DC Cathro

Full length. Chai (his nickname), a Black teen, hates his real name, so his girlfriend raises the money for him to legally change it. Chai's mother, however, is completely opposed to the idea.

Full length. In the not-too-distant future, clones are discovered living among us. Mick’s clone is apprehended and now belongs to Mick, but they each have different ideas of how to navigate the situation.

”Clone” was developed at Desert Playwrights’ Retreat,
Palm Springs, CA, April 2024.
Https://desertplaywrightsretreat.com

Full length. RJ goes home for the holidays and a nice relaxing time with his family and best friend. They, however, have other plans. Secrets are revealed and RJ is stuck in the middle of this fast-paced holiday farce for modern times.

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH STAGERIGHTS.COM
https://www.stagerights.com/allshows/family-holiday/

Full Length. Seventeen year old Vee discovers something strange inside a small box, and embarks on a dangerous search for the owner.

Full length. “Hats” is a series of intertwining short pieces, each inspired by a track from The Blue Nile album of the same name. They are stories of love, loss, and longing that take place over different times with the same people. (You need not be familiar with the songs that inspired the play.)

Full Length. Richard comes home to his mother, his twin, and their new boarder after years of being institutionalized for his never-ending itch.

Full length. Gail's dress shop falls on hard times after a tragedy in the community. She and her daughter Abby try to deal with the repercussions but things spiral downward and come to a head when Gail discovers that Abby may have unwittingly caused it all.

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH STAGERIGHTS.COM
https://www.stagerights.com/allshows/reason-for-return/

Full length. "ReConnect" is a funny and poignant series of six one-acts that center on the reunions of eleven different people and the surprise, pain, and awareness that reconnecting brings. Mother and daughter, teacher and student, friends, lovers and more. (Note: contains "That Kiss" and "Roadkill")

Full length. Professor Langstrom’s concern about a student’s welts and bruises develops into a relationship neither was expecting.

Full length. Roger wakes up to discover that his afterlife isn’t exactly what he expected it to be.

22 chapters, 168 pages. At nearly 17, Johnnie knows love... for his family, his friend Della, and for his biggest passion, playing the piano. But when alcohol is outlawed, making work harder on his police officer father, life in 1920s Atlantic City isn't as simple as it used to be. With the help of some friends, both new and old, Johnnie must find his place and his voice in the sometimes dangerous world of jazz and prohibition.

"Johnnie's Song" was commissioned and produced by ERALôR NFT. ERALôR is dedicated to creating nostalgic experiences, while promoting positive, human connection through vintage art, performance based storytelling, and immersive events and travel.

Musical Comedy. Book by Leo Schwartz and DC Cathro, Music and Lyrics by Leo Schwartz. Full length. Two Mormon missionaries knock on the door of Ethel Merman in this funny and touching musical.

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH BROADWAY LICENSING
https://broadwaylicensing.com/shows/off-broadway/the-book-of-merman/

Book by DC Cathro, Music by Leo Schwartz, Lyrics by Leo Schwartz and DC Cathro. Full Length Musical. Unhappy from a recent breakup and looking for a distraction, Paul starts corresponding with a pen pal in another state. Soon, what began as an innocent flirtation evolves into an emotional attachment that neither of them expected. The problem? Paul’s pen pal is a prisoner, incarcerated for 13 more years.

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH STAGERIGHTS.COM
https://www.stagerights.com/allshows/pen/

Book by Leo Schwartz and DC Cathro
Music by Leo Schwartz
Lyrics by Leo Schwartz.
Full length musical. Emmett Till, a young black boy away from home for the first time, is caught up in the horror of the Jim Crow South when he is kidnapped and lynched for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Based on a true story, TILL explores the short life of Emmett and the powerful love of his mother, Mamie.

35 pages. A young man and woman are on a long drive. Tension is high, so she tries to distract the man from their destination by engaging him in a series of car games, until the audience finds out where they are headed, and why.

21 pages. A coming-of-age tale about a boy's crush on his coach during the time of the 1984 Olympic Games.

41 pages. A woman tries to connect with her goth tattoo artist. Both are damaged. Can they fix each other?

21 pages. Monica hasn't seen Kelly since college, so she's taken aback when Kelly shows up on her doorstep in a wedding dress to profess her love.

5 pages. Randy returns from a rally, dejected because his plan for the counter-protestors was foiled.

2 pages. Duane and Sean have very different ideas about "art."

7 pages. T, a rapper, is confronted by his manager and pushed to change his name. It seems someone else has the same name and it's causing problems.

6 pages. A dialogue-free play. A physical tale of love, hate, and revenge, told in a unique way.

