Scott Sickles

Scott Sickles

SCOTT C. SICKLES is a biracial Asian American/LGBTQ writer. He has received five consecutive Writers Guild of America Awards for the daytime serial General Hospital, as well as seven Emmy Award nominations. He is also currently the head writer for PRIDE: The Series (Season 3). For more than thirty years, his plays have been performed in New York City, his native Pittsburgh, across the United States, as well as...
SCOTT C. SICKLES is a biracial Asian American/LGBTQ writer. He has received five consecutive Writers Guild of America Awards for the daytime serial General Hospital, as well as seven Emmy Award nominations. He is also currently the head writer for PRIDE: The Series (Season 3). For more than thirty years, his plays have been performed in New York City, his native Pittsburgh, across the United States, as well as internationally in Canada, Australia, the UK, Hungary, Singapore, Indonesia, and Lebanon.

Sickles’s biographical drama Nonsense and Beauty, chronicling the private life of E. M. Forster, received the 2018 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award leading up to its world premiere at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis this past March. The play previously won the 2016 Dayton Playhouse Future Fest (under its previous title, Shepherd’s Bush).

Sickles was a 2019 O’Neill finalist for Marianas Trench, the first play in an alternate-history/speculative sci-fi trilogy. Marianas Trench was also a finalist for the 2019 Fratti-Fred Newman Political Playwriting Contest, as well as a semifinalist for Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s PlayFest 2019 and American Blues Theater’s 2019 Blue Ink Playwriting Award. The other plays in this trilogy are Pangea, a romance set in Antarctica over the first days of 2046 as the climate reaches yet another tipping point, and The Known Universe, which takes place during the final hours of sustainable human existence on Earth.

His drama Composure received the 2016 New York Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Original Full-Length Script and was a finalist for the 2018 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Drama. He also garnered the 1999 Beverly Hills Theater Guild/Julie Harris Playwriting Award for Lightning from Heaven, a Cold War romance about Boris Pasternak, his muse Olga Ivinskaya, and the creation of Doctor Zhivago. In 1996, the Pittsburgh New Works Festival named him Outstanding Playwright for his father-son reconciliation drama The Harmonic Convergence.

His comedy Intellectuals can be found in Smith & Kraus’s New Playwrights: Best Plays of 2007. Published short works include murmurs (Samuel French Festival Plays #21), Beautiful Noises (S&K's 2009: Best 10-Minute Plays...), and Turtles and Bulldogs (Applause, Best American Short Plays 2015-2016). Smith & Kraus and Applause have also published several of his monologues in their anthologies. His experimental piece The Other Half made its Budapest debut after being translated into Hungarian and has since been published in an anthology of translated plays.

Sickles made his Capital Fringe debut in 2018 with his indie theater backstage comedy Perfecting the Kiss: a mockumentary for the stage. In 2013, his controversial drama Moonlight & Love Songs opened GayFestNYC to critical acclaim. Reno Little Theater has produced both Intellectuals and Demon Bitch Goddess – an evening of his short plays Medusa, Cassiopeia, and Thalassa.

Other full-length plays: From the Top (WorkShop Theater Company, NYC), Hairdresser on Fire (Compass Theatre, San Diego), The Philosopher’s Joke (based on the story by Jerome K. Jerome; WorkShop Theater Company); Frailty, Thy Name; and TARTARUS.
Other produced one-acts: The Antique Shoppe; Appetizers, or “On an Island Somewhere”; Badger and Frame, The Bedroom Summit; Dangerous Angels; Erroneous Zones; The Following Morning; The Greater and Lesser Edmunds of the World; Hand on Heart; #Bastille; I Knew It!; I’d Follow You Anywhere: a Solaris story; The Man in 119; Manly Men Doing Manly Things; Miracle and Her Minion, The Mother Lode; The Open Window (based on the short story by Saki); Outpost; Sarcophagus; Sugarplum; Tactile Creatures; Uncomplicated Bereavement; Vacancies; We’ll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet; and Yea, Though I Walk.

Sickles holds an MFA in playwriting from Carnegie Mellon University and is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Dramatists Guild, and the New Play Exchange. www.ScottCSickles.com

Plays

  • Winter Harbor by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: biography, drama
    ·
    Keyword: 1930s, disappearance + 3 more
    Genre: biography, drama
    Keyword: 1930s, disappearance, Vigil, lighthouse, based on a true story
    [ONE-ACT PERIOD DRAMA]
    One February day in 1935, Clinton "Buster" Dalzell – assistant lighthouse keeper at Egg Rock Light – kissed his pregnant wife Elizabeth goodbye, left to run an errand... and disappeared. Unable to join in the search, Elizabeth must stay strong for her young sons as she hopes for her husband’s safe return.
  • Winter on the Cusp of Sagittarius by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: childbirth, acquaintance rape + 3 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: childbirth, acquaintance rape, guilt, forgiveness, apocalypse
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA]
    Cady is having her baby, outside on her family's balcony, right now, before the meteor shower happens. She has her reasons.

    This play was written for Quarantine Bakeoff #3. The prompts were a goodbye, peach, a silence, a misconception, and a tree growing; bonus prompt: a meteor shower.

    Trigger Warning: This play deals with the consequences of an acquaintance rape.
  • Marianas Trench (Part One of The Second World Trilogy) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 17
    ·
    Cast: 
    8
    ·
    Genre: drama, mystery/thriller + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: Immigrants, refugees + 7 more
    Genre: drama, mystery/thriller, political, science fiction
    Keyword: Immigrants, refugees, Growing Up Gay, masculinity, American politics, homophobia, Islamophobia, Asian American, O'Neill Finalist
    [FULL LENGTH • SCIENCE FICTION]
    2019 O'NEILL FINALIST
    2F/6M (3M roles are East Asian/Korean)
    The first piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later.
    Teddy Passanante and Anzor Khasanov are eleven-year-old pen pals. Teddy is an unathletic, half-Asian nerd...
    [FULL LENGTH • SCIENCE FICTION]
    2019 O'NEILL FINALIST
    2F/6M (3M roles are East Asian/Korean)
    The first piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later.
    Teddy Passanante and Anzor Khasanov are eleven-year-old pen pals. Teddy is an unathletic, half-Asian nerd living in a liberal U.S. made up of what used to be Blue States. Anzor is the child of Muslim refugees trapped in a militant right-wing Christian theocracy that used to be the Red States. The boys know their correspondence is mandated and monitored by Anzor’s government. This is a love story.
  • Pangea (Part Two of The Second World Trilogy) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 7
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: drama, political + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: gayLGBT, environmental crisis + 5 more
    Genre: drama, political, romantic comedy, science fiction
    Keyword: gayLGBT, environmental crisis, climate change, Alternate history, future, Antarctica, gay love story
    [FULL LENGTH SCIENCE FICTION DRAMA]
    4M/2F – 2 Males are East Asian
    The second piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later. In this installment, they meet for the first time as 38-year-old adults.

    Twenty-six years ago, Andy Manners ghosted his best friend...
    [FULL LENGTH SCIENCE FICTION DRAMA]
    4M/2F – 2 Males are East Asian
    The second piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later. In this installment, they meet for the first time as 38-year-old adults.

