These social-emotional learning plays are listed in order of cast size. The SEL themes addressed in each play are listed in the descriptions.
The Condor Egg
2 characters. 6 pages. An imaginative teenager dreams of doing something unusual for the school art show.
Themes: Perseverance, Courage.
An Imaginary Friend
2 characters. 2M. 7 pages. A short play about an imaginary friendship by Martha Patterson.
Themes: Gratitude, Empathy.
The Gift of the Magi
2 characters, flexible casting. 6 pages. Modern re-telling of the classic story by O’Henry. Siblings learn about the spirit of giving. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.
Themes: Kindness.
Shuttlecock, Whipping Top and Tick Tack Type
A play for two actors that incorporates rhythm, music and movement. Actors take on the roles of toys. Approximately 50 minutes long. Includes educational materials, drama activities, and sheet music.
Themes: Respect, Empathy, Cooperation, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage, Gratitude, Creativity.
Have A Hoppy Holiday
2 characters. 3 pages. A comedy for children about the loss of a pet by playwright Scot Walker.
Themes: Respect, Empathy, Cooperation, Gratitude, Honesty, Creativity, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage.
The Spotted Skink
3+ Characters, Flexible Casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Clever and witty script about two young people trying to save their town by claiming they’ve discovered an endangered species. Will they go to any length to convince people?
Themes: Perseverance, Honesty.
Oh, Demetrius
3 characters, including 2 black students. Approximately 15 minutes long. This play for middle and high school students explores the idea of integrity. Charmaine has a crush on Demetrius and willingly does his homework for him. In the end, Charmaine takes back her power, and Demetrius owns his mistakes as well. Oh, Demetrius also provides a lesson in cultural history and the importance of knowing the sacrifices made by others for the sake of justice. The end of this play discusses great black people in history.
Themes: Integrity, Honesty.
Themes: Perseverance, Honesty.
A Golden Peace of Mind
4 characters, 1M, 1F, 2 any gender. Approximately 7 minutes running time. Short play that teaches the value of believing in yourself!
Themes: Believing in Yourself, Courage, Perseverance.
Share the Burden
4 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play based on an African trickster tale by Debra A. Cole.
Themes: Cooperation, Perseverance, Integrity.
Mama Threw Me So High
4 characters; 3F, 1M; 17 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. A drama for teens written by Starry Krueger.
Themes: Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage.
Lab Report
4 characters. Flexible casting. 10 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. A short play for teens about therapy written by Louise Scoville.
Themes: Empathy, Courage, Honesty.
The Adventures of Don Marcos Sebastian Guevara Fantastico
4 Characters. Approximately 30 minutes running time. An unlikely pair teams up to defeat the school bullies in this playful script. Perfect for elementary, middle school, or school assemblies.
Themes: Kindness, Respect, Empathy, Cooperation, Perseverance, Courage, Honesty, Creativity.
Benchmark
4 characters, all males. Approximately 10 minutes. A funny yet sentimental script about true friendship. Perfect for middle school and high school students.
Themes: Kindness, Empathy.
Canine Connection
4 characters, (3 speaking, 1 non-speaking) Gender flexible. All characters are dogs. Approximately 8 minutes running time. Hilarious play where dogs run a radio call-in show. Perfect for middle and high school.
Themes: Conflict Resolution.
Metamorphosis
5 characters, all female. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play for teens about being yourself rather than trying to conform! Great play for students to get creative with costuming.
Themes: Creativity, Being Yourself, Courage.
The Honorable Woodsman
5 characters, 1M, 2F, 2 any gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Play adaptation of a Jean La Fontaine fable.
Themes: Honesty, Integrity.
Honesty
5 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short, modern play by Debra A. Cole based on a West African folk tale.
Themes: Honesty.
A Simple Act of Kindness
5 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. It’s Christmas Eve and an innkeeper is reminded that money isn’t everything.
Themes: Kindness.
The Trees of Throop
5 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Original holiday story with colorful characters and a message of kindness. Nostalgic and quirky. Written by Ted LoRusso.
Themes: Kindness.
Red Shoes
5 characters. 4F, 1M. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play about a girl who finds herself in an unfortunate situation, yet finds her strength to overcome adversity.
Themes: Perseverance, Courage.
Gold Gone
5 characters. 5 pages long. Royalty-free play for elementary and middle school students in which a mean-spirited prince tries to marry five princesses all at once. Perfect for school performances.
Themes: Honesty.
He Who Speaks
5 characters; 1F, 1M, 3 Either; 12 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A drama for children and teens written by Starry Krueger.
Themes: Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage.
The Fisherman and His Wife
5+ characters; Flexible cast. 9 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An Brothers Grimm fairy-tale adapted by Janea Dahl.
Themes: Gratitude.
PANDAmonium
6 characters, 3F, 3M. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play by Debra A. Cole that addresses racism and diversity in a non-threatening way.
Themes: Respect, Empathy, Accepting Differences.
Cutting the Strings
6 characters, flexible gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Play adaptation of a Burmese folk tale. Students play life-sized puppets!
Themes: Kindness.
The Big Dance
6 characters, all female. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Cute play by Debra A. Cole about a group of teenage girls who are attending their first school dance.
