"Pebbles and Tails," a new Short children's play

April 02, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, allegory, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, Education, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, outdoor theater, Plays, pre-teen, Reader's Theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, tween

How many of us have ever felt our friends were moving on without us? Or worried that we’d be left out because we were somehow different from those around us? Pebbles and Tails is my new children’s play about frogs growing up, but it’s also a story of acceptance, kindness, bravery and friendship.

Scoot, Wiggles and Crunch have been friends since they hatched from eggs in the pond, hiding from predators together, protecting each other, and playing “Kick Pebble” together. But when Scoot realizes that Wiggles and Crunch have developed into froglets, while Scoot remains a tadpole, Scoot feels left behind. Is their friendship strong enough to endure their changing paths?

Pebbles and Tails is a comedic/dramatic children’s play for 3 actors of any gender. It runs around 5-8 minutes in length. It’s perfect for child actors for performances, workshops or Reader’s Theater in the classroom. It’s great for teen competitions and fun for any age actors to perform for young audiences. It’s also great material for animation projects. And I’m releasing it during National Frog Month in the US!

"Staring at The Sloth" by Tara Meddaugh: New comedic children's play

March 09, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, Education, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, outdoor theater, Plays, pre-teen, Reader's Theater, Teen, tween

Have you ever felt someone was judging you, teasing you, or making fun of you when in fact, maybe they were just, I don’t know, hungry? Sometimes we can see our own insecurities mirrored back in other people’s (or sloths’!) eyes, when they’re not actually there. Self-acceptance and being confident in our own value—independent of what we assume others think about us—are such important qualities to nurture in children, teens, and yup, even adults. It’s one of those bright shimmering keys to happiness. :)

Staring at The Sloth is a comedic children’s play that runs about 5 minutes long. It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s sweet, and come on—SLOTHS! But at its core, it’s a story about a child, Riley, who is insecure, has been teased, and needs to shift perception to assume the best, instead of the worst, out of someone else. Luckily, Riley has an awesome friend who can help ground their perspective:

The sloth at the zoo keeps staring at Riley. Is it Riley’s spiky hair? Long nose? Or chocolate milk stain? Can Jaime convince Riley that the sloth is not making fun, but maybe, just maybe, thinks Riley is cool?

Meet Riley and Jaime in this excerpt from Staring at The Sloth. This short comedy is great for adults or teens who want to play children and perform for young audiences, or for children to try their hand at acting in a manageable play themselves. It’s also ideal classroom Reader’s Theater material for those practicing reading out loud, and for discussion about self-acceptance and being kind.

The play requires 2 actors, and gender casting is flexible/inclusive. It can work for Zoom, Outdoor Theater, competitions, classrooms or the traditional stage. Even in five minutes, there’s lots of room for creativity for actors, directors and designers. Enjoy an excerpt from new 5-minute play, Staring at The Sloth, or get the complete play below:

Alfred and Lily and Their Marvelous Tank in the Forest: Publication in Best New Ten-Minute Plays/2020

February 12, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in absurdist theater, allegory, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, love, Plays, outdoor theater, Publications, Suspense, Teen, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd

I’m honored my play, Alfred and Lily and Their Marvelous Tank in the Forest, was selected as one of 30 plays in “The Best New Ten-Minute Plays/2020” published by The Applause Acting Series, edited by Lawrence Harbison. This absurdist dark comedy is about reality manipulation, propaganda, what to accept as truth, or question and fight. It's also about love and sacrifice, and yes, it's about frogs. In a tank. In a forest. All this in 10 minutes!

A high-energy, high-stakes short play with meaty roles for 2 actors and lots of room for creativity for the production team, Alfred and Lily and Their Marvelous Tank in the Forest is a fun play to sink your teeth into (much like Alfred wants to do to Lily’s leg…). Thanks to my original amazing cast at Westchester Collaborative Theater, featuring Missy Flower, Buchanan Highhouse, directed by Nathan Flower.