    Twenty-six years ago, Andy Manners ghosted his best friend Lincoln Passanante, and this morning – New Year’s Day, 2046 – they woke up in each other’s arms for the very first time. When they were children, Andy was the son of Muslim refugees who escaped a genocide the Red States when they became the New Confederacy, while Lincoln was a much-bullied half-Korean science geek. Now, Andy is an astronaut, Lincoln is a marine biologist at Antarctica’s Palmer Station, the New Confederacy is collapsing, the climate is reaching another catastrophic tipping point, and two men who have loved each other all their lives must confront an intimately and globally uncertain future.
  • The Known Universe (Part Three of The Second World Trilogy) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    8
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: Gay and LGBTQ, science fiction + 7 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, period, political, science fiction
    Keyword: Gay and LGBTQ, science fiction, speculative, climate change, end of the world, apocalypse, nontraditional, family drama, gay love story
    [FULL LENGTH SCIENCE FICTION DRAMA]
    The third piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later. This is the final installment, so...

    2067. The Earth is entering a new ice age and nothing on the surface will survive. Astronaut Anzor "Andy" Khasanov-Manners is...
    [FULL LENGTH SCIENCE FICTION DRAMA]
    The third piece in a science fiction trilogy that follows a love story between two guys from when they're 11-year-old pen pals until the end of the world nearly 50 years later. This is the final installment, so...

    2067. The Earth is entering a new ice age and nothing on the surface will survive. Astronaut Anzor "Andy" Khasanov-Manners is in a space station, in orbit, assisting with evacuation efforts... which have just been abandoned. His husband, Teddy; their boys, Mason and Julius; the boys' mother, Drisana, and stepmother, Sophie, were supposed to be on the next flight up. As the temperature plummets and the planet becomes uninhabitable, Anzor and his family bid each other a long farewell. Told in real time and flashbacks, THE KNOWN UNIVERSE is a story of family and everything they and we have to lose.
  • Composure by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 8
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: LGBTQ, Shakespeare + 5 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: LGBTQ, Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, college, divorce, acquaintance rape, trauma survivors
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    When Fletcher Driscoll returned to his hometown to direct Romeo and Juliet, he never expected to end up in his own star-crossed romance with Jeff, a recently out divorcé with a complicated past. Nor was he prepared to confront Tommy, his high school best friend who broke his heart... repeatedly and on purpose.

    A powerful drama about the resonance of loss, Composure is...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    When Fletcher Driscoll returned to his hometown to direct Romeo and Juliet, he never expected to end up in his own star-crossed romance with Jeff, a recently out divorcé with a complicated past. Nor was he prepared to confront Tommy, his high school best friend who broke his heart... repeatedly and on purpose.

    A powerful drama about the resonance of loss, Composure is for everyone who has ever loved the wrong person and worries that it's too late to find the right one.


    two acts; 1 hour, 45 minutes (+ intermission)
  • Demon Bitch Goddess by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    8–10
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: old age, wedding + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, romantic comedy
    Keyword: old age, wedding, dysfunctional family, Sisters, widow
    [EVENING OF ONE-ACT PLAYS]
    Life’s major milestones happen unexpectedly out of order in these three tales of love, lust and loss.

    Demon: Medusa
    Mavis and Thor are two senior citizens out on a first date. Thor is a perfect gentlemen, but that may not be what Mavis wants...

    Bitch: Cassiopeia
    Developmentally challenged Angela prepares for her wedding. Her two...
    [EVENING OF ONE-ACT PLAYS]
    Life’s major milestones happen unexpectedly out of order in these three tales of love, lust and loss.

    Demon: Medusa
    Mavis and Thor are two senior citizens out on a first date. Thor is a perfect gentlemen, but that may not be what Mavis wants...

    Bitch: Cassiopeia
    Developmentally challenged Angela prepares for her wedding. Her two sisters want what’s best for her. Unfortunately, they have very different opinions on what that might be.

    Goddess: Thalassa
    On the shore of the Mediterranean, a young woman spots a man about to take a one-way walk into the deep blue sea. Can she save him? Can they save each other?

    3 one-act plays; 90-100 minutes; no intermission
  • Frailty, Thy Name by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 5 more
    ·
    Keyword: based on Shakespeare, Female Lead Characters + 4 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, horror, mystery/thriller, period, political, tragedy
    Keyword: based on Shakespeare, Female Lead Characters, Hamlet, Gertrude, Ophelia, retelling
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA – adaptation/retelling of HAMLET]

    You know the story, right?
    After the sudden death of her king, the grieving Queen Gertrude tries to save her country from the brink of war by helping her brother-in-law, the wise and good statesman Claudius, ascend to the throne instead of her temperamental son, Prince Hamlet. When Hamlet becomes unhinged, Gertrude enlists his love...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA – adaptation/retelling of HAMLET]

    You know the story, right?
    After the sudden death of her king, the grieving Queen Gertrude tries to save her country from the brink of war by helping her brother-in-law, the wise and good statesman Claudius, ascend to the throne instead of her temperamental son, Prince Hamlet. When Hamlet becomes unhinged, Gertrude enlists his love Ophelia to help save his sanity. But soon, Ophelia inherits Hamlet's suspicions about his father's death and must determine if the queen can be trusted or is an accomplice to murder.
    This is a story about women.

    FRAILTY, THY NAME examines the Hamlet mythos exclusively from the perspectives of its women, Queen Gertrude and Ophelia. Gertrude is a noble, savvy and honorable queen who, in a moment of deep grief, puts country before family. She and Ophelia — clever, perceptive, and steadfast — unite over their love of Hamlet, until his suspicions of treachery force them to confront the patriarchy that has trapped and perhaps even doomed them.
  • From the Top by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: comedy of manners, gay + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, romantic comedy
    Keyword: comedy of manners, gay, theatre people, unrequited love, breakup, young love
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY OF MANNERS]
    A contemporary comedy of manners about the things we keep from the people we love.

    FROM THE TOP examines (roughly) the same half-hour from three different characters’ perspectives as they prepare to leave for a special event.
    In Act One, young actor Edmund arrives with his new boyfriend Paddy. He’s seeking an audience with his mentor and dear friend...
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY OF MANNERS]
    A contemporary comedy of manners about the things we keep from the people we love.

    FROM THE TOP examines (roughly) the same half-hour from three different characters’ perspectives as they prepare to leave for a special event.
    In Act One, young actor Edmund arrives with his new boyfriend Paddy. He’s seeking an audience with his mentor and dear friend Brandon, a highly regarded theater director. His attempts to have a private moment with his friend are blocked by Irene and Calvin, an actress/playwright couple who appear to be running interference. Edmund eventually has the heart-to-heart he’s been longing for, but what’s wrong with Brandon?
    In Act Two, moments before Edmund and Paddy’s arrival, Irene tries to break up with bewildered Calvin. They discreetly negotiate the chaos going on around and in between them, ultimately confronting the fate of their relationship.
    In Act Three, Brandon lets Irene and Calvin in and informs them that he’s invited Edmund to join them. He dismisses their concerns at first, but after Edmund’s arrival, Brandon must navigate his own mounting heartbreak.


    90 minutes, 3 short acts, no intermission.

