Plays by Matt Buchanan
All of these plays are available for production. The rights are handled by several different agencies, but by clicking on the appropriate link you can get clear instructions on how to apply for each.

It should be noted that while all of these plays are intended for young performers, the short pieces--the monologues and ten-minute plays--are not really "children's theatre." (That is, they're intended for teenaged actors and audiences of their peers and adults.) The longer pieces are intended specifically for family audiences, and work best (I think) when performed by middle school or high school performers.

Short Monologues
These pieces are ideal for auditions and for classroom use, or they could be combined with other monologues or short plays for a showcase.

(I don't charge a royalty for the use of these short pieces. All I ask is that you ASK ME for permission to use them, and that you credit me properly when you do.)

ARREST US FOR WHAT? WEARING BIG PANTS? (Male or Female) A young skater resents being harrassed by merchants on the sidewalk. READ IT	EVER WISH YOU COULD CONTROL YOUR DREAMS? (Male--but could be female with very minor tweaks) A boy worries that his father will be disappointed in a test grade that should have been better. READ IT
THAT'S MY DAD! (Male) A boy remembers his first baseball game, at which he had a scare. READ IT

Ten-Minute Monolgues
These competition-tested pieces are designed to be used as solo interp pieces in forensics competitions. They are appropriate for middle or high school competitors.

COYOTE KILLER (Male or Female) Revenge becomes bittersweet after a pet cat is killed by a wild animal. MORE INFO / TO ORDER

LILY (Female) A touching and surreal relationship between a lonely old woman and a store window mannequin. MORE INFO / TO ORDER

Ten-Minute Plays
These plays can be performed in full production, but they would also work as duo interp pieces for competition. They are appropriate for mature middle school or high school performers.

THE BIRD (2M) A titmouse among the bus-stop pigeons--a messenger from God? A Twisted encounter between strangers. MORE INFO / TO ORDER	LARRY OF THE LAKE (2M) A harried businessman is tempted to a life of irresponsibility by a mysteriously wet man. MORE INFO / TO ORDER
WITNESSES (Flexible Cast.) A botched robbery yields multiple eyewitness accounts whose differences reveal more about the witnesses than about the crime. MORE INFO / TO ORDER

One Act Plays
These plays are intended for young audiences. They can be performed by adults, but most work best when performed by young actors. They're ideal for school drama programs, and most can be performed in about a "period."

THE DAY BOY AND THE NIGHT GIRL (4M 4F, plus flexible ensemble. About 60 minutes.) Free adaptation of a George MacDonald fairy tale about a boy raised never to see darkness and a girl kept always in the dark--and what they discover about themselves when they accidentally meet. MORE INFO / TO ORDER	ERNIE'S PLACE (3M 2F. About 50 minutes.) Ernie's Place is a challenging play about three children who must adjust to the change in life occasioned by a move. When they discover a homeless man sleeping in their clubhouse, they are moved to question, through dramatic play, the nature of security and permanence. MORE INFO / TO ORDER
PRINCE UGLY (the play) (Flexible Ensemble Cast. About 40 minutes.) What is a true friend? Prince Ugly is a fun, often zany contemporary fairy tale about identity and friendship. Prince Ugly is also available in a musical version. (About 85 minutes.) MORE INFO / TO ORDER	PUCK AND THE PLAYERS (8M 5F, 2 Either. 35-40 minutes.) Free adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, concentrating on the "rustics." MORE INFO / TO ORDER
SLEEPING WALTER (Flexible Ensemble Cast. About 40 minutes.) Sleeping Walter is the story of Walter, a young boy whose dreams are so much more fulfilling than his real life that he refuses to wake up. MORE INFO / TO ORDER

Full Length Plays and Musicals
These plays are intended for young audiences. They can be performed by adult actors or by young people. These plays have been produced all over the country and abroad, with great success.

LITTLE WOMEN (Ensemble Cast. About 2 hours.) Adapted from the novel by Louisa May Alcott. This adaptation sticks very close to the original text, and is especially popular with those who truly love the book. MORE INFO / TO ORDER

PRINCE UGLY (the musical) (Musical. Flexible Ensemble Cast. About 85 minutes.) What is a true friend? Prince Ugly is a fun, often zany contemporary fairy tale about identity and friendship. With ten original songs, all well-suited to be performed by young voices. Prince Ugly is also available in a non-musical version. (About 40 minutes.) MORE INFO / TO ORDER

Thank you for your interest in my work! I hope you like what you see!

Visit YouthPlays.com for the Best New Plays for Young Performers.

CONTACT ME