David Hansen

This fictional and theatrical segment explores the debate over American government using multiple 4 Eighth Judicial Conference April 24, 2026 sources including the landmark decision Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803); The Federalist Papers; and United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683. It provides a historical perspective of the competing visions of executive authority, legislative power, and the role of the judiciary in its enduring struggle to define the balance of power. As Chief Justice Marshall stated: “A law repugnant to the constitution is void.”

Aleah is shamed and banished for an act she did not commit and journeys to the mysterious land of ghouls, where things are not always as they appear. A thrilling tale of comradeship and responsibility, Aleah makes a friend and takes on a new identity, and by her wits and cunning restores her own good name. With translations by Abdeghani Kitab.

On the night before Christmas in 1905, a sleeping boy's head is full of magic as he strives to keep a play-date with his friend the Princess of Slumberland, and on the way help Santa, and maybe make the world a better place! Based on the characters of Winsor McCay.

An interview-based play about abortion and reproductive rights written in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.

Young people gather and play childish games. Inspired by a Grimm's Fairy Tale. This is not a play for children.

Fact and fiction overlap in this theatrical panorama of the greatest year in Cleveland history.

Double Heart imagines two of William Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, the quick-witted lovers Beatrice and Benedick, as they may have first met as impetuous, young teenagers. A brash young soldier (Benedick) meets a young lady with an independent streak (Beatrice), and they quickly learn to see each other as equals among fools. Their relationship deepens until world events and war intrude and hearts get broken. Written entirely in verse, this Shakespearean “prequel” features dancing and swordfighting, and walks the line between romance and comedy.

Gen X Moms and her high-achieving, high school senior Dots spend a night together at home. Cake is baked, drugs are consumed, and lines are crossed, while they debate teen movies, whether or not John Bender is the villain, and wait for that thick envelope.

Dreams become reality when one man's magical experience, while performing on a replica stage of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre during Cleveland’s 1936 Great Lakes Exposition, inspires him to rebuild the original playhouse on the River Thames. From London to the shores of Lake Erie and back again, what's past is truly prologue in an inspiring tale of three Globe Theatres that are forever united by history.

Two young adults smoke pot and get busy.

David and his wife Toni learn at her 30 week check-up that their unborn child has died. Jumping back and forth between two timelines, David tells the story of the 36 hours between learning this truth and the birth of their first child, as well as the year that follows - detailing the frustration, recrimination, guilt, sorrow and ultimate acceptance of their son's death.

Georgia Mordedor goes on a quest to pick up a used chair she found online. Inspired by the loopy, existential humor of the Firesign Theatre, the point of view dips into and out of media presented on various screens; phones, computers, and televisions.

A songwriter reflects upon an urban legend that involves one of his most iconic songs. This is a work of fiction.

A man is troubled by phone calls in the middle of the night. Originally performed by Guerrilla Theater Company, 1993-1994.

New York City, 1956. Band leader Guy Lombardo struggles with the decision as whether or not to bring his successful New Year’s Eve broadcast from radio to television. Will he do it? Of course he does! Those and many other obvious questions are answered in this 10-minute biographic stage play which is just like all those other biographic stage plays.

A management associate asks too much.

Summer, 1917. Essex, England. Back from the war, Captain Arthur Hastings convalesces at Styles Court. But when the lady of the house suspiciously dies, the tranquil manor turns treacherous. The cause is murder and the killer could be anyone: her unappealing new husband, her ne'er-do-well son, the blunt female groundskeeper, even the local toxicologist. Enter Hercule Poirot, Belgian refugee and detective extraordinaire, who applies his famous brain to the seemingly unsolvable mystery. A cunning stage adaptation of the novel that launched Agatha Christie's career.

The comings and goings of a comic book store in the mid 1980s.

An inquisitive young man and a troubled mother meet in a medical library. Diagnoses are made, and a cure is sought.

It's an ordinary night at your neighborhood chain bistro until someone is horribly killed.

A Downeast late-summer gothic romance. The sea, a bar, an old relationship, and a bunny.

