Jack J. Berry
JACK J. BERRY believes that a play should do at least one (if not all) of three things:
1) get the audience to laugh,
2) cause the audience to think,
3) encourage the audience to be better people
He got started writing plays relatively late in life when he was IN community plays but saw so many other plays that, in his mind, did not do any of those three things. He is the author of eight published plays.
Showing all 15 results
- $8.00 – $35.00
The Straight Dope
- 10 minutes
- 2F2M
Simple Set
Jeff, a college student who, in his words, “has honorable intentions, a good future, and works out 3 times a week” asks his friend Bob for advice on women after he learns that Veronica can’t stomach him. He wonders if he’s asked the right person when he discovers that Bob doesn’t even know how Marvin Gaye died. Alicia puts it all into perspective.
Read More - $8.00 – $35.00
The Cat in the Hat Takes Flak
- 10 minutes
- 1F3M
Simple Set
A tribute to Dr. Seuss and a parody of “The Cat in the Hat Comes Back”, where Nick & Sally are savvy enough to call Social Services to deal with both The Cat and the pink snow that he created.
Read More - $8.00 – $35.00
The Art of the Duel
- 10 minutes
- 1F2M
Simple Set
A comedic look at what DUELING would be like if it were legal in the 21st century. The arbiter continues to have a thankless task.
Read More - $8.00 – $35.00
RTFM
- 10 minutes
- 0F2M
Simple Set
A lighter & comedic version of “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, where Major Tom is not as prepared as he should be because he doesn’t Read The Freakin’ Manual (RTFM), as Ground Control nags him to do.
Read More - $8.00 – $45.00
Not Your Fairy Godmother
- 10 minutes
- 1F4M
Simple Set
A comedy that actually DEFENDS insurance companies because everyone just assumes that insurance companies have an unlimited amount of money to hand out.
Read More - $8.00 – $35.00
Employee of the Month
- 10 minutes
- 1F3M
Simple Set
Randy works at a large department store but is very creative in generating sales. Just when he thinks that he’ll win “Employee of the Month” for the 2nd time in a row (and impress Mary in the process), he learns that his winning would not fit with the company goals.
Read More - $8.00 – $35.00
A Dark Day for Hinkley, J.
- 10 minutes
- 2F1M
Simple Set
John Hinkley Jr. (attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan) must use his newly-learned coping skills to deal with the news that the “love of his life”, Jodie Foster, is not “playing on the same team” that he’d always assumed she was.
Read More - $8.00 – $55.00
Anecdotal Evidence
- 10 minutes
- 3M 0F
Simple Set
A comedic look at how, as a society, we have become so dependent on double-blind studies that we can no longer make simple decisions. A quick journey thru history!
Read More - $11.27 – $65.29
Moments of Madness
- 10 - 60 minutes
- 2-9 VARIABLE
Auditions, Classroom Use, Farce, Mental Health Issues, Seniors, Bare Stage, Collection, Colleges, Comedy, Community, Competitions, Doubling Roles
A short play collection by Jack J. Berry consists mainly of short comedies. Berry loves to stand the world on its head. A comedy about attempted assassin John J. Hinkley? Travel from Old Testament to WWII in a matter of minutes? These short plays can be produced as an evening of theater or individually as introductions to meetings and events.
Read More - $6.97 – $39.97
Kings and Pawns
- 10 minutes
- 5-6 M; I F
Farce, Bare Stage, Lust
Kings and Pawns is a comic 10-minute play based on the story of David and Bathsheba–a contemporary-sounding look at the spoils of love and war.
Read More - $6.97 – $30.00
The Yellow Brick Road Trip
- 10 minutes
- 1M / 3F 4 Max/Min
Fable, Fairy Tale, Farce, Community
A very different Dorothy lands in Oz to find some romantic interest from one of the Munchkins and a conflict over language and meaning from the Good Witch.
Read More - $6.97 – $29.95
Original Relocation
- 10 minutes
- 1 Male, 1 Female, Min/Max 2
Fable, Farce, 2-Character, Bare Stage, Comedy
Adam and Eve start the first world war as they negotiate an uneasy peace when they are banished from Paradise. A funny take on the likely conversation after being ejected from Paradise. And of course, there are rules about Apples.
Read More - $6.97 – $39.79
Numbers Have Feelings
- 10 minutes
- 1M/4M or F
Fable, Farce, Young Audience, Fantasy, Middle School
What if numbers could feel? Does a number feel diminished when it is subtracted? Originally written for a math-tutoring business open house, this short script is perfect as a classroom or meeting diversion.
Read More - $6.97 – $29.45
Doctoring Justice
- 10 minutes
- 2M/1F/1M or F
Comedy, High School, Simple Set, Small Cast
A man commits triple murder and his lawyer is stricken with guilt at the realization that “success” means his client will get three meals a day and cable TV for the rest of his life.
Read More - $9.97 – $69.95
Ten After Ten: Ten 10-Minute Comedies
- 10 - 60 minutes
- 2 M/F - 20+ M/ F Doubling possible
Classroom Use, Farce, Seniors, Collection, Comedy
In Ten After Ten, Jack J. Berry uses unique settings to highlight current problems and issues. These short comedies can be performed as a single evening or used separately as part of a larger presentation to underscore a point. Excellent for classroom, church, or senior facility.
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