    " From the Top deserves a long life, though hopefully it will be ensconced on the New York stages for a long time to come, an ideal destination for audiences seeking a witty and intelligent modern comedy of manners."
    ~ Matthew Murray, Talking' Broadway
  • Hairdresser on Fire by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    6–10
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: psychological abuse, manipulation + 1 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: psychological abuse, manipulation, gay men
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    Lawrence is on the rebound. His best pals -- ex-lover Niles and devout virgin Briony -- can only provide so much comfort. Then in walks Allan, a handsome attorney who whisks him away from his problems... and soon begins to separate Lawrence little by little from the people and things he cares about. Allan's plan to control Lawrence starts to backfire when Lawrence reveals himself...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    Lawrence is on the rebound. His best pals -- ex-lover Niles and devout virgin Briony -- can only provide so much comfort. Then in walks Allan, a handsome attorney who whisks him away from his problems... and soon begins to separate Lawrence little by little from the people and things he cares about. Allan's plan to control Lawrence starts to backfire when Lawrence reveals himself to be a stronger person than the heartbroken sad sack he was the night they met. But is Lawrence strong enough?

    90 minutes, no intermission

    "Hairdresser on Fire ... unfolds with the ease of an episode of "Seinfeld" but ends 90 minutes later the way "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" would if written by Larry Gelbart instead of Edward Albee. ... a lively engaging piece about the downward spiral of relationships that begin with a power imbalance. It's also about the particular courage it takes to assert one's self in the face of the possible loss of love."
    ~ Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  • HELLISH DELIGHTS (Four New One-Act Plays) by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    3–8
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: one-acts, hell + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: one-acts, hell, prison, murder, American Gothic, TBI, music, puppets, comedic nativity play
    [EVENING OF ONE-ACT PLAYS]

    PRODUCTION CLOSED EARLY DUE TO COVID-19

    Four New One-Act Plays including
    BULLETPROOF LOVE
    THE FALLOW GARDEN
    O, FOR A MUSE OF FIRE
    SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF BETHLEHEM
  • Intellectuals by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–12
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: gay, Lesbian + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy, satire
    Keyword: gay, Lesbian, screwball, comedy of manners, romantic comedy
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY]
    Psychologist Margot Welles is taking a "sabbatical" from her marriage to explore her "untapped feminine potential" by giving lesbianism a whirl. Hoping to make Margot jealous, her husband Philip, a philosophy professor, starts dating the lovely Antonia... a much older woman. Margot and Philip both employ their best friend Brighton, a romantically disadvantaged...
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY]
    Psychologist Margot Welles is taking a "sabbatical" from her marriage to explore her "untapped feminine potential" by giving lesbianism a whirl. Hoping to make Margot jealous, her husband Philip, a philosophy professor, starts dating the lovely Antonia... a much older woman. Margot and Philip both employ their best friend Brighton, a romantically disadvantaged film professor, to keep one another posted... but Brighton's "gay best friend" duties are waylaid when his former student Nick begins to court him out of the blue. Mayhem ensues.

    2 acts; 120-130 minutes

    "...you know the playwright has potential. ... Mr. Sickles’s zingy dialogue sparkled..."
    ~Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times

    "Romantic screwball comedy is alive and well... Intellectuals is a refreshing reminder of how fun good theatre can be... several surprising twists and turns...
    ~ Michael Criscuolo, nytheatre.com

    "Some people are just too smart for their own good. That’s bad for them, but it’s great for the audience of Intellectuals. ... Sickles’s dialog is witty and crisp, and the jokes zipped by, one on top of the next. ... a lot of fun indeed."
    ~ Byrne Harrison, oobr.com

    Available in Smith & Kraus's NEW PLAYWRIGHTS: BEST PLAYS OF 2007, edited by Lawrence Harbison.
  • Lightning From Heaven by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    9–13
    ·
    Genre: biography, docudrama/historic + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: freedom of expression, Soviet Union + 5 more
    Genre: biography, docudrama/historic, drama, political
    Keyword: freedom of expression, Soviet Union, intense, interrogation, censorship, writers, History
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    Before the classic film and the celebrated novel Doctor Zhivago, there were poet Boris Pasternak, his muse Olga Ivinskaya, and the Soviet government’s attempt to silence their story. After Pasternak’s death in 1960 Olga, his lover of fourteen years, was arrested by the KGB. LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN chronicles Olga's subsequent interrogation and trial, while depicting her and...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    Before the classic film and the celebrated novel Doctor Zhivago, there were poet Boris Pasternak, his muse Olga Ivinskaya, and the Soviet government’s attempt to silence their story. After Pasternak’s death in 1960 Olga, his lover of fourteen years, was arrested by the KGB. LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN chronicles Olga's subsequent interrogation and trial, while depicting her and Pasternak's struggle to complete and publish Doctor Zhivago despite determined Soviet efforts to stop them.

    2 acts; 2h15m

    "torrid... as sizzling as the love affair between Zhivago and Lara. ... The play is full of high drama, deep characterization, and constant tension. It is a scathing look inside the nightmarish world of Soviet oppression. ~Bruce Chadwick, History News Network

    "It is a smart, deeply literate play, driven by the conflict between individual artistic integrity and the collectivist state. Perhaps most touching are the scenes deliberately echoing Zhivago in which Pasternak and Ivinskaya find beauty in the increasingly drab, dehumanized Soviet world about them. ... Highly recommended for fans of historical drama or Zhivago in any of its incarnations."
    ~ Joe Bendel. J.B. Spins blog
  • Moonlight & Love Songs by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–8
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: Movies, LGBTQ + 6 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: Movies, LGBTQ, intense, gay, age difference, religion, may december, age of consent
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    When Harry Wallace, a lonely 45 year old architect meets and falls for Jim Bennett, a sexy young college student, he sees his dreams come true until a shocking revelation about Jim causes their seemingly perfect motion picture romance to implode. As the ensuing public outrage leaves Harry a pariah within his community and his family, Jim attempts to repair the damage caused by his...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    When Harry Wallace, a lonely 45 year old architect meets and falls for Jim Bennett, a sexy young college student, he sees his dreams come true until a shocking revelation about Jim causes their seemingly perfect motion picture romance to implode. As the ensuing public outrage leaves Harry a pariah within his community and his family, Jim attempts to repair the damage caused by his betrayal.

    90 minutes, no intermission

    “Sickles nails the complexities in this relationship in such a powerful way... There is something for everyone in the audience to draw from; whether you are gay or straight, it
    is very relatable.”
    ~ Gregory G. Allen, Huffington Post

    “Playwright Scott C. Sickles creates an intriguing, surprisingly believable study of human behavior...just about any audience member will find something with which to
    connect.”
    ~ Ronni Reich, Back Stage

    “Sickles takes a potentially controversial topic and crafts a beautiful story of a doomed romance. Like the old movies it references, Casablanca chief among them, Moonlight & Love Songs shows that love often demands sacrifice to become
    transcendent.”
    ~ Byrne Harrison, Stagebuzz.com
  • Nonsense and Beauty by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 10
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: biography, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: gay romance, History + 5 more
    Genre: biography, drama, period
    Keyword: gay romance, History, English, 1930s, 1960s, Forster, Ackerley
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    2018 EDGERTON FOUNDATION NEW PLAY AWARD WINNER
    2020 AMERICAN THEATER CRITICS ASSOCIATION STEINBERG AWARD FINALIST
    2020 ST LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARD FOR BEST NEW PLAY

    In 1930, E.M. Forster met and fell in love with Bob Buckingham, a policeman 23 years his junior. Before long, fear of discovery forced Bob to court and marry May, a young nurse. The ensuring...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA]
    2018 EDGERTON FOUNDATION NEW PLAY AWARD WINNER
    2020 AMERICAN THEATER CRITICS ASSOCIATION STEINBERG AWARD FINALIST
    2020 ST LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARD FOR BEST NEW PLAY

    In 1930, E.M. Forster met and fell in love with Bob Buckingham, a policeman 23 years his junior. Before long, fear of discovery forced Bob to court and marry May, a young nurse. The ensuring love triangle, turbulent and unique, evolved until Forster’s death nearly forty years later.

