Mark Harvey Levine

In this version of Hamlet, a lot of the characters turn out to be women in disguise. They realize if they don't step in, the whole thing is going to end in tragedy. With women now in charge, it's Shakespeare's famous play, but funnier and less murder-y.

"we had been reading the show in class with the intention of just keeping it there for study and the kids loved it so much that they asked last week if we could perform it." -- Christina Peoples, Heritage Academy, Mesa, AZ

Same play, fewer calories! ...er, pages. A one-hour version of this play for students, perfect for competitions.

In this version of Hamlet, a lot of the characters turn out to be women in disguise. They realize if they don't step in, the whole thing is going to end in tragedy. With women now in charge, it's Shakespeare's famous play, but funnier and less murder-y.

In this version of Hamlet, a lot of the characters turn out to be women in disguise. They realize if they don't step in, the whole thing is going to end in tragedy. With women now in charge, it's Shakespeare's famous play, but funnier and less murder-y.

Perfect for OAP Competitions!

Eight comedies about Christmas and Hanukkah and where they meet.

"If you don't catch this show, you are depriving yourself of the best holiday present, this year."
- Ingrid Wilmot, Willcall.org

"...more than a few times doubling over in hilarity"
-- Dany Margolie, Long Beach Press Telegram

"It is a thought-provoking night at the theater. By turns hilarious and pensive...80 minutes of solid and worthwhile theater"
-- Kim Hastings, Axs.com

"Fit this little gem under your Menorah or into your Christmas stocking."
-- Lynn Geyer, TheSubTimes.com

CABFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN is a journey through seven short stories of extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. A couple who wake up to find the script of the play that they are in, a psychic can only see two minutes into the future, a woman receives a rented boyfriend, a man finds a cabdriver perched on his bed -- and more.

"imagination, charm and wit"
-- Michael Grossberg, The Columbus Dispatch

CABFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN is a journey through eight short stories of extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. A couple who wake up to find the script of the play that they are in, a psychic can only see two minutes into the future, a woman receives a rented boyfriend, a man finds a cabdriver perched on his bed -- and more.

Specially edited for High School Students to perform.

CRAZY LOVE is eight short stories about love – between lovers, friends, neighbors and livestock.

DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING is eight short stories featuring ordinary people in not-so-ordinary situations. There's death and kissing, superheroes and Chinese food, and a lot of surprises.

"remarkable for the diversity and originality of its subject matter, notable for its sense of humor and laudable for its generally humanist stance. The pieces are as consistently dissimilar as they are consistently entertaining, which makes the evening that much more of a wonder, incorporating everything from straight-on madcap to aw-shucks sweetness... I'm betting you'll take at least a little something — on top of the laughter — from all of them. It's a tremendous evening of little theater."
Michael C. Moore, Kitsap Sun (Washington State)

In these four one-acts a school dance is visited by a Greek God, eighth grade becomes a video game, private thoughts are heard and the new kid turns out to be a Zombie. Four fast moving and funny one-acts for middle school aged actors. These plays were commissioned by a school that was heavy with males, so unlike many middle school plays, there are lots of parts for boys.

An evening of eight funny horror plays:
The Interview: These days you have to fight to get a job.
A Fit Of Pique: Some women must suffer for their beauty.
A Case Of Anxiety: It’s dangerous to worry all the time.
The Folks: The things your parents tell you stick with you for a lifetime.
Plato’s Cave - Have you ever wondered if there’s more to life? Don’t.
Holly And Herbie And Walter And Waffles: Morality is difficult when you’re in a cage.
Salt In The Wound: Superstition is there for a reason.
Misfortune: Barry gets some disturbing news with his Kung Pao Chicken.

A collection of Tiny Little Plays, featuring fish, psychics, nanobots and the Loch Ness Monster.

"The premise of each scene is communicated naturally and organically in the dialogue, avoiding the need for a ponderous exposition dump to set it up, and the humor is sharp and well-crafted. But it’s not all jokes. The playwright also offers some moments of real poignancy that are likely to stay with you long after the final curtain. Juggling both emotional extremes with such finesse, it’s clear why Mr. Levine is an internationally produced talent."
-- Larry Adams, A Seat On The Aisle

An evening of short works that can all be performed in a Park.

A man has the unique ability to pick up coins in a fountain and tell peoples wishes. A new father is taking his baby to the park for a little fresh air and a little panic. A young lady would like you to know she’s not homeless -- she’s a birthday party. A man is preaching to a crowd, but his girlfriend has a message of her own. And more!