You can check out an excerpt of Alfred and Lily, get the full play here, or check out the The Best New Ten-Minute Plays 2020.

Snowman Versus Sun by Tara Meddaugh: New Children's Comedic monologue

February 10, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, winter, Christmas

My son recently gave me a writing prompt which has resulted in this wintery children’s monologue, Snowman Versus Sun. I also have to give him credit as he designed the monologue cover himself (his at-home-digital-design class with Mom: Canva!)

As the title indicates, the monologue is about that age-old problem: snowman v. sun. In this 1-minute free comedic monologue great for young kids, Titus takes on the sun directly himself. Do you think the sun will listen to him? He’s got a pretty big request…

13 Monologues about Love for Men

February 09, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 1-minute monologue, 2-minute monologue, 5-minute play, comedic, comedy monolog collection, dark comedy, dramatic monolog collecti, dramatic, holiday, love, monologue collections, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, romance, Teen, teen monologue collection, valentine's day

In this compilation, I’ve chosen ten (10) unique monologues of male characters who really dig into the idea of love from one angle or another. From a drugstore clerk smitten with a customer to a man begging his ex to forgive him of his criminal charges to a Klingon hoping his love can be a plotline, enjoy these ten (10) unique and memorable monologues about love!

You can browse each monologue individually below, or you can check out the monologue compilation packet: 10 Monologues About Love for Men, containing all ten (10) unique, compelling and memorable monologues for male characters (a great value at only $9.99 for all 10 monologues!). Monologues range in length from 1 minute to 5 minutes, or more, depending on performance, and are suitable for adult, or older teen, actors. Please note: while roles in these monologues are written for gender-specific characters, actors of any gender may feel free to play any role they connect with.

11 Short Plays About Love

February 09, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in 5-minute play, absurdist theater, dark comedy, dramatic, love, mermaids, Monologues, mystical creatures, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, romance, Teen, Suspense, ten-minute plays, theater of the absurd, thriller, valentine's day

As Valentine’s Day is rounding the corner, I’ve compiled a collection of eleven (11) short plays, all centering around the idea of love, from various angles. Whether marrying out of spite, longing for romance in another world, or sacrificing for your life partner, these plays showcase high stakes drama about love. The roles and worlds created in these plays are unique and memorable, making for fun theatrical challenges for actors, directors, designers and production teams. Enjoy!

Fingernail Heart by Tara Meddaugh: a dark comedy monologue about love

January 29, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, love, monologue for female acto, Monologues, outdoor theater, romance, Teen, valentine's day, 2-minute monologue, absurdist theater, theater of the absurd

Well, folks. It’s that time of year again! With just over 2 weeks away from Valentine’s Day, I’ll be spending the next few blog posts giving you some loved-based theater! (Can you hear the “love” sound effects in your mind? Birds? “Aws?” A glorious harpsichord? ) No guarantee it will be requited love, however. In fact, many of my “love-based” monologues tend to lean more on the side of yearning love, desperate love, unhappy love, a little…weird love… Which brings me to…

My brand new monologue, Fingernail Heart. Um, yes. You read that right. Fingernail heart. What the…??? Okay, I can explain. Well… Maybe it’s better if I let our protagonist, Emily (below), explain. After all, she’s put in the hard work to craft this fingernail heart. But I will say, if you’re a fan of Ferret Envy, then I think you’ll enjoy the quirky desperation of Fingernail Heart. Emily is confronting her ex-boyfriend (who clearly does NOT want to see her), and offering, yes, that’s right, her gift of a fingernail heart. This monologue is a blast for actors who are okay with slightly off-beat roles, because you can really lean into the absurdity, the humor, but at the same time, the gravity, emotional instability and darkness—all with that underlying feeling of “she is reaching a breaking point…she is reaching a breaking point…”. You’ll enjoy finding all those delightful moments to shift the tone, the tactic, while keeping the same basic intention (“will girl get boy?”).