    2 acts; 120 minutes

    (formerly titled "Shepherd's Bush")
  • Perfecting the Kiss: a mockumentary for the stage by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: backstage, backstage fiasco
    Genre: comedy, farce, romantic comedy, satire
    Keyword: backstage, backstage fiasco
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY]
    In this "Noises Off for Off-Off," a stage manager presents a dramatic recreation of her traumatizing previous production during which she was secretly attracted to playwright Harvest Carruthers who in turn became attracted to the sweet, sexy, and tremendously untalented Jonah "Buck" Jackson who himself developed a crush on director Edwina O'Halloran who is...
    [FULL LENGTH COMEDY]
    In this "Noises Off for Off-Off," a stage manager presents a dramatic recreation of her traumatizing previous production during which she was secretly attracted to playwright Harvest Carruthers who in turn became attracted to the sweet, sexy, and tremendously untalented Jonah "Buck" Jackson who himself developed a crush on director Edwina O'Halloran who is only doing this very bad gay play to prove that the actor who rejected her romantic overtures, Mike Porter, did so because he's gay thereby enabling her to cope with his rejection. The result is a hilariously catastrophic series of clashing egos and romantic misalliances.

    75 minutes, no intermission
  • The Philosopher's Joke by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: time travel, Fantasy + 3 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, fantasy
    Keyword: time travel, Fantasy, drama, full length, dance/movement
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA/FANTASY]
    Based on the short story by Jerome K. Jerome. A young man about to propose marriage to his girlfriend seeks the advice of three older couples, all of whom have been acquainted with one another for over twenty years. There's the sedate Reverend Nathaniel Armitage and his flirtatious wife Alice; brusque entrepreneur Dick Everett who married his wife Nellie for her beauty,...
    [FULL LENGTH DRAMA/FANTASY]
    Based on the short story by Jerome K. Jerome. A young man about to propose marriage to his girlfriend seeks the advice of three older couples, all of whom have been acquainted with one another for over twenty years. There's the sedate Reverend Nathaniel Armitage and his flirtatious wife Alice; brusque entrepreneur Dick Everett who married his wife Nellie for her beauty, which has faded completely; and passionate writer Horatio Camelford, who stopped believing in marriage right around the time his wife Jessica finally realized she loved him. The three couples regale the young man with a story about how one night in Germany they were magically transported back to their youths... and given knowledge of their futures. What did they learn from the decisions they made?

    70 minutes (45 pages, plus movement) no intermission
  • TARTARUS by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    6–23
    ·
    Genre: drama, experimental + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: horror, serial killer + 4 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, horror, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: horror, serial killer, Child kidnapping, homophobia, child murder, suspense
    [HORROR; FULL-LENGTH SHORT PLAY CYCLE]
    TARTARUS consists of seven short interwoven plays following the trail of a serial murderer who finds small boys he believes to be gay and lures them to their deaths. Through the intimate perspectives of the victims, the killer, and their families, the piece is as much a horror story as a political indictment of what happens when homophobia, zealotry, and sociopathy...
    [HORROR; FULL-LENGTH SHORT PLAY CYCLE]
    TARTARUS consists of seven short interwoven plays following the trail of a serial murderer who finds small boys he believes to be gay and lures them to their deaths. Through the intimate perspectives of the victims, the killer, and their families, the piece is as much a horror story as a political indictment of what happens when homophobia, zealotry, and sociopathy merge.

    1: ACHERON - Luke, a handsome, athletic older boy, befriends a younger boy he sees admiring him
    2: ASPHODEL MEADOWS - The mother of a missing boy becomes overwhelmed by her fears
    3: COCYTUS - Two people trying to have an intimate encounter make a horrifying discovery
    4: RHADAMANTHUS - Luke, the killer, confronted by his parents, explains what drives him
    5: EURYNOMOS - One of Luke's victims has survived and, decades later, tries to confront him
    6: THE MOURNING FIELDS - Another child goes missing with an unexpected outcome
    7: THE STYGIAN MARSH - Luke's father attempt to expose Luke's crimes

    The plays are meant to be performed either as stand-alone pieces, in combinations, or together.
  • Badger and Frame by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama, period
    ·
    Keyword: LGBTQ, children + 8 more
    Genre: drama, period
    Keyword: LGBTQ, children, memory, grief, friendship, boys, growing up, sexuality, coming of age, emotional abuse
    [ONE-ACT PLAY; 25 minutes]
    During the summer of 1978, Bobby "Badger" McCandless and Ephraim "Frame" Siebert were best friends. Today, after Bobby's funeral, Ephraim meets his childhood bestie's widow Mary Kate. As she reminisces over her life with Bobby, Ephraim relives his friendship with "Badger": their summer of exploration and adventure from its humble beginnings to its abrupt end.
  • Bulletproof Love by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 10
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: prison, love + 1 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: prison, love, poetry
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA]
    Ambrose and Ramona were supposed to be married. Instead, she's visiting him in prison with bulletproof glass between them. He is the strong, silent type — very strong, very silent. She has a mouth for rage. Neither can express their love to each other... Lucky you, you get to hear what's in their hearts. And it is boundless.
  • Fade to White by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: hungary, missing child
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: hungary, missing child
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA]
    Seventy-year-old documentary filmmaker Istvan is about to interview his next subject — his school-hood girlfriend Magda, now a retired teacher — about the day one of their classmates vanished in a freak snowstorm. Reflecting on this long-ago tragedy forces Magda to confront who she's become and why.
  • The Fallow Garden by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 4 more
    ·
    Keyword: American Gothic, murder + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, horror, melodrama, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: American Gothic, murder, revenge, blackmail
    [ONE-ACT AMERICAN GOTHIC]
    Glynnis and Marie France are digging a hole in Lavinia Fowler's garden.
    They are not planting vegetables.

    In this American Gothic tale of small-town extortion and revenge, these two women discover they are being leveraged by a common enemy. They conspire to turn the tables on their blackmailer, but is silencing her enough to secure their secrets?
  • The Greater and Lesser Edmunds of the World: a ten-minute play about bastards and birthright by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, melodrama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: illegitimate children, Inheritance + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, melodrama, satire
    Keyword: illegitimate children, Inheritance, prodigal son, brothers
    [ONE-ACT SHAKESPEARE INSPIRED COMEDY]
    Gideon is meeting his half-brother Augie. They've met only once before, at their father's funeral... a father who kept two families at the same time. Gideon thinks he knows what Augie wants. Gideon is wrong.
  • I'd Follow You Anywhere: a Solaris story by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, science fiction
    Genre: drama, science fiction
    [ONE-ACT, SCIENCE FICTION]
    Above the planet Solaris, Emery has just spent the best night ever with River who is quite literally the Person of Their Dreams.