How was Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" received when first produced in Cleveland in 1954? This brief play was commissioned by the Cleveland Play House and presented as part of an evening of original works entitled “The Centennial Plays” celebrating CPH’s 100th Season.

Born a young Englishman of wealth, the feckless Porlock takes a tour of the Continent when he is set upon by a vampire – and subsequently becomes one himself – in what is modern-day Turkey. Assuming the identity of a Romanian nobleman, he re-enters British society and means to feed off the “teeming millions” but is exposed to sunlight and thought destroyed. Surviving and relocating in America, he enlists the aid from a young man named Eddie and then makes him a fledgling vampire. When they part ways and Eddie tries to make a new life in Alaska, Porlock finds him there and earns the proper death that has eluded him for so long.

Each of the four story arcs is an homage to a pivotal moment in the history of classic vampire literature, and reflect not only the style of writing for the period, but also the uses vampires have had as a metaphor for society's perceived ills and enemies.

A young friar fails to deliver a letter that was not nice but full of charge, which were details he could have used earlier.

The Thane of Fife had a wife, where is she now? Ask a young messenger who had one job.

Two sisters, born years apart -- the daughters of want, and of plenty, travel through the trials, tribulations, and happy stories of their homeland, learning to compromise, understand and rejoice in each other, and eventually, to team together to succeed in their adventures. This beautiful tale tells the story of sisters learning to get along, and to find their own self-worth as they grow.

This is the true story of one family, represented by four couples, occupying one hotel room – but not at the same time nor in the same place. An immersive and intimate 20th century love story, about who we are and where we feel we belong, in which the audience simultaneously inhabits and experiences the 1930s, 1950s and 1990s. An intra-generational tale of love, loss, and commitment.

Rosalynde's evil uncle, the King, forces her to run away from a throne that should be hers, and she meets a wily, wacky trio of thieves in the forest, who offer to help her. Her best friend, the Prince, accidentally gives her hiding place away, and she must go into clever disguise, with an unexpected outcome! Tangling Robin Hood, Snow White, and Shakespeare together with hilarious results, this tale tells the story of bumbling banditry, mixed-up secret identities, and unexpected friendship. But will they all live happily ever after?

In this site-specific play intended for broadcast on Facebook Live, a man takes a short run through the park and confronts a lifetime of regret.

"Savory Taṇhā" is a virtual memory play of longing and loss, happiness and hopefulness, and navigating the pathways of human desire.

What do our dreams mean? Moving through spaces both familiar and frightening, featuring shadows of recognizable people and places, shrouding unspoken desires, envy, fear and shame. “Scenes from a Night’s Dream” immerses the audience in one person’s manic dreams, then launches them unsteadily into the waking world, to decipher an unsettling subconscious mystery.

A school master and his student lock metaphoric horns in a battle for dignity and control.

A relationship is disrupted when a random Google search leads one partner to reveal a disturbing moment from his past.

Who is the “secret adversary”? For her second novel, Agatha Christie created the youthful, jazz-era characters Thomas Beresford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley. Down on their luck, Tommy and Tuppence decide to become adventurers for hire and swiftly find themselves in an international plot to bring down the British government. Time is not on their side as they work to uncover the mysterious “Mister Brown.”

Join the world’s greatest detective as he utilizes his remarkable skills of observation and deduction to confront his most sensational mystery – but who is the Bully of Baker Street? An intrepid band of actors will use humor, logic, and song to perform this original tale (adapted from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle) and provide important lessons in problem solving and empathy.

Two former friends and artistic collaborators meet in a local pub after an extended and enforced separation. One seeks absolution for his transgressions, and to propose a renewed partnership, while the other takes this as an opportunity to set the record straight.

Your future foretold as a prophet & 3 weird sisters untangle life’s most ancient puzzles.