Themes: Courage, Kindness, Respect, Empathy.
Bubble Wrap Princess
6 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Funny fairy tale play about overprotective parents.
Themes: Courage, Believing in Yourself.
The Pizza Man’s Problem
6 characters, 4 M, 2 F. (Mechanic could be female.) Approximately 7 minutes long. Best for ages 8-11. A funny play about a pizza man who cannot make pizza.
Themes: Perseverance.
The Maypole
6+ characters. Flexible cast. 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A rapping comedy for teens written by Germaine Shames.
Themes: Cooperation, Conflict Resolution, Kindness.
The Clearing
6-20 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 30 minutes long. 10 vignettes are set in a clearing in the woods and woven together with wit, wonder, and wisdom. Written by Jennifer Reif. (5 credits)
Themes: Cooperation, Perseverance, Empathy, Honesty, Courage, Gratitude.
The Crossroads
6-21 characters, flexible casting, approximately 30 minutes. 11 vignettes set at a crossroads in the woods, woven together with wit, wonder, and wisdom. Written by Jennifer Reif. (5 credits)
Themes: Cooperation, Perseverance, Empathy, Honesty, Courage, Gratitude.
The Lemunion Tree
7+ characters; Flexible cast. 12 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A drama for children ages 10 and older written by Cynthia Morrison.
Themes: Integrity.
Breathe
8 characters, 1M, 1F, 6 flexible gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time.
Themes: Coping with Anxiety, Empathy.
Ghosting for Good
8 Characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Short, black box play about two teens dealing with the cruelty of online bullying.
Themes: Kindness, Empathy, Honesty.
Canary, Cockroach, Phoenix
8+ characters; 6F, 1M, 1+ Either; 35 pages in length. Approximately 30-40 minutes running time. A musical drama for children written by Starry Krueger. (5 credits)
Themes: Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage.
Barnyard
9 characters. 40 pages in length. Approximately 30-45 minutes running time. A play for older teens written by Richard Broadhurst. (5 credits)
Themes: Empathy, Kindness.
Last Chance Tuesday
9 characters, approximately 25 minutes long. Funny and touching script about friendship. Three kennel dogs dream of their forever homes. Will they be adopted?
Themes: Kindness, Empathy, Cooperation, Courage.
Winnie the Pooh and a Library Too
9 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 20 minutes long. Winnie the Pooh and his friends help Piglet learn to read. Perfect for elementary and middle school. Focus on SEL (Social-Emotional Learning)
Themes: Courage, Perseverance, Cooperation, Responsibility, Gratitude.
It’s All In Your Head
One-act play for middle school and high school. 10 characters; 1M, 1F, 8 Either; 14 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A comedy for teens written by Frannie Dove.
Themes: Courage, Empathy, Perseverance.
Dream Train
One-act play for middle school or high school. 10+ characters; 6F, 3M, 1+ Either; 28 pages in length. Approximately 30-45 minutes running time. A drama for teens written by Starry Krueger.
Themes: Kindness, Respect, Empathy, Cooperation.
Peter Pan and the Lost Girl
10+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 15 minutes long. Peter Pan meets Little Red Riding Hood in this short play by Willow Rowe. Fun for all ages.
Themes: Perseverance.
The Myth of Demeter and Persephone Revisited
10-14 characters, flexible casting, approximately 10 minutes long. Comedy play script for elementary, middle, and high school about the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone.
Themes: Respect, Empathy.
Middle School Brain
13 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. One teen character is split into many aspects of her personality in this entertaining short play by Debra A. Cole.
Themes: Empathy, Courage, Honesty.
The Little Prince in Egypt
13 characters, flexible casting, approximately 15 minutes. Comedy script set about Egyptian mythology. Perfect for older elementary through high school.
Themes: Creativity, Perseverance, Courage.
The Shadow of Peter Pan
14 characters, flexible casting, approximately 15 minutes. Comedy script about Peter Pan’s “Shadow” breaking free to live an independent existence. Perfect for middle and high school.
Themes: Cooperation and Respect.
Aesop Remixed
15+ characters, flexible casting, approximately 15 minutes. Comedy script that combines Aesop’s fables, “The Lion and the Mouse” and “The Tortoise and the Hare”.
Themes: Kindness, Respect, Courage, Gratitude.
Ahead of the Game
16 characters. 65 pages long. Approximately 60 minutes running time. A play that encourages kindness, positivity, and respect written by Catherine Davis. (10 credits)
Themes: Kindness, Empathy, Respect.
Doc Faustus
19 characters. Approximately one-hour running time. Comedic modern adaptation of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe.
Themes: Kindness, Empathy, Respect.
Afroyo
20+ characters. Approximately 45 minutes running time. A young black boy comes face to face with microaggressions at school.
Themes: Kindness, Empathy, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courage.
TJ’s Elephant
21 Characters. Approximately 30 minutes running time. Cast size and gender breakdown are flexible. In this original play, the elephant in the room is grief. A perfect way for high schoolers to explore a difficult topic with creativity and heart.
Themes: Grief, Collaboration.
Camp Kindness
30-45 minutes running time. Parts for 30 actors, flexible cast. Teaches the virtue of kindness! (5 credits)
Themes: Kindness, Empathy.