    Inspired by the sci-fi classic.
  • The Interior by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: adventure, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: wilderness, man verus nature + 1 more
    Genre: adventure, drama, horror
    Keyword: wilderness, man verus nature, horror
    [ONE-ACT SOLO PLAY/HORROR]
    Skylar Chapin does not do well outside of big cities. Stranded in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest after a plane crash and possessing next to no survival skills, Skylar tries to make it back to civilization... only to discover an even greater danger.

    This is a solo play that can be performed by an actor of any gender or race within a wide range of ages.
  • Lost Starlet by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    8
    ·
    Genre: comedy, satire
    ·
    Keyword: classic cinema, cinema + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, satire
    Keyword: classic cinema, cinema, mockumentary, one-act play, fifteen minute play
    [ONE-ACT COMEDY MOCKUMENTARY]
    In this mockumentary sendup of TCM documentaries, the one-way rivalry between cinema icon Genevieve O'Neal and single-movie sensation Desiree Dovell celebrates American film from the golden age on.
  • The Most Important Meal of the Day by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: gay, LGBTQ + 4 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: gay, LGBTQ, breakup, Cyberbullying, disgraced reporter, breakfast
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA]
    Rupert is a wildly successful corporate sell-out. Linus is a washed-up journalist who has never recovered from his fall from grace. They're having one last breakfast together before parting ways... maybe forever?
  • Persephone by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: adoption, heightened language + 1 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: adoption, heightened language, oddball
    [ONE-ACT COMEDY]
    Helena gave up her daughter Persephone at birth. Today, they meet for the first time. It's going really well. Or at least it was...
  • Popcorn by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    4–5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: One-Act, coming of age + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: One-Act, coming of age, Gay and LGBTQ, teen sexuality, cooking show, Discovering of Sexual Identity
    [ONE-ACT, GAY "COMING OF AGE" COMEDY]
    Straight-laced Kip just wants to watch Nigella's cooking show, but scruffy Stan won't stop ribbing him about it. Things turns physical... really, really physical.

  • Sarcophagus by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one act, aging + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one act, aging, women getting older, introversion, Hollywood, youth culture, Clepatra, Robin Hood
    [ONE-ACT COMEDY-DRAMA; *NOT* HORROR]
    Cleopatra and Robin Hood meet in the anteroom of a Hollywood Halloween party. But who are they really? And who do they wish they were?
  • The Silence of My Lonely Room by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, horror
    ·
    Keyword: One-Act, mental heath + 3 more
    Genre: drama, horror
    Keyword: One-Act, mental heath, Schizophrenia, revenge, friendship
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA; 2M*]
    A long time ago, Kenneth though he killed a demon in this room. Then he found out it was a hallucination. Today, he's back in the room for the first time since he lost his mind. Once again, he's not alone.
  • Somewhere South of Bethlehem by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: christianity, hell + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, faith-based, fantasy, holiday
    Keyword: christianity, hell, afterlife, devil, evangelism, Lucretia Borgia
    [ONE-ACT COMEDY]
    1M/2F; 25 minutes
    Disgraced Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson is in hell... literally and figuratively. Her current torment is being forced to rehearse a Nativity play (with loads of puppets!) with Lucrezia Borgia and the Devil. Revelations and confessions ensue.
  • Sugarplum by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: horror
    ·
    Keyword: Schizophrenia, psychological + 2 more
    Genre: horror
    Keyword: Schizophrenia, psychological, apocalypse, mental hospital
    [ONE-ACT HORROR]
    3M/3F; 20-25 minutes
    Rayanne wakes up in a hospital where she's told the apocalyptic nightmare she's been living was actually a hallucination. Soon, the line between her realities begins to blur.
  • Tactile Creatures by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama, fantasy
    ·
    Keyword: ghosts, Touching + 2 more
    Genre: drama, fantasy
    Keyword: ghosts, Touching, contact, loneliness
    [ONE-ACT GHOST STORY/ROMANCE]
    Recovering from a breakup, Aubrey moves into a studio apartment only to discover that the residence is occupied... by a ghost. A romance about loneliness in the aftermath of love, both requited and not, and the importance of contact.

    NOTE: the characters have not been assigned any age, race or gender; those decisions entirely up to the production!
  • "Three Months! Tops!" by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: comedy, fantasy + 6 more
    ·
    Keyword: 1940s, family + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, fantasy, farce, holiday, parody/spoof, period, romantic comedy, satire
    Keyword: 1940s, family, winter
    ONE-ACT COMEDY
    [3F/3M] Spinster Mamie has finally find the man of her dreams in sweet Grover. But when Mamie announces their engagement to her family, no one takes it seriously. Once they realize that Mamie is indeed serious, fretful Mama lays down the law: Mamie can't marry Grover... for a very good and unique reason...
  • Uncomplicated Bereavement by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: funeral, church + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: funeral, church, Sex, caregiving, sacrifice, dealing with loss
    [ONE-ACT COMEDY]
    Sarah – approaching 50, alone and lonely – has just lost the father she'a been taking care of for years. As the funeral procession waits for her outside the church, she meets a handsome stranger dealing with loss of his own. And yet... could there be a spark?
  • Vacancies by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: supernatural, broken marriage + 2 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: supernatural, broken marriage, flood, motel
    [ONE-ACT DRAMA]
    A flood has forced Carol and Graham to seek refuge at a motel. Their marriage already strained, Carol also blames Graham for a tragic act of negligence. When she's away from him, Graham is befriended by another guest who makes an unsettling yet alluring claim.
  • We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4–10
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Adapation, Anton Chekhov + 1 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, holiday
    Keyword: Adapation, Anton Chekhov, modern adaptation
    [ONE-ACT, DRAMA]
    Central Park, New Year's Eve. A carriage driver bearing the weight of a great tragedy tries to reach out to his passengers, but connection only comes from an unlikely place.
    Adapted from the short story "Misery" by Anton Chekhov
  • All is Calm by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: christmas, holiday + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, holiday
    Keyword: christmas, holiday, gay, breakup, friendship, friendship between men
    [TEN-MINUTE; COMEDY-DRAMA]
    Doug is spending Christmas by himself, at least until his BFF Garrett shows up to check on him. A friendly visit conjures feelings that might actually not be better left unsaid.
  • Appetizers, or "On an Island Somewhere" by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama, horror + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: activism, American politics + 3 more
    Genre: drama, horror, political, science fiction
    Keyword: activism, American politics, LGBTQ, social issues, gay conversion therapy
    [TEN-MINUTE PLAY]
    Alice and her husband host a farewell party of wine and hors d'oeuvres celebrating Tamara and her husband moving back to the Mainland after years on the Island. But why are they all there in the first place? When will they all be allowed to leave?
    ----
    An evening of wine hors d'oeuvres celebrating Tamara and her husband finally moving off the Island back to the...
    [TEN-MINUTE PLAY]
    Alice and her husband host a farewell party of wine and hors d'oeuvres celebrating Tamara and her husband moving back to the Mainland after years on the Island. But why are they all there in the first place? When will they all be allowed to leave?
    ----
    An evening of wine hors d'oeuvres celebrating Tamara and her husband finally moving off the Island back to the Mainland. She wants one last girl talk session with her BFF/hostess Alice, so she sends their hubbies – Calvin and Oliver – off to the man cave for a male bonding session of their own. Soon, they each begin to recall their experiences at Camp, a program where they learned to eradicate their desires for members of the same sex, embrace Christ, and come out with a brand new outlook and an assigned spouse. But will the emotional bonding lead to something beyond friendship. If so, what?
  • Beautiful Noises by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: gay, grief + 3 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: gay, grief, homophobia, afterlife, forgiveness
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    A recently deceased gay man encounters his long-lost sister in the afterlife. But instead of offering guidance, she needs his help reaching out to the mother she left behind. However, the animosity between their mother and the man's lover may prevent any communication between the living and the dead.