10 pages. Brenda and Mike deal with repercussions after their baby reacts badly to Mike shaving his beard.

10 pages. Verne and Elle have different ideas on how to spice up their sex life.

4 pages. Damon and Belinda argue about home schooling their children after finding out about the active shooter drills at their school.

The Code Red Playwrights pieces are available for readings and performances royalty-free. For more information, please visit https://coderedplaywrights.wixsite.com/website

2 pages. A father and son remember dead celebrities and the impact they left on their lives.

5 pages. Joey is in a panic because something that looks like a big, black giraffe is attacking the city... But Vickie remains skeptical.

10 pages. Steven answers a video call from Buddy, who claims to be his half-brother, with news about their father.

9 pages. Caleb’s mother tries to convince him that a miracle has happened in the form of a cardinal.

5 pages. Chase comes home, visibly distraught. The actress playing Chase has no lines, but throughout the scene we discover what she's going through.

9 pages. Zoey is teased by one of Chloe's friends in school, and their mother is upset, until she finds out that Zoey has the situation under control.

10 pages. Tammi has a confession to make, and Beau ain’t buying it.

11 pages. Billy and Violet are exchanging gifts with Violet's Mom, but the stories behind the presents are the real gifts in this short holiday comedy.

10 pages. Amanda and her dad meet to secretly sign loan papers while her mother visits the local cemetery to clean gravestones.

4 pages. Julie's horse show has been cancelled, so mom is trapped with a bitter 12-year-old in a hotel room.

10 pages. Two couples reminisce after a class reunion, but tensions surface when a long held betrayal is revealed.

9 pages. Carolina confesses to her sister Francina that she's met a man and is moving in with him, and Francina lashes out.

12 pages. Mack and Marty have an online relationship, but Marty wants it to be real.

11 pages. Mack and Marty have an online relationship, but Marty wants it to be real.
(Written to be performed online ie. Zoom, Messenger, etc.)

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH STAGERIGHTS.COM
https://www.stagerights.com/allshows/daddy-mack/

9 pages. Klein badgers Casey about why their roommate, Declan, only seems to date a very particular type of man.

9 pages. Donnie's co-workers find out he was in a horror movie back in college, but when they watch it some of them take issue with his character.

7 pages. Pete and Katie are trapped in an office storage room while the world outside is overrun with wild dogs.

2 pages. As a riot rages outside, Donna tries to shut out the chaos... Until it comes crashing into her world.

14 pages. Cassie and Karl are locked in a hospital room after the birth of their daughter... Because she's different.

10 pages. I don’t normally post what I like to call “therapy plays,” but… Based on a true story.

5 pages. Frannie is waiting for her absentee ballot to show up in the mail and threatens her son James with drastic measures if she doesn't receive it soon.

10 pages. Tragedy strikes at the circus in this dark comedy, or hilarious drama. Written for the 4th annual Chicago Dramatists 48 Hour Play Festival, 2022.

10 pages. Angel wants to go out dancing with Deke, but Mama is afraid of what might happen.

10 pages. Angel wants to go out dancing with Deke, but Mama is afraid of what might happen.

5 pages. The present and the past collide in this short piece about a woman finding what she loves over who she loves. Inspired by the song "But a Girl" by the musical artist Brenda Xu.

8 pages. Dax wore out a pair of shoes, and Quentin doesn't really understand why they have to drive to a different neighborhood to throw them away.

5 pages. A violin student reveals to his teacher the tragic and touching reason he's learning the instrument.

8 pages. Caveman Rockefeller struggles with hunting, so he looks for an alternative food source for himself and Phoebe.

9 pages. When Martin finds out his wife cheated on him, he sells his entire Star Wars collection to become his hero.

7 pages. Diana finds out that her teenage boys are watching her neighbor in the shower, and tempers start to flare when she tries to put a stop to it.

9 pages. Alan goes to confess to Father Davis, but his plans after the confession are thwarted by Father Davis confessing some things to him. (Trigger warnings)

9 pages. Candace and Paul return from their vacation to the scene of a tragedy that struck while they were away.

11 pages. Two couples are enjoying a bottle of wine at a silly game night, but the game gets serious when one player pushes things too far.

8 pages. A chance encounter at some motel vending machines turns into something sinister.

6 pages. Bridge and Lisa struggle with anger, guilt, and resentment after putting down their beloved dog, Howie.

10 pages. Colin has a hot Grindr date but he's in for a few surprises.

6 pages. A husband's refusal to dance at a wedding reception causes friction in a marriage.

13 pages. Hadley is getting ready for Thanksgiving when her teenage son finds something he wasn't supposed to find... His birth certificate.

7 pages. Harry and James explain to their wives why they ended up in the hospital and the police station, respectively.

