23 Contemporary Plays for Emerging Theatre Directors

Emerging theatre directors need contemporary plays that balance bold, inventive staging with tight, character-driven text. Our 23 short play scripts provide excellent opportunity to explore pacing, subtext and modern themes.

For more contemporary play scripts check out our main Monologue Hub.

Where can I find plays for emerging theatre directors?

Monologue Blogger provides modern plays for emerging stage directors. Theatre directors use our scripts to work their craft and develop their collaboration skills.

The Ever-Turning Wheel

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Ben, Billy
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Ben takes his brother to the carnival but his brother Billy wishes to stay and ride the Ferris wheel again.
• Monologue Snippet: “So, I can’t take ya on the Ferris wheel because the maintenance man is fixing it at this very moment. Okay?” ~Ben
• [Read Full Monologue]

The Dance

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Chester, Elsie
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Chester tries to admit a self truth to Elsie in order to push their relationship forward in a positive way.
• Monologue Snippet: “Maybe you’re right…maybe I need to let myself go and dive into the madness you seem to imagine I can’t throw myself into.” ~Chester
• [Read Full Monologue]

In the Murk of Night

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Edith, Joaquin
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Edith explains to her son why she should have taken more risks in her life.
• Monologue Snippet: “That’s why I am such a curious person, yet as nasty as can be. I spent my life missing out on the chances I should have taken.” ~Edith
• [Read Full Monologue]

Birds of the Storm

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Sharon, Walker
• Duration: 1-2 -minute monologue
• Description: Sharon has had a near death experience and Walker complains about having been bit by a fly. The play explores the disconnection between two lovers.
• Monologue Snippet: “I was never looked after; that’s the trouble. When someone needs looking after and gets neglected, bad things happen. ” ~Sharon
• [Read Full Monologue]

Nameless Grace

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Colette, Doctor Baum
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Linda has a heart other than heart conversation with a taxi driver after witnessing her boyfriend cheat on her.
• Monologue Snippet: “He had grown quite pale, with those same jet-black eyes of his, but he was confused…like a lost boy searching for an answer to something that didn’t make sense; he was beautiful but was wrong.” ~Colette
• [Read Full Monologue]

White-Tailed Spider

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Brian, Littia
• Duration: 1-2-minute monologue
• Description: Littia approaches the man who has been following her and invites him for his final cup of coffee.
• Monologue Snippet: “You, utterly motionless, and me—ready to devour every part of you.” ~Littia
• [Read Full Monologue]

Fallen Money

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Ruby, Paul
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Ruby has been secretly contemplating freedom and thinks she has found it by way of Paul
• Monologue Snippet: “We have a plan, and we’ll work on it. We’ll execute it, find the money, make the money, and then let’s see what the hell happens.” ~Ruby
• [Read Full Monologue]

Of Distance Run

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Clark, Pedro
• Duration: 2-minute monologue
• Description: Clark and Pedro bury their father, but only one of them receive an inheritance.
• Monologue Snippet: “His clothes and his pipe and his hat and his dogs and all the family photos and the memories…keep the smiles and the talks…you can have it all, Pedro, but give me the damn truck because I need it more than you’ll ever need it.” ~Clark
• [Read Full Monologue]

Sliced Thin

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Marci, Denny, Greg
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Marci goes head to head with her son in order to keep him off the streets and remain focused on his education.
• Monologue Snippet: “I knew you needed what it took to take down an army. Now look at you, head down, eyes dull and never looking up…always staring down where I warned you to never look. ” ~Marci
• [Read Full Monologue]

The Last Words I Heard Her Say

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Charlie Junior, Heath, Charlie Senior, Nurse, Mother
• Duration: 2-minute monologue
• Description: Heath visits his mother in the hospital to be at her side on the final day of her life.
• Monologue Snippet: “I’m not what you always thought me to be; I’m not worthy..of anything, and I’m not good enough to be here for you like this… I’m not…I don’t know why you chose me, Mom…” ~Heath
• [Read Full Monologue]

The Dance

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Elsie, Chester
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Chester and Elsie are new to dating one another and reach a pivotal moment that will either separate them or bring them closer together.
• Monologue Snippet: “I’ll tell you something now Elsie, when I jump, I might not stop falling, and not you or anybody else is gonna be able to save me falling.” ~Chester
• [Read Full Monologue]

Dream Light

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Eugene, Tarva
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Eugene seeks to hold on to hope while closing the restaurant for the night alongside his co-worker Tarva.
• Monologue Snippet: “During the breaks, I’d take a breather in the alley and sit down on my usual cart to eat some lunch, and along comes Plato, watching me with those big beady eyes.” ~Eugene
• [Read Full Monologue]