This monologue runs around 1.5-2 minutes, and while written for a female character, as with most of my monologues, it can be suitable for inclusive casting, as long as the actor connects with it.

Enjoy an excerpt below!…

Unknown Playwrights Monologue Mondays Feature: Single Crutch by Tara Meddaugh

January 28, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dramatic, love, Monologue Performances, Monologues, monologues for male actor, outdoor theater, Playwriting, Teen, marching band

Thanks to Bryan Stubbles, playwright and blogger of Unknown Playwrights, for his feature of my comedic teen monologue, Single Crutch. In his series, Monologue Mondays, he shares several video performances of the monologue (and points out this is my second monologue which mentions a marching band! Hadn’t thought of that before).

After a bully steals Ben’s crutch, Ben begs his friend to lend him his old “Tiny Tim” crutch so he can make Marching Band auditions in time. Ben points out that his friend kind of owes him. After all, he wouldn’t have broken his leg if his friend hadn’t advised him to jump out of a moving truck to impress a girl in the first place (And it didn’t even work!).

Single Crutch is a monologue which was inspired by an actor at Carnegie Mellon University (where I received my MFA in Dramatic Writing). In one class, playwrights worked with actors to write monologues tailored to the actors’ specific talents/requests. In fact, March in Line, Rising Fast, Purple Banana Nose, Disappointing Hell, Ferret Envy and Crispy Leaves were all written for CMU actors in the same process (I’ve given the character names these talented actors’ first names.). One of the actors I was working with, Ben, told me he’d always wanted to walk out on stage with a crutch. So… I gave him a crutch! The crutch became my jumping off point, and coupled with his comedic talents, I was inspired to create this Single Crutch. Since then, Single Crutch has been performed by hundreds, if not thousands, of actors. It has been used in classrooms, theaters, universities, competitions, showcases and performances around the world. It was published in 2019 by London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), in Acting Anthology: Volume 4 (under the name “Lost Crutch”).

It was a joy to write and I hope it’s a joy to perform! The monologue is about 2 minutes along and great for teen actors. Check out an excerpt below!

"Cutting Down the Tree" by Tara Meddaugh: A dark comedy monologue

January 24, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, monologue for female acto, Monologues, thriller, outdoor theater, Halloween

If you’re looking for a humorous monologue with a dark undertone, check out my new monologue, Cutting Down the Maple Tree. Kari is pushed too far by her (presumably cheating) husband and lashes out in vengeance, cutting down a taunting tree and trapping his drunken legs under it. Now, at least, the tree will no longer have hold over her and she looks forward to a “fresh start” with her husband.

This dark comedy/thriller/dramatic monologue is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long, and is appropriate for adults, 20s to 60s. It is a fun and challenging role for an actor, as Kari’s intentions, emotions and state of mind are complex and varied. Enjoy an except below:

Butterfly in the Tomato Plant by Tara Meddaugh: New 30-second children's dramatic monologue

January 08, 2021 by Tara Meddaugh in children, blind casting, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, pre-teen, tween, 30-second monologue, outdoor theater

If you’re looking for a short children’s monologue with a dramatic bent, consider my monologue, Butterfly in the Tomato Plant. It is a challenge to perform (or write) a monologue which shows arc and range in 30 seconds but rewarding to explore. In Butterfly in the Tomato Plant, Nicole observes an injured butterfly, bullied by the same children who had bullied her the previous day (they ripped her backpack and now they have ripped the butterfly’s wings). She reflects on her own desire to have wings and escape bullies, but then realizes the butterfly’s wings did not end up saving it. She decides to take the butterfly home to care for it in a windowsill plant she has been nurturing herself.

Children/Teen Monologue: Second-Hand Dirt by Tara Meddaugh

October 14, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in blind casting, children, Children's theatre, comedic, dramatic, gender neutral casting, inclusive casting, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, Monologues, monologues for male actor, Teen, ten-minute plays, allegory, one-act plays, outdoor theater

In Sharing Soil (a 10-minute play within my longer vignette-style piece, Movements of the Wind), Carrot and Potato risk safety and rejection from their own garden cultures when they embark on a new friendship in the face of soil prejudices.