    This play in included in the anthology Demon Bitch Goddess.
  • The Bedroom Summit by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 8
    ·
    Cast: 
    2–3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: coming of age, gay + 4 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: coming of age, gay, gay teen, homophobia, bullying, sexual content
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Boyd has been on the run from bully Justin all day, so when he finds Justin waiting for him in his bedroom... But Justin's not there to hurt Boyd. He has something quite different in mind.

    The Bedroom Summit tackles internal and societal homophobia as the nature of the boys’ violent relationship stems from an attraction that one wishes to consummate and the other is...
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Boyd has been on the run from bully Justin all day, so when he finds Justin waiting for him in his bedroom... But Justin's not there to hurt Boyd. He has something quite different in mind.

    The Bedroom Summit tackles internal and societal homophobia as the nature of the boys’ violent relationship stems from an attraction that one wishes to consummate and the other is desperate to escape.

    Note: This play is thematically about anti-gay bullying and internalized homophobia among teenage boys. Only the boys appear on stage. There is an off-stage female voice with only two lines that can be delivered by someone backstage or as a sound effect. This play also features strong sexual content. NO nudity.
  • Canopies and Canapés by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: wedding, gay wedding + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: wedding, gay wedding, assault weapons, hors d'oeuvres, hostages
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    A Chef and a Waiter, parters in business and life, have just taken cover when the wedding they're working is set upon by gunfire.

    Written for Cold Readings of Hastily Written Plays, the prompt was:
    Two characters leave a social function together.
    They each get one subject to talk about (from a specific list).
    One of them returns to the function...
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    A Chef and a Waiter, parters in business and life, have just taken cover when the wedding they're working is set upon by gunfire.

    Written for Cold Readings of Hastily Written Plays, the prompt was:
    Two characters leave a social function together.
    They each get one subject to talk about (from a specific list).
    One of them returns to the function at the end.
    AND... the playwright had to listen to an assigned sound file on loop while writing.
    My sound file was a very fast rap song.
  • Crater by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    Genre: drama
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Josh was the one that got away and now he's finally waking up in Archie's arms in a hotel room in Vegas. The night before was great but the morning after is a little more complicated.
  • Done and Done by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: A Ten-Minute Play, adult friendship + 2 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: A Ten-Minute Play, adult friendship, gay straight relationships, time and distance
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Mike runs into his estranged friend Bertz in a hospital in New York City, a few years after Bertz up and left without a word. A tenuous reunion reveals the unfortunate circumstances of Bertz’s sudden departure and the tragic reason behind his return.
  • Ghlamping by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Camping, glamping + 4 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: Camping, glamping, gay men, gay mormon, ghost, silly fun
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    I needed to write something abjectly silly.

    Arthur has let his BFF (with benefits) Hudson take him gay glamping (that's "glamour camping"). When Hudson goes forth to try and find someone-or-two to bring back for a make-out party in their tent, Evinrude shows up ready with a crazy backstory and an amorous disposition.
  • Hand on Heart by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2–3
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: suicide bomber, terrorism + 2 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, political
    Keyword: suicide bomber, terrorism, idenity, Heritage
    [TEN-MINUTE COMIC DRAMA]
    In the aftermath of a failed suicide bombing, exhausted ER worker Marcella tries to save the unconscious bomber while her friend Davey keeps her calm. In these extraordinary circumstances, the two friends discover things about one another they would have never otherwise supposed. 8-10 minutes. Comedy/Light Drama
  • #Bastille by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: resistance, revolution
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: resistance, revolution
    [TEN-MINUTE POLITICAL SATIRE]
    Flynn has been fighting the power with words, words, words, while Rory has decided to take action! However, it turns out there's a right way and a wrong way to use social media in the name of revolution.
  • HEART OF A WOMAN IN A PRESSURE COOKER: a journey in eight notions by Ephrym Justyce by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, experimental + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: avant-garde, send-up + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, parody/spoof, satire
    Keyword: avant-garde, send-up, narrator
    [TEN-MINUTE SENDUP OF REALLY BAD THEATRE]

    That actually is the title.

    Sherize just wants to be loved. Or does she? What is her Mama mixing in that bowl? Is Jade her brother or her sister? And who is that naked Man? Anything goes (or does it?) in the send up of really terrible avant-garde theater.

    Note: as the stage directions are part of the comedy, a narrator to...
    [TEN-MINUTE SENDUP OF REALLY BAD THEATRE]

    That actually is the title.

    Sherize just wants to be loved. Or does she? What is her Mama mixing in that bowl? Is Jade her brother or her sister? And who is that naked Man? Anything goes (or does it?) in the send up of really terrible avant-garde theater.

    Note: as the stage directions are part of the comedy, a narrator to read the stage directions is essential (especially as many of them can't be physicalized).
  • I Knew It! by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: rock and roll, marriage + 1 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: rock and roll, marriage, fluid sexuality
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    Francesca, wife of a music superstar, discovers a fellow rock-and-roll wife sneaking out of her husband's bedroom. She thinks she knows what's going on. She doesn't.
  • The Last Great Act of Mankind by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: science fiction, Gay and LGBTQ + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, romantic comedy, science fiction
    Keyword: science fiction, Gay and LGBTQ, apocalyptic, Meteor
    [TEN-MINUTE SCIENCE FICTION]
    Another Scott Sickles play about love and the apocalypse.
    A meteor has ignited the atmosphere. As the fire gets closer to annihilating them and all life on earth, Lars wants to have end-of-the-world sex with Benno... who for various reasons isn't in the mood right now.
  • Millennium Waltz by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: new year's eve, Y2K + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: new year's eve, Y2K, couples, arguing couple, millennium's end
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Happy New Y2K!!!
    Remember the moment when the ball dropped on January 1, 2000, and... nothing happened? The world was expecting a disaster but instead of a global catastrophe, Kingsley and Hollis have another more intimate crisis to contend with.
  • Miracle and Her Minion by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 5
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, young audiences
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    Fourteen-year-old self-taught witch Miracle is preparing to cast a love spell. Her classmate and minion, Bud, is helping but harboring his own agenda. Will he foil Miracle's plan to capture the heart of the boy she loves?
  • The Other Half by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: experimental, fantasy
    ·
    Keyword: avant-garde, non-linear + 4 more
    Genre: experimental, fantasy
    Keyword: avant-garde, non-linear, conjoined twins, separation, lost dreams, choices
    [TEN-MINUTE EXPERIMENTAL]
    A surgeon must separate twin girls conjoined at the chest, sharing one heart. As the surgeon decides which girl will live and which will die, s/he imagines the impact this decision will have on the family and the surviving twin in a flash-forward memory play.
  • O, For a Muse of Fire by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: traumatic brain injury, composer + 3 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: traumatic brain injury, composer, middle age, friendship, exes
    [TEN-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Lane, an award-winning film composer, returns home from the hospital for the first time after a car accident: memory intact but no longer able to compose. Lane's former love and dear friend Vaughn does everything possible to inspire Lane to reconnect with music and their past.

