Play Prompts & Tips

--A 10-minute play is short. It is meant to be short. Usually, these are about 5-8 pages in length.
--Start your short play just before the climax of your story or plot.
--Give your protagonist a goal. What does this person want?
--Give your antagonist a goal. Why does this person want to stop the protagonist from getting what he/she wants?
--Give your protagonist's goal a time limit. This increases the suspense and conflict.
--Your conclusion or resolution of the play should be quick (probably not until the last few lines of the play).

Give your play a title and a short cast list.

PROMPTS:

Having trouble getting started? Try one of these to help get you out of sticky situation:

• Start with the line: "I want..."
• Start with a character in the middle of an action. Now interrupt that action with a second character. The second character is determined to accomplish a task that has nothing to do with the task the other character is trying to finish. Ex. A mother is cooking dinner, when daughter rushes in and needs comforting about the boyfriend she just broke up with. Mom wants to cook, Daughter wants to talk. Conflict.
• If a character wins his or her goal, they may leave the stage. If the character does not win, keep that character on stage. 
• If you get stuck, have a character talk about his/her past.
• If you get stuck, have a character talk about his/her goal or desires.
• If you get stuck, have a character talk about the future.
• If you get stuck, have another character interrupt. 
• If you get stuck, have another character enter and demand his/her goal is met immediately.