1 Act Play Dramas from Published Plays

1 Act Play Dramas from Published Plays shares free monologues and scenes from play acts to help actors and drama teachers find creative fuel.

Monologue Blogger has a love for short form storytelling and we’ve launched a dedicated section for one-act play scripts you can view called Published Plays.

What are some types of 1 act play dramas?

The short form is oftentimes overlooked, but here at MB we simply can’t get enough of them.

One-act plays have been around for thousands of years.  There have been one-act plays by major dramatists throughout history that have developed shorter works, which are just as moving as their larger pieces.

One-act dramas come in many styles and genres.

• Monodrama – this is a play performed by one actor.
• Farce – a type of comedy featuring absurd situations.
• Social Drama – focuses on social challenges within society.
• Domestic Drama – focuses on family drama and everyday life.
• Comedy – designed to entertain and make the audience laugh.
• Historical Drama – can be based on real historical events and people.
• Melodrama – a play with exaggerated elements for character expression.
• Mystery Drama – a puzzle, crime, or an unexplained event that took place.
• Tragedy – a serious play where the re may be suffering, loss, or a downfall.
• Fantasy / Supernatural Drama – can relate to magic and supernatural events.
• Absurdist Drama – unusual situations and dialogue in order to provide clarity on a subject matter.
• Psychological Drama – this tends to explore the emotional, physical, or mental struggles of characters.

Such short plays are incredible to read and inspiring to see on stage.

There is something special about saying so much with so little amount of time.  It really is an art form in and of itself.

We’ve carefully selected monologues from one-act plays and further down below scenes from one act plays.  This way you have more options of hopefully finding something you can use.

Monologues from One-Act Plays

To The Lake

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Barb
• Length: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Barb believes that she was a crocodile in a past life because she keeps having dreams of being one.
• Excerpt: “Had this dream last night that proved it. This dream of mine was so vivid, that it just had to be true. How else would I know?? I was a crocodile!” ~Barb
• [Read full monologue]

Little Flying Soldiers

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Pete
• Length: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Pete talks to a college student about why he sells books on a table out on the sidewalk.
• Excerpt: “They might read the back first or the introduction or my favorite, the select few who turn to a random page and start reading…their eyes narrow, and I wait for the most magnificent moment of all, at least I hope for it to occur, that moment when a random stranger starts to bond with a random book, like destiny, like a pair of soul mates coming together for the first time.” ~Pete
• [Read full monologue]

Extra Garlic

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Mario
• Length: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Mario opens up to a customer about why it matters to him that he cooks the way he cooks in his own kitchen.
• Excerpt: “I bend over backwards to feed my people. But it has to be on my terms, it has to be with freedom, love, that’s where it means somethin’ to me, that’s what makes the whole experience worth it. I’m trusted.” ~Mario
• [Read full monologue]

I Saw Two Clouds in the Sky Kiss Once

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Luna
• Length: 1-2 minute monologue
• Description: Luna is recovering from her addictions inside a private care center, but that doesn’t stop her from coming down on the caretaker.
• Excerpt: “You, a person who has drowned to death, yet with one giant burst of breath received to your lungs, would gasp and grasp at life..eyes blazing, thoughts racing toward rosy red cheeks, pulsating veins and muscle spasms..fingers clenched with passion.” ~Luna
• [Read full monologue]

In the Murk of Night

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Edith
• Length: 1-minute monologue
• Description: Edith explains to her son that she feels she should have taken more risks throughout her life.
• Excerpt: “I’ve wasted my life and any time I’ve ever had on raising you to be cold, rotten, and careless… such as you’ve turned out. I jumped, before I could die; just once, I jumped, and I made it.” ~Edith
• [Read full monologue]

In the Face of the Beast

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Father Lewis
• Length: 1-2 -minute monologue
• Description: Father Lewis casually presents to Willa the path she must take in order to avoid definite danger.
• Excerpt: “It is good to have the spirit in you. I sense that the events that have unfolded could have wounded you in some capacity. I sense that although you are of strong fiber, Willa, there is a shadow of doubt that seems to follow you. That you are walking along a fine edge that may have cracks deeper than you know.” ~Father Lewis
• [Read full monologue]

The Correct Source

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Dillard
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: Dillard makes a proposition to Ewen about performing a terrible deed.
• Excerpt: “I know you specialize in death, so I approached you. I saw what you did to Becky years ago; I knew what you did and where you left her body. I followed you and saw the entire episode play out over the course of weeks.” ~Dillard
• [Read full monologue]

Fallen Money

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Ruby
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: Ruby sees an opportunity to escape the only world she knows and hopes Paul will agree to it.
• Excerpt: “There are things I’m good at that you aren’t. Look at the mess you got into today; you didn’t even know how to take care of yourself. I see way ahead, not just what’s right in front of us. I see beyond that.” ~Ruby
• [Read full monologue]

In the Wake of Smoke

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Daphne
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: Daphne talks to Morrison about how trapped she feels and wishes they would do something crazy.
• Excerpt: “Where are the days of us breaking things, throwing things, grabbing each other, bashing it all against the silence?! I hate this place! It makes me sweat. Don’t you get it?” ~Daphne
• [Read full monologue]

Woman with Wings

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Kelton
• Length: 1-2 – minute monologue
• Description: Kelton confesses that his life feels mundane and purposeless.
• Excerpt: “A woman, a very fine woman, a friend I’ve known for quite some time, has changed. The way she talks, the way she walks…not gone, no, not gone, but yet gone…vacant, but existing…eyes of love..lost..anger…fear..yet still possessing kindness. It all pains me so…” ~Kelton
• [Read full monologue]