7 pages. J.J. made the touchdown, but wants to hide an injury from his mother who thinks football is dangerous.

4 pages. Confessions of a former super-hero turn into the fantasies of a bombing victim in this dark monologue play for either a man or a woman.

10 pages. Jay saves the day when the caterer doesn’t show up for a party, but Rachel and Hiram want more…

12 pages. Tru wants to hide out from his roommate, who is high and wants to tattoo him. Justin and Robb have little sympathy for his plight, once they find out what Tru has been up to.

11 pages. It might be the end of the world, and Jamie confesses to Linda that, because of a cigarette butt, it's all his fault.

6 pages. In the time of Covid, a police officer stops in on Dewey for a welfare check and the two men open up to each other in unexpected ways.

9 pages. Young teen Danny has a locally famous dad, but he's not happy about his newfound notoriety.

8 pages. Brad is playing Hamlet and after a show gets an unexpected visitor at the stage door, the mother of an unusual "cast member."

4 pages. After a shooting at their church, a husband and wife argue about continuing to volunteer there. Written for Code Red Playwrights, based on the events of May 3, 2012 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church In Ellicott City, MD. Dedicated to Rev. Marguerite Mary Kohn and Brenda Brewington.

The Code Red Playwrights pieces are available for readings and performances royalty-free. For more information, please visit https://coderedplaywrights.wixsite.com/website

6 pages. Mom is very concerned that her precocious six-year-old daughter Lucille is in the back yard building a psychiatric booth.

11 pages. How exactly did Jacob and Dylan get way up there, and why did they end up in a kiss?

8 pages. Wayne seeks out a homeless man to interview for a school project, but the truth come out in a dirty park restroom.

7 pages. A most unlikely, beautiful, and dangerous love story.

7 pages. Clive gives Sammy her first Christmas gift of the year... in August.

9 pages. Margie is convinced that she's magical, but Duane remains skeptical.

8 pages. Sadie is struggling, so she finds something to celebrate… no, not celebrate, appreciate.

9 pages. Candace, the mother of a convicted killer, pays a visit to Jackie, who served on the jury that convicted her son.

10 pages. 1930s Berlin. German filmmaker Fritz Lang has a deadly serious decision to make. Based on true events.

11 pages. Late Christmas Eve at a shut-down bar, two people come to say goodbye to the business in very different ways. An unconventional Christmas tale.

4 pages. After a shooting, two library employees come in to clean up. Written for Code Red Playwrights, based on the events of June 7, 2013, Santa Monica, CA.

The Code Red Playwrights pieces are available for readings and performances royalty-free. For more information, please visit https://coderedplaywrights.wixsite.com/website

8 pages. Teens Victor and Corrine, on their way home from a date, hide out from street riots in a nursery. Written for the 2019 "Quarantine Bake-Off" project.

A man tries reporting his rape to the police, but the circumstances lend doubts to his claim.

10 pages. Mia is going through some old boxes and comes across Michael's magic tricks. Is there really magic in what she finds?

7 pages. In the time of Covid, Jake and Ariel receive a gift of homemade soap from friends... and it pisses Ariel off.

9 pages. Derek thinks his wife is cheating. Tony is giving him a massage. They both want a "happy ending." One of them gets it.

9 pages. Should an artist's actions affect the way their art is perceived? Two alcoholics from different worlds, Blake and Carter, have opposing opinions on the matter.

10 pages. Mr. Tubbs has some seriously strange confessions to his dentist as he comes out of his anesthesia.

10 pages. A short play inspired by the 2016 William Inge Festival. A troubled couple moves in next to William Inge's boyhood home in Independence, KS.

4 pages. Yeti CAN'T WAIT to help with the surprise party for Frankie! An immersive play for kids of all ages!

2 page monologue. The pandemic is over, and They need to find something, anything positive resulting from the tragedy.

7 pages. Fairy Godmother is the only one who can help J.D. stop having so many klutzy accidents, but J.D. isn't ready to help her earn her wings just yet!

9 pages. Ray sees the world differently. If only he could make Cora understand... so he enlists the help of an orange.

10 pages. Bryan inherits a house and a huge unexpected legacy.

6 pages, by Steven G. Martin & DC Cathro. Perseus is on a quest for Mommy! She needs a jar of pretty purple pickles, and Perseus meets lots of friends along the way! An adventure in manners for young audiences!

8 pages. Super-hero wannabe Mandusa is tested to see if he's got what it takes to join The Hero Initiative.

9 pages. Trevor had an unexpected surprise at his massage, after the masseur was recommended by his buddy Bruce. Now Trevor has some questions...

6 pages. Bonnie is thrilled with the birthday gift she found for Neil. Neil... not so much.

