Writing Recommendations

Writing Recommendations

Theme

Choose a concise theme that is interesting, relevant, and can be developed in 10 minutes. Consider our theme of redemption or “Discovering Our Part in God’s Play.”

Duration

Approximately 10 minutes, which generally equates to about 10 pages of text.

Structure

Simple, based on the Aristotelian model of exposition, conflict, and resolution.

Characters

Use a small number of interesting, complex characters with clear goals that drive their actions.

Setting

Use a single setting, realistic or symbolic, that is easy to set up and dismantle.

Plot

Give the play a beginning, development, and conclusion. Make us think or feel. Use natural dialogue.

10-Minute Play Background

The 10-minute form originated as a mode of theatrical experimentation, allowing playwrights to explore dramatic ideas concisely. Over time, it became an established theatrical genre with numerous festivals and competitions dedicated exclusively to short plays.

The origins of this type of theater can be traced to the 1950s and 1960s, when American playwrights began experimenting with short works that could be performed in alternative spaces such as bars, cafés, art galleries, and even on the street. David Mamet and Sam Shepard were among the pioneers of the form.

The term “10-minute plays” became popular in the 1990s, thanks in part to the Actors Theatre of Louisville, which organized the first festival of its kind in 1989.