A collection of eight plays and one monologue for all women casts. Characters feature women receiving dire predictions, insects trapped in a jar, college roommates with different outlooks, sisters facing death, diners facing murder, as well as crazed stalkers, crayons and cows. A fun evening perfect for an all-girls school.

A woman spends Christmas away from her family and gets some truly awful Christmas presents. But she misses the Best Present Ever.

*Also available in a Hanukkah version!*

A desk in kindergarten can be a battlefield when the crayons come to life.

"...the stronger one being The Big Picture, where each crayon in the box worries about being used up by their artist. It drives home the sentiment that your life as an individual is important, but what you leave behind among all of the lives you touch will shine on long after you are gone."
-- Anne Evans, Columbus Underground (Columbus, OH)

Three moms watch their toddlers play at a park. But one of the boys is a little...special.

Jen would like you to know she’s not homeless. She’s A Birthday Party.

A perfectly ordinary man goes on the cab ride of his life. How will he know when he's arrived?

"...the writing is crisp, the action is fast-paced... this rollicking, uplifting comedy is the perfect way to end the evening"
Shirle Gottlieb, Long Beach Press-Telegram

Robert keeps dying, over and over again. An Agatha Christie-like Inspector tries to solve the case, but only his wife Marissa can truly save him.

"a bring-down-the-house finale"
-- Anthony Vitello Jr, NYTheatreGuide.com

Ron is looking for a little human contact but gets more than he ordered.

"some fascinating psychological material"
-- J. Peter Bergman, Berkshire Bright Focus

Wouldn't it be nice if you could erase things?

Social media prevents them from socializing

A visit to a fortune teller. You're going to be... filthy rich.

Some women suffer for their beauty -- literally. A date with the world's most beautiful woman goes awry when the secret of her beauty is revealed.

Wendy hears voices. Unfortunately, everyone else can hear them too.

A gun control play. Three gun-owners don't *want* to use their guns. God forbid!

A thrilling tale of international intrigue, floral fighting, forbidden love and a killer blackberry cobbler.

Murder, Cannibalism -- it's all just a day in the life for four Hamsters.

Murder, Cannibalism -- it's all just a day in the life for four Hamsters in this Comedy Horror Radio Play.

Howard is about time travel, regrets, and how to make the perfect BLT.

"another superb Levine comedy" -- Kathleen Kirby, Flint Journal

Six insects must fight for their lives while they're serving time...in a jar.

"For laugh-out-loud comedy, it's hard to beat the script... the bugs' appearance and predicament are both hilarious. Then when [actor] Rincon is thrown in as a ladybug, the audience goes completely wild."
-- Shirle Gottlieb, Long Beach Press-Telegram

Job interviews are hard, especially during a Zombie Apocalypse

Job interviews are hard, especially during a Zombie Apocalypse

In "The Kiss", Dennis asks his best friend Allison to judge his kissing skills. Can he help it if she has to kiss him to do it?

"The Kiss" is breezy and enjoyable" -- Ted Hadley, The Buffalo News

"The evening's best play" -- Carl Hoover, The Waco Tribune-Herald

Some things can be reduced to numbers. Some can't.

"...Top among them are... "LA, 8 A.M.," Mark Harvey Levine's devastating, sublimely imagined seize-the-day sonata ideal for a post Sept. 11, 2001 world."
-- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

Patrick finds an unexpected comfort in a Lady Of The Evening.

The famous three kings need a present on Christmas eve. But what do you get for a baby?

The story of a special Reindeer, told as an epic musical.

"I lost all coherent thought when the cast did “Les Miserabelves.” One of the funniest effing things I have ever seen. I think I got disruptive because I was in the back cackling so much. CACKLING. At one point, I think my BFF who was with me was considering CPR. I can’t even explain the experience; it is something you have to witness for yourself." -- Lisa Gauthier Mitchison, Indianapolis Theater Reviews

The faith of two men is tested when they are tasked to... just watch a light.

A new father is taking his baby to the park for a little fresh air, and a little panic.

The story of how two down-on-their-luck mountebanks and one enterprising woman invented Commedia, by accident, on a Wednesday afternoon.

The story of how two down-on-their-luck mountebanks and one enterprising woman invented Commedia, by accident, on a Wednesday afternoon.

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

When the quarantine is over, you can look at the fish again.

"Morning" is a dialogue-free play that takes place in the World's Smallest Bathroom, as an increasing number of people try to get ready for their day.