8 pages. When her day at a craft fair selling her wares goes horribly wrong, Diedre is ready to give it all up.

8 pages. A visiting neighbor discovers that the rumors are true... The house IS haunted! Why isn't the owner scared?

10 pages. Margie's husband, Roland, is wheelchair-bound and now works from home, and Margie has trouble dealing with his job now that it's under her own roof.

4 pages. It's Halloween, a husband and wife are in conflict about the costumes she picked out, and why. Written for Code Red Playwrights, based on the events of September 28, 2016, Townville, South Carolina. Dedicated to Jacob Hall.

The Code Red Playwrights pieces are available for readings and performances royalty-free. For more information, please visit https://coderedplaywrights.wixsite.com/website

8 pages. Ed's first realization came lying in bed, watching his wife sleep. His second came halfway through eating the donut.

9 pages. Cynthia is enjoying her date with Bob, mostly, but she really wants him to clear something up… His face.

11 pages. Bud comes to say goodbye to Charlie, his ex. It seems he knows how he's going to die, and it may be soon, but Charlie isn't buying it.

4 pages. The rules of The Sisterhood are very strict...So are the consequences for breaking them.

5 page monologue. Cynthia recalls her encounter with Santa… the real Santa.

2 pages. A couples' intimate thoughts during an intimate moment.
(Note - this piece is 22:30-23:20 in the video, link inside.)

11 pages. Buck and Gina are struggling, but when Gina gets what may be her big break, Buck lashes out.

7 pages. Melissa has been betrayed, but Jo can't relate. There are, however, many kinds of betrayal.

6 pages. Lila is concerned about the deteriorating mental faculties of her partner, Jenny, so she proposes an idea.

10 pages. Miranda and Sarah meet under strange and tragic circumstances when Miranda visits her father's grave at a cemetery. Written for The Rainy Day Artistic Collective 48 Hour Fundraiser Playfest, August 7-8, 2021.

Published in “The Best Short Plays of 2022” from Smith & Kraus Publishers.

10 pages. Danielle and her boyfriend find shelter for the holidays in her old dorm room. An unconventional Christmas play.,

8 pages. A woman returns a Ouija Board to a local toy store... because it WORKS.

2 pages. Bey is annoyed that her mother calls to check up on her every time there is a shooting in Chicago.

6 pages. Mark has some bad news to share with Karen, but she won't let him.

9 pages. Grant and Neveah discover their son Ray has a racist tattoo.

1 page. Lots of important decisions are made with a coin toss.

8 pages. Carter and Criswell interrogate Wendell, who has a very tall tale about his dental trauma... And how did he end up in Russia anyway?

9 pages. Ming returns Lee's iPod, borrowed for a camping trip. However, Lee's iPod is broken. The one Ming took belonged to Lee's late father, and unhappy memories are brought back to light.

9 pages. Emily and her son Sam both discover they use the same hiding place... From each other.

9 pages. Shawna helps her mom Toni get ready for a second date, and ends up filling her in on some fascinating information about the guy.

8 pages. Ty's mother confronts his Driver's Ed teacher after he's kicked out of the program.

9 pages. Julie is convinced that Tina is either a robot or an alien, and that is why she is so weird. Dallas thinks Julie is weird for trying to convince him of this.

9 pages. AJ and Joey Ray meet in a junkyard on Halloween night, but haggling for candy turns into something more sinister.

8 pages. Musicians Dylan and Jerome have just finished performing a concert in the time of Covid, and Dylan has reservations about finishing the tour.

9 pages. Lynch and Laura are trapped in their car as some creepy, unbelievable stuff is happening outside all around them.

6 pages. LaKoya tries to sneak Uncle Dog's beloved banjo to him in jail, but Maw finds out.

9 pages. Robert and Polly's relationship is crumbling when their child is found in the middle of an intersection, watching the traffic light change. A holiday drama.

7 pages. Glynn has free tickets to a play, but Cam changes their mind about going when they hear that the play is "Untitled."

10 pages. Two siblings go in together on a present for their father, but it's really an attempt to help a failing marriage.

10 pages. Two elderly cousins, following the funeral of one of their husbands, confide in each other about the biggest secrets they have... including his cause of death.

10 pages. Sabrina is questioned following the strange death of a co-worker. Was she at fault? Inspired by the short play “The Cage Which Holds a Heart” by Monica Cross.

https://newplayexchange.org/plays/1044925/cage-which-holds-heart

8 pages. Emily has stolen a box of wine, and Zach is not happy about being an unwilling accomplice.

9 pages. Donald surprises Lizzie with a birthday present that shocks and angers her, and he wants to know why.