Carrot’s monologue, Second-Hand Dirt, from Sharing Soil, shows a moment of how hurt can be masked with scapegoating. Carrot has just been bullied by other carrots, even having her carrot tip bitten off by them. When Potato finds her crying, Carrot lashes out in misplaced anger toward the quizzical young vegetable. Potato does not stand for this, and Carrot shares how her attempts to be kind to other carrots have not been reciprocated, leading her to become “mean.”

Newly Released 10-Minute Play for 2 Actors: Waiting For Wind by Tara Meddaugh

October 06, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in comedic, dramatic, gender neutral casting, love, outdoor theater, one-act plays, Plays, Playwriting, romance, Teen, ten-minute plays, inclusive casting, blind casting

Two tulips’ lives change for the better when they meet each other at high sun. They have a connection and it is clear they were meant for each other. Yet can they overcome their fears about the future, and lift each other up, despite the stagnant air? (CLICK HERE FOR THE PLAY)

Waiting for Wind is a 2-person dramatic/comedic play with a running time of approximately 10 minutes. It’s set in a flower garden and has flexible inclusive/blind casting (the characters are flowers!). It’s great for festivals, performances, outdoor theater, duo interpretation forensics competitions, classroom or theater study, workshops, and themed productions.

Jumping the Wind by Tara Meddaugh: 10-minute play for outdoor theater

October 02, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, Children's theatre, comedic, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, one-act plays, outdoor theater, Plays, socially distant theater, Teen, ten-minute plays

Have you ever seen a play about pollen before? I’m not talking documentary-style. I’m talking about pieces of individual pollen, with their own hopes, dreams and fears. In my allegory, Jumping the Wind, you meet two pieces of pollen, Pollen V-6 and Pollen K-10. The flower on which Pollen V-6 and Pollen K-10 have lived their entire lives has wilted and is dying. If they do not make a dangerous jump to a fresh flower, Cat will destroy the flower and any remaining pollen that night. All other pollen have already made the jump to presumed safety, but Pollen V-6 has been too frightened to leave. She doubts the tales that anything better lies beyond. The leader, Pollen K-10, has remained behind with her, and has to decide how long he will stay to rally her before his own safety is in jeopardy. Jumping the Wind is a story of leaving the familiar, taking risks for the promise of something better. It’s the story of facts versus hope. And a story of friendship and trust.

Here are seven (7) reasons why Jumping the Wind is a memorable (and practical!) play to produce:

10-minute dramatic monologue play: Marsopa's Tale by Tara Meddaugh

October 01, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in dramatic, fairy tale, monologue for female acto, Monologues, mystical creatures, one-act plays, outdoor theater, socially distant theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, Zoom plays, mermaids

Mermaids are the subject of many tales and legends around the world. In my 10-minute one-person play, Marsopa’s Tale, Marsopa, a mermaid herself, confronts the myths surrounding mermaids, as she makes a choice to be more than simply folklore.

Marsopa is the lone mermaid of her sea, but enjoys the company of her best friend and water-sister, a dolphin named Stone. But when Stone considers starting her own family, Marsopa faces the idea of being truly alone. That is - until she makes eyes with an intriguing fisherman... Now Marsopa must call into question the truth of mermaid and human legends, and decide what she is willing to risk for the possibility of creating her own fate.

New dark comedy/Dramatic monologue: "What My Fangs Are For" by Tara Meddaugh

September 29, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in children, dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, Halloween, monologue for child actor, monologue for female acto, monologues for male actor, Monologues, mystical creatures, outdoor theater, Teen, ten-minute plays, thriller, Suspense

My new monologue, What My Fangs Are For, is the story of a werewolf child telling his mom about his first squirrel kill; it’s darkly humorous, a bit creepy, a bit dramatic. But…it’s also the story of a boy discovering a new identity, trying to make his mother proud, then worrying, with horror, that his new identity may drive her to not love him anymore.