Sixth-grader Rufus Mayflower is aghast when he sees that the price of toothpaste has gone up — and he bets he can make a WHOLE GALLON for the same price as one tube from the store! The challenge? He has to solve real-life math problems first! With help from his good friend Kate, and the collective power of a group of determined children, can this group keep up with the high demand for their popular product? Adapted from the beloved children’s book by Jean Merrill, playwright David Hansen weaves a story of perseverance, friendship, ingenuity, and the power in numbers (literally!) for children ages 8+

A 45-minute adaptation that recasts the Bard’s classic tale as a 1980s teen romance. Incoming freshman Viola passes as a boy, becoming best buds with senior Orsino, and getting entangled in his attempts to attracts the attention of queen bee Olivia, who is still mourning the death of her brother. The too-cool-for-school Malvolio doles out plenty of attitude until he also becomes the subject of a harmful prank. By the end of the school day, however, everyone has something to smile about.

A young medical student with a theatrical past wanders into a vampire-themed coffee shop where he encounters an old flame, a charming teen-age barista and two musicians who may or may not be real vampires.

As high school lovers, Dani and Charles' courtship dances around the truth. As they move into adulthood, the steps become ever more intricate and emotionally dangerous. Over the span of ten years, "The Way I Danced With You" traces the mysterious choreography of romance and illusion.

David and his wife Toni learn at her 30 week check-up that their unborn child has died. Jumping back and forth between two timelines, David tells the story of the 36 hours between learning this truth and the birth of their first child, as well as the year that follows - detailing the frustration, recrimination, guilt, sorrow and ultimate acceptance of their son's death. (Original title: "I Hate This (a play without the baby")

A boy with an unhappy tummy dreams of a strange land peopled with wonderful creatures.

When a nationally branded social media influencer visits the Bradbury Witch Dungeon Museum (the 23rd most popular witch-themed attraction in Massachusetts) old ghosts haunt anew, and a trio of women band together to divine where the bones are truly buried.

Visit the historic Cleveland jazz club, Val’s in the Alley, and lean into a casual conversation between novelist Zora Neale Hurston and columnist Winsor French.

A short play that is an inaugural address.

A short play about Christmas.

A short play about advertising.

A short play inspired by "Africa."

A short play about the need for oxygen.

A short play about traveling by air during a pandemic.

A short play about a dream.

A short play about solipsism.

A short play about an angel.

A short play about ants.

A short play about an apology.

A short play about art.

A short play about an artist.

A short play about wanting to be someone else.

A short play about a visitor to Atlantis.

A short play about desire.

A short play that takes place in an attic above a garage.

A short, awkward play.

A short play about one kick ass bakery.

A short play about a balloon.

A short play inspired by "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère."

A short play about turning twenty-one.

A short play about the beat.

A short play that takes place in a bed.

A short play about betrayal.

A short play about anniversaries.

A short play about a bistro in one's basement.

A short play that takes place under the bleachers.

A short play about acceptance.

A short play about a book.

A short play about playing Bridge.

A short play about a living statue.

A short play about a game.

A monologue about a cactus.

A short play in a café.

A short play about a phone call.

A short play about cancer.

A short play about flipping cards.

A short play about cats.

A short play about a box of chocolates.

A short play about Cleveland.

A short play about clichés.

A short play about clouds.

A short play about coffee.

A short play about the comb over.

A short play about comedy.

A short play about comic books.

A short play about commitment.

A short play about communication.

A short play about self-confidence.

A short play about conflict.

A short play about Congress.

A short play about human connection.

A short play about consent.

A short play about cooking.

A short play about the need for connection.

A short play about a monster in the crawlspace.

A short play about abandonment.

A short play about a crisis.

A short play about receiving a critique.

A short play about crying.

A short play about what's cute.

A monologue about talking to Dad.

A short play about dancing.

A short play about a bad date.

A short play that takes place at dawn.

A short play about a deck.

A short play about tending a suburban garden.

A short play about graphic design.

A short play about jewelry.

A short playing about keeping your distance.

A short play about a possible burgeoning office romance.

A short play about dragons.

A short play about drama.

A short play about becoming a driver.

A short play about the Elven Council.

A short play about an estate sale.

A short play about that uses a factory as a metaphor.

A short play about falling.

A short play about fan mail.

A short play about fashion.

A short play about fathering teenage girls.

A short play about feelings.

A short play about caring for someone with a fever.

A short play about a fight.