    Note: casting is gender neutral, there is a song that should be sung to piano music
  • Outpost by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 7
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, political, satire, science fiction, tragedy
    [TEN-MINUTE SCIENCE FICTION]
    At the edge of the Milky Way, Dale has just been brought out of statis to discover the outpost is abandoned and an mysterious organism has almost finished consuming the galaxy. Things are not looking up.
  • Remote Control by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama, horror + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: one-act play, horror + 3 more
    Genre: drama, horror, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: one-act play, horror, thriller, Stalking, Violence against women
    [ONE-ACT/TEN-MINUTE HORROR/THRILLER]
    Melinda has come home hoping to enjoy a quiet evening by herself in front of the TV. Unfortunately, she can't find her remote. Even more unfortunately, she's not alone.
  • "THE RODINS ARE HERE!" by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: manners, Art and Artists + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte, farce, parody/spoof, satire
    Keyword: manners, Art and Artists, send-up, heightened language
    [SEVENISH-MINUTE PERIOD COMEDY]
    Chicago, circa 1886. Wealthy businessman Potter Palmer and his wife Bertha have surprise guests for dinner, the sculptor Auguste Rodin and his life partner Rose Beuret. Dinner is late, they are famished, but when Rodin is inspired to create art, everything else must wait!
  • Turtles and Bulldogs by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 7
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: gay, straight crush + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: gay, straight crush, missed connections
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    Collin just ran into the guy he had a crush on in high school...
    thirty-five years later... at the cemetery. They have some catching up to do.
  • Virgins by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: nervous bride, Sisters + 5 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: nervous bride, Sisters, sexuality, sexual experience, virginity, love, first time
    [TEN-MINUTE COMEDY]
    It's sweet Bonnie's wedding day and she's got last minute cold feet, so her sexy sister Savannah has been called in to find out why. Bonnie and Savannah reveal their secret anxieties about love, men, and the nature of experience.
  • All the Things by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: five-minute play, unrequited love + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: five-minute play, unrequited love, same-sex attraction, Gay and LGBTQ
    [FIVE-MINUTE; COMEDY-DRAMA]
    England, 1998. Nigel is on his deathbed in London. His friend, Gregory, is at his side. Nigel's wife Julia is on her way. This is the last five minutes of a thirty-year love triangle.
  • Bygones by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, horror + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: abuse of women, Stalking + 1 more
    Genre: drama, horror, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: abuse of women, Stalking, suspense
    [UNDER 5-MINUTE SUSPENSE DRAMA]
    Candace just wanted a drink before she boards her flight. She didn't expect to see Dieter, especially because she has a restraining order against him which he doesn't seem to care about.
  • Conflagration Then Nothing by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: One Minute Play, daughter-father relationship + 4 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: One Minute Play, daughter-father relationship, plane crash, witness, friendship, friendship between women and men
    [TWO-MINUTE DRAMA]
    A man witnesses a fiery plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico, not sure if it was his daughter's flight.
  • LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION: a Very Short Play About Children and Guns by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: docudrama/historic, horror + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: gun control, gun debate + 3 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, horror, political
    Keyword: gun control, gun debate, school shooting, school shootings/gun violence, dead children
    [TWO-MINUTE DRAMA]

    I was very angry when I wrote this.
    Inspired after reading Greg Burdick's beautiful ONE IN THE CHAMBER, I needed to write my own take on gun legislation and school shootings.

    Here it is.
  • Moments of Crisis: Online Love Connection by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: short comedy, vampire + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, horror
    Keyword: short comedy, vampire, listening, horror comedy, physical comedy
    [UNDER 5-MINUTE COMEDY]
    Barbie is trying to convince Annabel that her (Annabel's) boyfriend Vlad is a vampire. Annabel thinks Barbie is jealous because she (Barbie) is still woefully single. Clearly, Annabel doesn't see what's going on behind her. It's awful.
  • Notes Over an Undercast Sky by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, political + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: five-minute play, god + 4 more
    Genre: drama, political, science fiction
    Keyword: five-minute play, god, creation, armageddon, Peace, starting over
    [FIVE-MINUTE SCIENCE FICTION]
    At a precipice at the edge of the universe, a Scholar is about throw their life's work over the edge and a Soldier is there to make sure it happens. But what a life's work! And is throwing these notes into the ether necessarily a bad thing?
  • Orchids and Heat by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: 1930s, murder + 3 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: 1930s, murder, trains, marriage, regret
    [FIVE-MINUTE PERIOD DRAMA]
    1930s. A train is stopped in the desert. The engineer stands in front of the train holding a top hat. It belongs to a man who was murdered, thrown off the train in a brutal fight. The dead man's wife finds him, carrying orchids to lay down for her husband and a revelation about the murder.
  • Possibly the First of Many by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: drama short play, hostage + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: drama short play, hostage, prisoner, Stockholm syndrome
    [FIVE-TO-TEN MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    A prisoner gets a surprise visit from a former hostage.
  • The Trike, or "Use Your Words" by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: five-minute play, gay wedding + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: five-minute play, gay wedding, male friendship, LGBTQ, bisexuality, unrequited love, bffs, anger, communication, Bisexual men
    [FIVE-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    The groom's best friend has hijacked the wedding limo and won't get out. A complex negotiation beings between the edudite Gabriel and the semi-articulate Angus, revealing the readings for his tantrum run deep.

