

What’s babka, you ask? Only the tastiest, most delectable pastry in the world... and a key ingredient in this hysterical, fast-paced farce that’s loaded with physical humor and a bit reminiscent of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Oh, did we mention that the babka becomes an aerial assault weapon that sparks an international war? You see, The Harmony Café could be any quaint eastern European bistro if it weren’t for one thing: an international border runs smack dab through the middle of it! One half of the café is in the Grand Duchy of Bunkelburg; the other half is located in the Royal Principality of Primwick.

Luckily, the café serves the world’s best babka, and Hildegard and her staff somehow manage all the multiple border crossings and red-tape to serve their delicious, sweet coffee cakes and keep the peace. But after the Duchess of Bunkelburg secretly enters and wins Primwick’s annual babka baking contest, the Prince of Primwick closes the border, making restaurant operations near impossible.

Once that slice of babka goes flying across the border and hits a Primwickian patriotic zealot... well, now it’s all-out war! It’s hard to see how even The Harmony Café can maintain the peace, let alone stay in business!
With much farcical humor and good fun, however, the very same pastry that tore the countries apart brings them back together.

This large-cast tale of love, espionage, and the best babka east of the Danube goes to show there are no boundaries for good taste!

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

Winner of the Director's Choice Award at the Short + Sweet Festival, Canberra. Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 280 productions since 2012.

Most people have some funny stories about learning to drive, and driver’s ed seems to add to the absurdity of this rite of passage. These four scenes take a hilarious look at the world of driver’s ed, especially from the instructor’s perspective. In them, we meet:

1) a nervous teacher who doesn’t seem to know the first thing about driving,

2) a teenage girl who brings some unexpected guests to her first driving class,

3) a teenage boy who’s forced to share a car with his temperamental ex-girlfriend, and

4) a teenage girl who can’t break away from her smartphone long enough to learn how to drive.

You’ll love the unique structure of this piece, composed of four individual 10 minute plays, each standing alone yet related thematically. Whether performed individually, making them perfect for talent shows and speech competitions, or together for an evening’s entertainment, you’re guaranteed miles of smiles and gallons of laughter.

Run Time: 8-40 minutes

Virtual adaptation of my popular collection of 10-minute skits, You're Driving Me Crazy! Published by Pioneer Drama Service.

These four scenes about driver’s ed follies work perfectly on a virtual stage. With four 10-minute scenes all set in a car, this comical collection takes the point of view of antsy or annoyed instructors, as well as candid and sometimes clueless teens.

There’s a nervous teacher who doesn’t seem to know the first thing about driving. And the clueless teenage girl who brings some unexpected guests to her first driving class. In one scene, a teenage boy is forced to share a car with his temperamental ex-girlfriend. And then there’s yet another teenage girl who can’t break away from her phone long enough to learn how to drive.

A top-seller for traditional theatre, the simple set-up, spot-on humor, and quirky characters also make it ideal for virtual theatre. Each scene can stand alone or the four can be presented as a whole with the individual scenes all connected thematically. Whoever the audience, they’re guaranteed miles of smiles and gallons of laughter with this look at life in the not-so-fast lane.

Run Time: 8-40 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 100 productions since 2012.

When word gets out that the notorious outlaw Billy Black is returning to Dodgeball City, the fleet-footed Sheriff Fizzle heads for the hills. How will the townspeople find a new sheriff before Billy shows up, guns blazing? Simple. Appoint the next person who walks through the door of the saloon (where only sarsaparilla is served).

Unfortunately, that person turns out to be Lester McChester, encyclopedia salesman. Can meek and mild Lester stop Billy? Will he even try? Or will he merely "throw the book" at him?

Find out in this Western comedy that proves the power of words in witty, hilarious fashion!

Run Time: 25-35 minutes

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 70 productions since 2011.

In this outrageously clever and hilarious “play on words,” a beautiful chanteuse named Trouble Maecker strolls into hard-boiled detective Nick Bullitt’s office and laments that one of her letters has been stolen. But it’s not an old love letter. It’s the letter P, and without it she can’t sing, let alone recite “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers.” As Trouble explains, “You can imagine my _redicament.”

Nick’s investigation leads him to an array of wacky characters, including a wisecracking waitress, a surly receptionist, a wildly incompetent dentist, and the dentist’s hapless patient. In the end, Nick tricks Trouble into saying the word “philodendron,” proving that she had faked the theft in an attempt to defraud her insurance company. The cops haul her away, but it’s not until she’s gone that Nick realizes she has gotten her _ayback... er, payback.

The witty wordplay in this delightful film noir spoof will appeal to all ages.

Run Time: 25-35 minutes

Published by Brooklyn Publishers.

It's 1948, and Hope Holloway is an ambitious young press agent on Dial M for Migraine, a detective movie that's three weeks late and half a million dollars overbudget. To finish it, temperamental leading man Roger Drummond has to film one last scene, a scene in which his character drinks a poisoned cup of coffee.

Roger gives the performance of his life, writhing in agony as he collapses to the floor. But when the scene is done, and Roger remains sprawled on the floor, Hope realizes that the coffee really was poisoned!

Worried about the bad press this will generate, Hope quickly hides the body so she can solve the crime herself. But who could the murderer be? Alberto Bologna, the hotheaded director who's only pretending to be Italian? Gwendolyn Chambers, the bubbleheaded starlet who can't read her cue cards without squinting? Tommy Novak, the gawky production assistant who has a crush on Hope? Or one of several other unlikely suspects?