In the near distant future, we'll need to wear gloves, masks and stay six feet apart to feel safe. And do a few other things also...

There's a new kid at school. The only trouble is, he's a zombie.

"A Nice Danish Boy" is about a certain Danish Prince -- only faster, funnier and a lot more Jewish.

Arthur is giving his wife a present of his latest invention. A bio-engineered young neanderthal girl. She can help around the house...

Mass shootings! Everyone's doing it these days! Don't miss out.

Liebowitz feels a little weird having a Christmas tree. It's even weirder when the tree starts talking.

Liebowitz feels a little weird having a Christmas tree. It's even weirder when the tree starts talking.

It's a tough job to work at a theme park when you're an animatronic doll forced to sing the same song over and over for all eternity.

Also available in a "Holiday" version

A single sentence uttered at a party years ago splits off into five possible outcomes. But which one really happened?

She's got a license. And she's not afraid to use it.

Someone threatens to throw themself off of a freeway overpass, causing a massive traffic jam on the 10 freeway.

"solid, thought-provoking storytelling"
-- Michael C. Moore, Kitsap Sun

It was supposed to be a silent night in the manger. But then Mary's mother shows up...

"The program’s pièce de résistance is Mark Harvey Levine’s “Oy Vey Maria.” Irreverent and hilarious...a wildly funny take on the nativity story, anachronistic and crazy and completely delightful."
-- The Miami Herald

Passed Hordes is a play about perception, connection, and the importance of really good hors d'oeuvres.

"My vote for the best piece of the night, though, would be for "Passed Hordes," an ingenious little charmer by noted Los Angeles one-act playwright Mark Harvey Levine"
-- Michael C. Moore, Kitsap Sun

Is this all there is?

A familiar story told from a slightly more bovine point of view.

"Totally unexpected, and utterly charming."
-- Malcolm Fordham, The Courier Herald (Dublin, GA)

Three incompetent thieves try to steal a statue from a Chinese Restaurant

A married couple becomes possessed by television in this play, designed as a tour de force for the actors.

"Director Anthony Galleran and especially actors Christina Martinez and Jeremy Gable all deserve some kind of golden, shiny, award thingy for taking on Remote, a crazy-paced piece in which a couch-potato couple suddenly becomes possessed by TV soundbites whenever one holds the clicker. The rapid-fire delivery breaking up normal conversation just screams lockjaw for them—and a blast for the audience."
-- Stacy Davies, the OC Weekly, Orange County, California

Sonya receives an extraordinary birthday present -- a rented boyfriend. He's the perfect man for her -- but he's only there for a day.

"fifteen minutes of sparkling repertee"
Nick Crews, Indianapolis Star

What do you do when you find out you're a minor character in your own story?

"sweetly insightful"
-- Plays With John and Wendy

Some people don’t believe in superstition, but Satan does.

David and Tina are getting ready to go to their adult daughter's house for dinner. David's elderly father, Arthur, seems to be "not all there" anymore. So where is he?

"a multilayered meditation on savoring each moment."
-- Jay Weitz, Columbus Alive

Scripted is about a couple who wake up to find the script of the play that they are in -- the very play we're watching. Everything they do, every word they're about to say has already been written down for them.

“Scripted is...a single whoppingly fantastic idea for a one-act play"
Alan R. Hall, Classical Voice of North Carolina

"Scripted...is a charming romantic comedy"
Jack Zink, Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinal

A single moment in time, seen from many angles.

"Mark Harvey Levine...is certainly a heartening find. His plays are... smart, humane, funny, and indicate a terrific sense of theatrical craft. Just as sweet and original is Shades... a neatly impressionistic take on human relationships."
-- Martin Denton, NYTheatre.com

Shakespeare's tomb says "cursed be he that moves my bones". Now you find out why.

"comically excellent...fast-paced and improbably silly ..."
-- Kathleen Kirby, The Flint Journal

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you're dating a Deity.

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you're dating a Deity.

Have you been ignored, insulted, discarded all your life? You may be a Superhero.

"A touching riff on personal fear"
Wenzel Jones, Backstage West

"Levine moves beyond ample laughs to make a poignant point about the everyday courage to be yourself."
Michael Grossberg, Columbus Dispatch

Peter is a psychic who can only see two minutes into the future. Unfortunately, all this gives him is the ability to drive his date slowly insane. But even a psychic can be surprised.