Nameless Grace

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Colette
• Length: 1-2 – minute monologue
• Description: Colette explains in confidence to Dr. Baum that she has been secretly seeing her former lover.
• Excerpt: “I am beside myself. I am not myself because I don’t wish to be. (Beat) I have seen him… Walter… I’ve been to the garden, where we once loved, to bring comfort to myself by facing myself.” ~Colette
• [Read full monologue]

The Dance

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Chester
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: Chester tries to figure out a path forward in order to bond on a deeper level with the woman he loves.
• Excerpt: “You don’t make sense to me, and maybe you never will. (beat) We’ve been dating for just about three months now, and all you’ve done is lead me on. You’re always distracted by something else whenever we go out.” ~Chester
• [Read full monologue]

Sliced Thin

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Marci
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: All Marci wants is for her son to get a good education a choose a positive career path.
• Excerpt: “What happened to you, Denny, eh? (beat) What happened to my boy? You used to have a mind fierce with possibility. Used to look at life differently. I raised you right. To be strong. Stronger than the rest of them, because I knew you needed to be.” ~Marci
• [Read full monologue]

Snowdrift

• Genre: Drama
• Character: Trudy
• Length: 1- minute monologue
• Description: Trudy shares a story from her past about how she helped her drunk father up a flight of stairs.
• Excerpt: “I remember him having to put his arm around my shoulders to keep his balance. Each step we took seemed like forever; he kept holding on, never letting me go, and then something happened; it must have been only for a few seconds;” ~Trudy
• [Read full monologue]

The Last Words I Heard Her Say

• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Heath
• Length: 2- minute monologue
• Description: Heath visits his mother for the last time while she lay dying in her hospital bed.
• Excerpt: “This’ll be the final thing you put on me, I guess. (pause.) Not sure what you want me to say. Hmm? What do you want me to say? Want me to say you were a great mother? Will that make you happy, hearing me say those words to you? Is that how all this works?” ~Heath
• [Read full monologue]

Scenes from One-Act Plays

I have given you everything of me, and I have failed. (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Faces on the Edge of Spring
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Jeanne, Franco
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Jeanne feels that Franco hasn’t been loyal to her and believes it’s time they go their separate ways.
• [Read Scene]

At least I won’t die alone. (2 women, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Don’t Leave Me Without Muffin
• Genre: Drama / Family Drama 
• Characters: Ginger and Diane
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Ginger aims to runaway from home during the middle of the night, but her mother Diane catches her.
• [Read Scene]

Why you want to travel up to New York for? (3 women, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Gone Before You Left
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Tash, Peggy, Billy
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Tash knows that Peggy is running away with her boyfriend Billy and asks to go with them.
• [Read Scene]

Where have you been for the past five months? (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Five Months Later
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Bree, Carlston
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Bree returns five months later after her disappearance leaving Carlston angered and relieved.
• [Read Scene]

I know you kill things, people… (2 men)

• Scene from the one-act play The Correct Source
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Dillard, Ewen
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Dillard makes an offer to Ewen to do something dark and sinister.
• [Read Scene]

What d’you wanna be remembered for? (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Earthbound
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Connie, Barney
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Connie is training Barney to become a thief.
• [Read Scene]

I’m starting a new life. (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Fallen Money
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Ruby, Paul
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Ruby learns that Paul is leaving their town without word and she wants to leave with him.
• [Read Scene]

I did something that I wish I hadn’t done. (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play The Floating Room
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Marsha, Martin
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Martin suffers an emotional loss with one of his patients and regrets not delivering a message.
• [Read Scene]

Aren’t we all running from something, Mrs. Maureen? (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play The Attic
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Maureen, Onya
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Onya wishes to move in to a woman’s attic in exchange for chores.
• [Read Scene]

How do you get used to all that blood? (2 women)

• Scene from the one-act play Hush
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Luciana, Claudia
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Luciana wishes to hire a plastic surgeon to deliberately disfigure someone she can’t stomach.
• [Read Scene]

Didn’t you say you were inviting me out? (2 men)

• Scene from the one-act play Charade
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Reginald, Philip
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: While out on a date, Reginald and Philip argue over who should pick up the check.
• [Read Scene]

Where are you now? (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Cuts 2
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Grant, Dawn
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Grant and Dawn try to seek understanding although they are divided by different worlds.
• [Read Scene]

Will you always hold my arm like this when we walk? (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Carried Away
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Kimberly, Duff
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Duff becomes self-conscious over whether or not he is full capable of being a good partner for Kimberly.
• [Read Scene]

It seems as though people grow apart… (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play Stroke of Bad Luck
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Mrs. Krimley, Marcus
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Marcus causally debates in his mind whether or not to viscously strike down upon Mrs. Krimley.
• [Read Scene]

I am resilient to your fits of anger. (1 woman, 1 man)

• Scene from the one-act play In the Wake of Smoke
• Genre: Drama
• Characters: Daphne, Morrison
• Length: 10 minutes
• Description: Daphne isn’t happy over the attention her man receives whenever they go out, which causes her to erupt over additional problems.
• [Read Scene]

Using Drama Monologues and Scenes from 1 Act Plays

1 Act Plays are a powerful way to study your craft as an actor or adapt short works for short films and theater productions.

Looking for More 1 Act Play Dramas?

If you’d like to explore more one-act play dramas, please explore here: Published Plays

You could always take a spin when looking for a scene with 72 Acting Scenes and Scripts for Actors, which gives a series of both drama and comedy scenes from our plays.