Dead Man’s Wallet

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Cal, Kya
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Cal and Kya try to figure out what they are going to do after hitting a man with their vehicle while he was crossing the road.
• Monologue Snippet: “I chose to check on him; he wasn’t breathing, no life but the blood on his-I took his wallet because I wanted to know his name. I needed to know the name of the person I had killed.” ~Cal
• [Read Full Monologue]

In the Wake of Smoke

• Genre: Serio-Comedy
• Characters: Daphne, Morrison
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Daphne and Morrison come home after being out at the pub and Daphne is in a bitter rage over the fact that women keep talking to Morrison, and the fact that she thinks they aren’t getting as much out of life that they should be getting.
• Monologue Snippet: “We are in a drought, that’s it, a drought from lack of feeding ourselves the nutrition of existence. We have become polished!” ~Daphne
• [Read Full Monologue]

Cold Sunday

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Roger, Leah
• Duration: 1-2-minute monologue
• Description: Leah meets her friend Roger to help him out after he was attacked by a beloved dog.
• Monologue Snippet: “There he was, standing behind the screen door, staring at me…waiting, like he always does, each and every bloody Sunday.” ~Roger
• [Read Full Monologue]

In the Face of the Beast

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Willa, Father Lewis
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Father Lewis tries to give good warning to Willa, who does not seem intimidated by the murderous beast roaming their town.
• Monologue Snippet: “Enter the grounds and pray, Willa. Stay out of harm’s path, and I am certain no harm will come to you. ” ~Father Lewis
• [Read Full Monologue]

Midnight Sighs

• Genre: Serio-Comedy
• Characters: Dom, Elle, Boyd
• Duration: 1-2-minute monologue
• Description: Dom is dumbfounded over the fact that the woman he’s been chasing for years has suddenly went off with another man inside of an hour.
• Monologue Snippet: “I’ve been at it for three years. Three years. Not even a cup of coffee. Believe that? I couldn’t even strike up the nerve to ask her out for a cup of coffee. I’d come in here every week, I couldn’t take my eyes off her, thinking about how beautiful she is, I always made her laugh. Loads of times, good times.” ~Dom
• [Read Full Monologue]

Snowdrift

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Trudy, Barney
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Trudy comes home after saying a final goodbye to her beloved puppy Trixie.
• Monologue Snippet: “I think one time I felt it, but it was only an accident. My daddy was stone-cold drunk and needed assistance to get up the stairs. ” ~Trudy
• [Read Full Monologue]

Songs From the Courtyard

• Genre: Serio-Comedy
• Characters: Paul, McKenzie
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Paul drunkenly explains to his girlfriend that he doesn’t know how to fix himself.
• Monologue Snippet: “I’d have to be rebuilt, or somethin’…. yeah? I’ve got to get torn down and made from scratch, ’cause that’s the only way I could love you without threat. I could love you with wings.” ~Paul
• [Read Full Monologue]

God’s Green Earth

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Darby, Mooney
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Darby and her brother try to come to terms with the loss of their father and the life they wish to have.
• Monologue Snippet: “If you can’t talk to me, who in the hell can you talk to then? That’s why you’ve no friends… why Mrs. Hanner is always complaining about you. You don’t socialize.” ~Darby
• [Read Full Monologue]

Crimson

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Chuckie, Holly
• Duration: 1-2-minute monologue
• Description: Holly meets with Chuckie in order to make an exchange, but Chuckie wishes to take her out for a cup of coffee.
• Monologue Snippet: “In the back of the diner, there’s a hallway where people hang their jackets. On the floor, there’s two tiles. There’s one green tile, and to the left of it is a crimson tile. Follow?” ~Chuckie
• [Read Full Monologue]

Secret Desire

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Count Domani, Adelaide
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Count Domani invites his maid Adelaide to visit him in his study with the intention of seeing her pursue her dreams of being an artist. 
• Monologue Snippet: “My influence has waned. This new industry diminishes the ways in which I was raised. Everything I know will eventually fade.” ~Count Domani
• [Read Full Monologue]

The Time It Takes

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Freddy, Lina
• Duration: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Freddy and Lina come together indirectly by talking honestly to one another.
• Monologue Snippet: “Seeing you is like the last thing I can handle ’cause you don’t make no sense from what doesn’t already make sense to me.” ~Freddy
• [Read Full Monologue]