"a lovely little piece of sleight-of-mouth that would be at home in a David Ives collection...a little gem"
Joshua Tanzer, OffOffOff.com (New York)

Recess never ends.

Phillip and Margaret ask a stranger to Take Our Picture, but they get a different image of themselves than they expected.

Over a series of ten picnics, a young man comes to terms with his parents and his life.

"The most enchanting and gorgeously structured play is Mark Harvey Levine’s Ten Picnics, which in just a few minutes twists and turns through the years at a single spot in space...both poignant and funny, and always grounded in observation of real life."
--Margaret Quamme, The Columbus Dispatch

"...a tender homage to the family and the circle of life that drives it...This is an intelligent script, gracefully handled. "
-- John Quinn, EncoreMichigan.com

Jimmy can't stop saying a certain well-known swear word. Then the English language strikes back.

Four women in different stages of their lives grapple with memory, motherhood and all the *things* that bedevil them.

When his relationship with the much younger Adam ends, Richard must spend some time separating their belongings.

Christmas is nearly ruined when Uncle Charlie sings (like a canary), spilling the beans on the one secret about Santa you never ever tell.

"simply divine"
-- Tom Alvarez, Indianapolis Examiner

Jason is looking for a sign from God. Carrie is looking for a little help with the dishes.

"Mark Harvey Levine’s writing is touching and authentic in how it captures love’s fragility"
-- Mary Mallory, Tolucan Times

Murray Baum wishes Hanukkah was just as big as Christmas -- and learns to be careful what you wish for as he runs through a Hanukkah-themed mashup of every Christmas special ever.

Murray Baum wishes Hanukkah was just as big as Christmas -- and learns to be careful what you wish for as he runs through a mashup of every Christmas special ever.

Relationships are deep and mysterious, like the sea. Fortunately, there is a place in Mobile, Alabama, where you can take A Walk In The Ocean.

"These tender moments are well observed...melancholy snapshots of nice guys as their women move on"
Nelson Pressley, The Washington Post (Washington, DC)

Rita is a teenage girl planning a very special event, and her sister Elizabeth is not happy with how it’s going.

Scott has the unique ability to pick up coins in a fountain and tell peoples wishes. But it's ruining his life.

It's the War On Christmas! The Blitzen Company, of the 24th Douglas Fir Division, are here to take back Christmas. By force, if necessary. They attempt to decorate the house of Holly and Joel, despite the fact that they are Buddhists and don't celebrate Christmas.

It's hard to let go of things.

Danny may, or may not, be a Zombie.

Everybody has baggage.

In a pandemic, when you're forced to work from home, there's a few things that can bring comfort.

There are many ways to find water in the desert.

Two adventurers go searching for the Loch Ness Monster.

Two men arrive -- but is it the 45th floor, or 45th street?

A character misses their loved one... and so imagines them on a train.

"the play that everybody talked about every night"
-- Rebecca Cook, quoted in The Insider

Inside a vending machine, a bag of M&M's is dangling from his row.

An English Language lesson turns into a totally different kind of lesson.

Every man used to be someone's little boy.

Nathan just wants a little more time with Helen.

Dating is tough, especially when you're a couple of T-Rexes. But love, uh, finds a way.

This is what WOULD happen...

The story of two very incompetent hitmen with a strict moral code.

An exercise to see if I could write a one page play where nobody says more than three words at a time.

A couple at a restaurant decide the rest of their lives together.

"laugh out loud funny"
-- H.G.Welch, Red Pub (Houston, TX)

Is this all there is?

During a pandemic, a class of middle school students try to valiently carry on with their History Class Report.

When it comes to leadership, some fish have a different school Of thought.

"I think my favorite [one minute play] has got to be "School Of Thought" by Mark Harvey Levine. It seemed to typify exactly what the one minute play does brilliantly. A high concept, with immense potential for staging and perfectly formed to last one minute."
-- Hedley Brown, (Gi60 actor, playwright, assistant director), quoted in "One Minute Plays, A Practical Guide to Tiny Theatre"; Steve Ansell and Rose Burnett Bonczek; Routledge Press

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you're dating a Deity.

Nanobots? Do you have 'em?

Recess never ends.

Jimmy can't stop saying a certain well-known swear word. Then the English language strikes back.

A very silly little piece where two announcers do the play by play... of a play.

"Another highlight was Two Minute Warning... The absurdness of it... garnered lots of laughs from the audience."
--Anne Evans, Columbus Underground

A hot dog...with everything on it.

Morgan is always late.

An odd little one minute play that takes place in a bar.