A short play about a fire.

A short play about a first kiss.

A short play about fish.

A short play about an information breach.

A short play about flying.

A short play about making your way through the fog.

A short play about fonts.

A short play about baby formula.

A short play for kids about fortune.

A short play about the environment.

A short play about friends.

A short play about a garden.

A short play about gentrification.

A short play about glass.

A short play about being hit in the face.

A short play about the Grand Canyon.

A short play about shopping for groceries.

A short play about a self-reflective essay.

A short play about holding hands.

A short play about technology.

A short play about heat.

A short play about arriving.

A short play about a hero.

A short play about being high.

A short play about a homeless guy.

A short play about child molestation.

A short play about a house.

A short play about humor.

A short play about gifts we receive.

A short play about an insult.

A short play that takes place during intermission.

A short play about an interrogation.

A short play about what happens to you after to die.

A short play about jury duty.

A monologue about karma.

A short play about the sea.

A short play that takes place on a ladder.

A monologue that is a letter regarding a disturbing past.

A short play about the creation of life.

A short play about existentialist children.

A short play about standing in line at a grocery store.

A short play about chapped lips.

A short play about a glance.

A short play about magic.

A short play about either having or being a high school junior.

A short play on the importance of manners.

A short play about a marathon.

A short play about buying a mattress.

A short play about meditation.

A short play about memory.

A short play about mentorship.

A short play about having a migraine.

A short play about mirrors.

A short play about those we miss.

A short play about a mistake.

A short play about mites.

A short play about modeling.

A short play about a monument to memory.

A short play about the sun and moon.

A short play about multitasking.

A short play that takes place in a museum.

A short play about a musical box.

A short play about caring.

A short play inspired by the folk tale "The Emperor's New Clothes."

A romantically suspenseful short play about taking a walk at night.

A short play about unconditional love.

A short play about the importance of now.

A short play about an open relationship.

A short play about orgiastic power.

A short play about reacting to an outbreak.

A short play about packing for a trip.

A short play about peace.

A short play about a teller's pistol.

A short play about having plans.

A short play about the game "Assassination."

A short play about a playwright.

A short play consisting of doggerel.

A short play about writing poetry.

A short play about painting a portrait.

A short play about prayer.

A short play about prejudice.

A short play about the 2020 Prom.

A short play about a promise.

A short play about a white person planning to attend a BLM protest.

A short play about the distancing.

A short play about the rainbow.

A short play about making a recording.

A short play about regret.

A short play about someone who cannot relax.

A short play that takes place in a restaurant.

A short play about a women's rights organization reunion.

A short play about the stock market.

A short play about the hippie days.

A short play about humanity.

A short play that takes place on a rooftop.

A short play about waking up next to your roommate.

A short play about running.

A short play about amyl nitrite.

A short play about self-sacrifice.

A short play about a saint.

A short play about a scandal.

A short play about the seasons.

A short play about secrets.

A short play about seeking.

A short play with two Gen X senior citizens.

A short play about the workplace.

A short play about sharing.

A play that takes place after the protest.

A short play about taking a shower.

A short play about complaining.

A short play about electronic highway signs.

A short play about an illustrator.

A short play about skinny dipping.

A short play about smiling.

A short play about a secret society.

A short play about a really great song.

A short play about Christmas ale.

A short play about sports.

A short play about sex in the workplace.

A monologue about a stray.

A short play about failure.

A short play about sugar.

A short play about surprises.

A short play about Hell.

A short play about teamwork.

A short play about gratitude.

A short play about the value of things.

A short play about the secret lives of tools.

A short play about not feeling right.

A short play about the train.

A short play about trivia.

A short play about a troll.

A short play about passive-aggressive behavior.

A short play about a concert T-shirt.

A short play about George Thorogood.

A short play about America.

A short play about taking a summer vacation in 2020.

A short play about a vaccine.

A short play about audience members at the Globe Theatre.

A short play about a visitation.

A short play about war.

A short play about a rocket ship.

A short play about a whisper.

A monologue about a hate word written on a whiteboard.

A short play about a high school musical moment.

A short play about a winner.