  • Up on a Roof by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    Genre: drama
    [FIVE-MINUTE DRAMA]
    Hal has stepped away from the party. His best pal Robbie's girlfriend, Gemma, has found him. Gemma questions whether she's made the right choice between the two.
    Available in 5-Minute Plays from Applause Theatre & Cinema Books.
  • Where We Dead Awaken by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: comedy, death + 4 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: comedy, death, burial, 'til death do us part, religion, A Family issue
    [FIVE-MINUTE COMEDY]
    Brett and Lee have been together nearly 35 years. Today, looking out over the sunset, they consider their final resting places.
  • A World Without Matthew Weaver by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: Matthew Weaver
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte, experimental, movement/physical, parody/spoof
    Keyword: Matthew Weaver
    [SHORT EXPERIMENTAL OUTCRY]
    I have dared to imagine the unimaginable! The untenable!
    A world where playwright Matthew Weaver's characters exist without Matthew Weaver! (Fellow NPX playwrights, look him up so you can read his beautiful plays... and so you can get the jokes in this one!)
  • Dark and Stormy by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, feminist ghost story + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, horror
    Keyword: one-minute play, feminist ghost story, ghost story, domestic abuse
    [ONE-MINUTE BLACK COMEDY/HORROR]
    A woman on the run hides out in a farmhouse only to be confronted by a ghost.
  • Did I Get You? by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, assault + 3 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, assault, sexual assault, Sexual Assault Survival, safety
    [ONE-MINUTE]
    Acts of violence, real and imagined.
  • Down in the Depths (part of the one-minute play series Destination: Wedding) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding, best man, bridesmaids, comedy, drama
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY/DRAMA]
    At a destination wedding in Glacier Lagoon, Iceland, the best man has accidentally dropped the rings in the frigid waters while making out with a bridesmaid. What will he do? What will it cost him?
  • Exclusion by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, child sexual abuse + 1 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, child sexual abuse, sex offenders
    [ONE-MINUTE DRAMA]
    A released child sex offender is confronted by someone from his past, now an adult, who demands an answer.
  • If There's Anything by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, adult friendship + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, adult friendship, truce, grief, argument, Touching
    [ONE-MINUTE PLAY]
    Two friends on the outs forge a momentary truce during a difficult time.
  • In the Chill, Still of the Night (part of the one-minute play series Destination: Wedding) by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, guilt + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, guilt, Sex, guilt sex, wedding
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    In her hotel room, bridesmaid Julie processes her guilt while welcoming a one-night stand with a cater-waiter from the wedding reception.
  • Starry Eyed and Vaguely Discontented (part of the one-minute play series Destination: Wedding) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding, hotel lobby, best man, bridesmaids, Fat Shaming
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY DRAMA]
    At a destination wedding in Glacier Lagoon, Iceland... Before the ceremony, bridesmaid Julie was really into best man Fred, until she suddenly wasn't.
    Now, it's the morning after the wedding. Julie and Fred are speaking for the first time since her abrupt rejection.
  • Though Your Lips are Tempting (part of the one-minute play series Destination: Wedding) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, gay men + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, gay men, LGBT, LGBTQ, hustler, loneliness, wedding, wedding reception
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    After some rigorous dancing, Bascom steps out to get some air and encounters Ólafur, one of the catering staff at this Icelandic destination wedding, who also may be the only other gay man there. Suave and sexy, Ólafur takes an interest in Bascom, but are his motives what they seem? [The play may be shorter than this description.]

    Part of a series of one-minute...
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    After some rigorous dancing, Bascom steps out to get some air and encounters Ólafur, one of the catering staff at this Icelandic destination wedding, who also may be the only other gay man there. Suave and sexy, Ólafur takes an interest in Bascom, but are his motives what they seem? [The play may be shorter than this description.]

    Part of a series of one-minute plays set at a destination wedding in Glacier Lagoon, Iceland.
  • A Trip to the Moon on Gossamer Wings (part of the one-minute play series Destination: Wedding) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, wedding, wedding reception, LGBT character
    [ONE-MINUTE COMEDY-DRAMA]
    Dora and Bascom are the only two gay people at a destination wedding reception in Iceland. Their joined in their ennui by Fred, the best man who's licking minor wounds of his own.

    At Steven G. Martin's suggestion, I'm writing a series of one-minute plays that take place at this wedding. The first was Down in the Depths.
  • Vanilla by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 14
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: one-minute play, sex work + 4 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: one-minute play, sex work, Touching, pandemic, coronavirus, 1MPF
    [ONE-MINUTE PLAY]
    A sex worker, a john, and a pandemic.
  • All of the Napkins are Wet (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, monologue for a girl + 3 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: monologue, monologue for a girl, children's tea party, frustration, gay kids
    [COMIC MONLOGUE FOR A CHILD]
    Daphne is not enjoying her tea party.
  • Between the Surf and the Stars (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    1–2
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, adultery + 4 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: monologue, adultery, affair, laundry, politician, bare stage
    [MONOLOGUE; 6-8 minutes]
    Benton stands on the beach by a fire gazing up at the stars. There's more to it than that.
  • Consolation (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Valentine's Day, unrequited love + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    Keyword: Valentine's Day, unrequited love, attempted suicide
    A two-minute monologue in which Melanie, who has just been rescued from a suicide attempt, declares that today "was, like, the second worst Valentine's Day ever." A darkly comic lament about romantic inequality. (Can actually be performed by actor of any gender.)
  • Escalator to the Gallows (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Valentine's Day, attempted suicide + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    Keyword: Valentine's Day, attempted suicide, breakup
    A MONOLOGUE. The stylish and beautiful FEDORA has come home to find her bookish boyfriend, ERLAND, ready to hang himself. What choice does she have at that moment BUT to break up with him? And it wouldn't be fair NOT to give him a long, detailed explanation as to why, now would it? [This monologue requires two actors but only FEDORA speaks.] Roughly 2 minutes.
  • I Deserve a Break Today (monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, pandemic + 4 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: monologue, pandemic, Temptation, food, fast food, any gender
    [FOUR-MINUTE COMIC MONOLOGUE]
    A life story about Big Macs, weight loss, and temptation during the 2020 pandemic.
  • I Left My Heart in the Mojave Desert (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    1–2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    ·
    Keyword: 2-minute monologue, monologue + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: 2-minute monologue, monologue, marriage proposal, engagement, Vegas
    [MONOLOGUE; COMEDY; 3-5 minutes]
    Karen reacts to Chad's marriage proposal. There's good news and bad news.
  • Surrounded (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, comedy monologue + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: monologue, comedy monologue, turkeys, quarantine bakeoff
    [SHORT COMIC MONOLOGUE]
    Diarmid is having Sharon over to his new place. Unfortunately, it's under siege by wild turkeys.

    Originally written for Quarantine Bakeoff Week 2, but I missed the deadline!
  • This is Not a Touch Exhibit (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: drama, immersive
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, any genders + 6 more
    Genre: drama, immersive
    Keyword: monologue, any genders, midlife, FALLING IN LOVE, love, attraction, museum, Chicago
    [MONOLOGUE; 5-8 minutes]
    Ollie fell in love today. Briefly.
  • Time, Magic, and Antoinette (a monologue) (unabridged) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: 5 minute monologue, monologue for woman + 1 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: 5 minute monologue, monologue for woman, LGBTQ
    [MONOLOGUE; FIVE-MINUTES]

    Millicent has received a mysterious photo that inspires some life-changing decisions!
  • Time, Magic, and Antoinette (a monologue) (short version) by Scott Sickles
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: drama
    Genre: drama
    [MONOLOGUE; THREE-MINUTE VERSION]
    Millicent has received an impossible photo. She shares her discovery with her dearest friend, Antoinette.
  • WE RIDE AT DAWN! (a monologue) by Scott Sickles
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    ·
    Keyword: monologue, comic monologue + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    Keyword: monologue, comic monologue, monologue for child, children, gender neutral, horror movies, imagination
    Mill has been wronged! And with the help of the pine tree and the creatures that live in it, this 10-year-old is about to take revenge! (A testament to nerdy children who love horror movies they're too young to watch.)