3m, 4f, 12x. One student dares to rewrite an outdated ballet. A playful, powerful stand against stereotypes—infused with spirit, style, and Bruce Lee.
Plays for High School Students
Special Collection: "Plays of Resistence and Resilience"
Stand up. Speak out. Defy the odds. These plays challenge audiences to confront injustice and inspire action, celebrating the transformative power of those who rise up and refuse to back down.
6m, 9f. A bold, witty musical that brings the fight for women’s suffrage to life. Songs, speeches, and one unforgettable town square showdown for justice.
6f. From WWII to women’s rights, the Sentinels prove that ordinary students can make extraordinary history as they challenge the impossible.
9m, 3f, 8x. A courtroom battle over Mother Jones’ fate reveals the fiery heart of America’s labor movement. A gripping, thought-provoking drama about justice and sacrifice.
Special Collection: "Dreams and Determination"
When passion drives the impossible. With humor, heartbreak, and hope, these stories illuminate the transformative power of dreaming big and striving forward—even when the odds feel overwhelming.
4m, 5f. Follow eight classmates during an all-night bowling competition where strikes and gutterballs reveal their hopes, fears, and personal struggles. A gritty ride with a hopeful ending.
5m, 5f, 10x. A legendary king battles beasts and defies gods—but can’t outrun death. An epic tale of friendship, power, and what it means to be human.
8m, 7f, 5x. High school, 1989: Mick wants to be president. Beth has a plan. Add some goth witches, and POOF! Let the scheming begin. A wickedly funny Macbeth remix.
5m, 10f, 1x. Senior year gets weird when Henry’s life starts mirroring Hamlet. Ghosts, grief, and Shakespearean angst haunt this sharp, heartfelt dramedy.
Special Collection: "Moral Dilemmas"
Doing the right thing isn’t always simple. These stories follow characters caught in moments of tough decision-making, where mistakes become lessons and courage takes unexpected forms. Along the way, they discover what it truly means to stand up for what matters.
1m, 2f, 4x. A workaholic uncle, a grieving niece, and a rural reset. A funny, tender story of starting over and the family we choose to become.
26 actors (any gender). Sir Gawain takes up a strange yuletide challenge—and steps into a world of magic, danger, and moral reckoning. A charming take on the medieval legend.
3m, 4f, 6x. A high school stage crew is building The Crucible—but backstage, a crisis threatens to tear them apart. Fast-paced, funny, and sharply relevant.
13 actors (any gender). A bullied teen uploads her mind to the Cloud—only to become a corporate prisoner. Now her classmates must face what they’ve done to save her.
Featured Writer: Michele Kushner
Michele Aldin Kushner is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose work has been recognized by theatres and festivals across the country and abroad.
A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program, her plays have been produced and developed with the New York International Fringe Festival, Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series, TRU Voices Play Reading Series, and The Great Plains Theatre Conference. Her acclaimed works include Advanced Women (recipient of the Todd McNerney Playwriting Award), The Baby Game (winner of the Fulton Theatre’s Discovery Project), and Monster (2024 finalist for New Relic Theater’s Call for Plays). Michele was also named one of “Three Fringe Festival Playwrights to Watch” by Backstage for her breakout play Dear America.
Her play Unprotected Text premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival after being workshopped with the talented students of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Known for her sharp humor and emotional depth, Michele’s plays explore relationships, resilience, and the complicated intersections of modern life.
We know you’ll love Unprotected Text just as much as we do here at Gitelman & Good Publishers! Preview the entire play for free, easily purchase and license it, and access free classroom resources for the play—all right here.
High school plays that meet you where you are
Choosing the right high school play is not only about finding a good story; it’s about finding a script that fits your students, your schedule, your space — and the kind of experience you want your audience to have on performance night. At Gitelman & Good Publishers, we curate plays that are written for teen voices and built for real school stages, so you can focus on the work that matters.
You will find contemporary stories that feel current in a rehearsal room, plus imaginative adaptations that help students step into bigger worlds without needing a big build.
What you can expect from our high school plays
Teachers often tell us they want scripts that do more than fill a slot; they want students to feel proud, stretched, and supported. That is the standard we aim for across our plays, whether that’s a full length play or a shorter hour-long production.
Themes that invite conversation
Our plays are built to generate real rehearsal room dialogue. Some titles explore digital life and the pressure of being perceived, while others lean into civic courage and what it means to challenge systems. You will also find fantasy journeys that help students explore identity through metaphor, along with grounded dramas that give them language for grief and change.
We do not publish scripts that talk down to teens. We look for work that respects their intelligence and reflects the world they actually live in.
A range of tones and styles
Not every school needs the same mood every year. You might be searching for a comedy that builds confidence through laughter. You might need a drama that asks for deeper emotional craft. You might want a genre piece (like sci-fi) that pulls in students who have never auditioned before.
Our catalog covers a wide range of theatrical experiences while keeping the focus on what matters most.
What our plays for high school students deliver
Great theatre gives students something to do, not just something to say. Our catalogue focuses on roles with clear objectives, relationships that shift onstage, and themes that invite thoughtful conversation in class.
If your students want stories that reflect the world they live in, titles like Unprotected Text explore reputation, consent, and what happens when something private becomes public. If you want a piece that holds humour and vulnerability together, Techies gives actors space to explore community and betrayal without talking down to teens.
For groups that thrive on genre, SPIDER leans into mystery and online life, offering a modern format that many students understand instinctively. If you want something with a mythic scale, Gilgamesh brings a legendary challenge to the stage in a way that can still work with suggestive design.
How to choose the right high school play
There is no one perfect script for every school. The best choice is the play that matches your students right now.
Start with cast size and experience
Some programs need a large ensemble so more students can participate in meaningful ways. Other groups need smaller casts so each performer gets deeper stage time. Our play pages include cast breakdowns and production notes so you can plan with confidence before auditions.
- If you need a bigger company, On Account of Sex: the story of the 19th amendment offers strong ensemble energy with plenty to do across the stage
- If you need a tighter group, Year of Thirteen Moons gives focused roles with clear emotional stakes
Choose a length that fits your calendar
Running time affects rehearsals, tech week, and audience energy. We publish shorter options for festivals and classroom performance, plus full length plays that anchor a season slot.
A one hour piece like The Goosegirl can be a strong fit for a showcase night or competition entry. A fuller script like The Trial of Mother Jones gives students time to build arguments, raise the stakes, and land a powerful ending.
Practical staging, clear licensing
School theatre is ambitious, but time and budgets are real. Many of our high school plays are written with simple staging in mind, using one main location or flexible transitions so tech remains achievable for student crews. That means you can spend less time solving production problems and more time building craft.
Licensing also stays straightforward. Scripts are delivered digitally to support modern rehearsal and study, and each title includes key details teachers need, including length, cast requirements, and guidance on themes. The goal is to remove friction, so you can get from choosing a play to putting it on its feet.
Start exploring high school plays that fit your students
The best school productions make students stand taller by closing night. A good production helps young performers learn how to listen and take risks, and carry a story as a team. If you are looking for plays for high school students that are stageable, purposeful, and written with teen performers at the center, explore the catalogue and start reading. You will find high school plays that build confidence, stretch advanced actors, and create nights your community will remember.