With its crazy characters and snappy dialogue, this sassy send-up of the Golden Age of Hollywood is guaranteed to be a blockbuster hit!

Run Time: 70-80 minutes

Published by Heuer Publishing.

It's 1948, and KUKU Radio is in trouble. Their broadcast tower keeps falling over. The electric company is about to shut off their power. And now they're losing actors, one by one. Can this ragtag crew keep the show going? Or will they be shut down for good?

This hilarious farce brings back the Golden Age of Radio, with crazy commercials such as Kindling Krunch ("the cereal that's like having your own national park—in a bowl!"), and even crazier shows, like The Thing With Two Spleens and Tex King, The Humming Cowboy. Of course, the best part of those old-time radio shows was the sound effects, and this play features over two dozen of them, most of which can be produced from simple household items.

Don't touch that dial. This is radio like you've never seen it before!

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Winner of the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Play Competition for Youth Theatre.

No bones about it. Something mysterious is happening in Dogtown and the Doggone Detective Agency is on the case!

Sherlock Bones is a bloodhound with a nose for crime and a weakness for bacon. Sam Spayed is a German Shepherd eager to prove herself after getting booted off the police force. And Frisky is a yippy little terrier who's afraid of everything.

When the detectives are hired to locate a missing bone, they think it's just another routine case—until they find a hairball on the scene. This puzzling clue draws them into the furry underbelly of Dogtown, where the doggy denizens are starting to show some bizarre behavior: they meow and crave cream.

It takes Frisky to solve this cat-astrophic case, defeating the evil Alley Cat Gang while learning that the only way to conquer your fears is to face them head on. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks!

50-60 minutes

World premiere opportunity available!

According to chaos theory, a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas. And an impulsively-tossed olive can set off its own disastrous chain of events.

Philip is a neurotic young barrister who has learned that his boss Henry is about to name a new junior partner. To prove he’s the best man for the job, Philip invites Henry and his arch-rival Roddy, along with their wives, to a costume party at his secluded cottage.

Roddy shows up in the Charlie Chaplin costume Philip gave him. But when Philip’s wife Amanda says he looks more like Adolf Hitler, Roddy throws together a Lawrence of Arabia costume from a dishtowel and a tablecloth.

Later, in an attempt to disprove the butterfly effect, Philip tosses an olive. This sets off a disastrous chain of events in which they lose their electricity, their dinner and finally Henry himself after he accidentally takes a handful of sleeping pills.

An increasingly unstable Roddy calls to report the “murder”, strapping flares around his body to prevent anyone from stopping him. But when the police arrive to find a raving lunatic dressed as an Arab and armed with rockets, they open fire, killing Roddy instantly.

The noise wakes Henry. Hearing the tragic news about Roddy, Henry decides to give Philip the promotion.

Philip and Amanda congratulate each other. Everything went exactly as planned.

Run Time: 80-90 minutes

Musical version of the bestselling comedy It Happened on Route 66. To be published by Pioneer Drama Service in 2025!

Get your kicks on Route 66! America's most famous highway is the backdrop for this sweet romantic musical comedy set in an Arizona diner in 1955.

As the play opens, Sally, a young, celebrity-obsessed waitress, can't wait for the wedding that day between glamorous movie star Lovey Lamour and crooner Johnny Jerome. So you can imagine Sally's surprise when a mysterious customer turns out to be Lovey herself! Lovey tells Sally that she fled the ceremony and was heading east on Route 66 when her Ferrari broke down. With the press hot on her trail, Lovey is forced to hide out at the diner until her car can get fixed. But how can she possibly keep her identity a secret? Simple, Sally says. Pose as a waitress!

Sally teaches the temperamental star everything she knows about waitressing, but between the crazy diner lingo and the demanding customers, Lovey soon finds that the job is way more difficult than she expected. To make matters worse, their entire scheme threatens to unravel when a nosy news photographer discovers Lovey's identity and tips Johnny off as to her location.

With a cast of hilarious characters including a short-tempered cook, Sally's geeky boyfriend, the world's worst auto mechanic, and a pre-fame Elvis Presley, this affectionate tribute to the golden age of diners is guaranteed to warm your heart as it tickles your funny bone.

Pack your bags! It's time to hit the Mother Road—of laughter!

Run Time: 90-100 minutes

To be published by Pioneer Drama Service in 2024!

The Wobbly Palms Resort prides itself on being the finest two-and-a-half-star resort in Hawaii—and if it hadn't been for that incident in the goat yoga class last year, they'd still have that third star. Unfortunately, the owners are losing money on the place and will be forced to close it for good if they can't find a buyer soon.

There's still hope, however. The staff has just gotten word that a mystery guest will be arriving soon to evaluate the resort for possible purchase by a major hotel chain. All they have to do is make sure nothing goes wrong during the guest's stay. But then a different guest leaves a creepy-looking tiki with the front desk clerk for safekeeping and everything starts to go wrong.

First, the resort's hot-tempered French chef discovers that the lobster that was supposed to be that evening's dinner special has escaped. Then an obsessive young man determined to pull off the world's most elaborate marriage proposal loses the ring in a pond full of hungry piranhas. Next, a temperamental opera singer preparing for her comeback concert loses her voice, forcing her to communicate by clown horn. And finally the resort's perky activities director loses an entire tour group on a hike!

Could the tiki be cursed? If so, how can they counteract the curse? And exactly who is the mystery guest anyway?

Culminating in a crazy chase scene between the butterfly-net-wielding chef and an unusually large lobster, this hilarious comedy proves that sometimes bad luck is simply good luck in disguise.

Run Time: 60-70 minutes