Maybe the whole “eating a raw squirrel” part is not so relatable, but Sammy is not the only child (or adult) to have to reveal a part of their identity which they worry a loved one may not accept.

New 10-minute dark comedy, absurdist thriller (perfect for Halloween & outdoor theater): When Marshmallows Burn by Tara Meddaugh

September 24, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in dark comedy, dramatic, gender neutral casting, Halloween, holiday, mystical creatures, outdoor theater, Plays, Teen, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play, socially distant theater

If you are looking for some Halloween theater, perfectly designed for outdoor staging, check out my new play, When Marshmallows Burn:

Sammy and his mom are enjoying roasting marshmallows by the fire when something very strange starts to happen. Sammy’s arms look a little bit different. His teeth look a little bit different. He has a sudden urge to kill squirrels. What else will he have an urge to kill? Is there anything his mother can do to stop him? And will his mother be able to accept his new identity?

This is a dark comedy, absurdist thriller for 2 actors (1 female, 1 male or 2 female - one role is gender neutral). It’s funny; how often does someone ask, “Can I eat that squirrel over there? You don’t have to cook it. I promise I’ll like it raw.” It’s dark; um...see squirrel line above! There is growing dread at the gravity of the situation, a full moon, suspense, blood. Yet ultimately, it is a story about discovering a new identity, and searching for, or giving, acceptance and love.

It’s an exciting piece to produce any time of year, but especially during this spooky, eerie, Halloween season—this play will fit right into a creepy lineup of shows. What’s also really cool is that this play takes place outside. Around a campfire. So if you’re looking for a socially distanced, outdoor theater experience, this is about as perfectly set up as they come! If you’re interested in performing, make sure to fill out the royalty request form and send it to me.

CLICK for a free excerpt for When Marshmallows Burn by Tara Meddaugh.
CLICK BELOW for the complete digital download to the dark comedy, When Marshmallows Burn.

When Marshmallows Burn, a 10-minute dark comedy by Tara Meddaugh

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Spooky Play for Halloween: Free Space, a dark comedy/absurdist thriller by Tara Meddaugh

September 08, 2020 by Tara Meddaugh in dark comedy, dramatic, full-length plays, Halloween, Plays, Reviews, thriller, thriller play, outdoor theater

Even during a pandemic, Summer flies by. And in New York State, something seems to have happened in the last week as temperatures left the high 80s, brown leaves are on the ground, homegrown apples are everywhere, and there is more talk about…Halloween. And that means theater for Halloween. Which means, you can pull out those dark comedies, thrillers, weird, spooky, creepy pieces that might be engaging any time of year, but hold a special kind of place as we gear up toward October 31.

I have several spooky plays and monologues that fit this bill, but a great full-length play for this darker time of year is my absurdist thriller, Free Space. This is a play where a mother pretends she’s her daughter for a terrifying reason. A young woman tries to escape her trapped existence where loneliness and aspirations ache in her bones. It’s a story of a dominating bingo chip (yes, I said “bingo chip”) who becomes increasingly demanding—and jealous. It’s always cold, usually tense, oftentimes eerie. Desperation and stakes are high. Cruelty abounds. And yet—

Weird or Creepy Plays for Halloween

October 29, 2019 by Tara Meddaugh in dark comedy, dramatic, Halloween, one-act plays, Plays, ten-minute plays, thriller, thriller play, gender neutral casting, holiday, outdoor theater, Suspense, Teen

If you’re looking for some plays with a thrilling, weird, scary or eerie nature, just in time for Halloween, check out my list of 6 GREAT PLAYS FOR HALLOWEEN! From a domineering talking bingo chip to an apartment enveloped in human hair to a line of diamonds which seems rather painful—these dark comedies, dramas and thrillers give you a fun dramatic ride!