Fourteen Hilarious Ten-Minute Comedies – Royalty-Free
About Cue The Laughter
Cue The Laughter is a collection of fourteen fast-paced, royalty-free ten-minute comedies written for theatres, festivals, classrooms, and community groups that want big laughs with minimal production demands. Each play delivers sharp dialogue, simple staging, and characters actors love to perform.
What This Collection Offers
- Fourteen self-contained ten-minute comedies
- Royalty-free for live performance
- Small, flexible casts
- Minimal sets and props
- Ideal for festivals, showcases, and classroom productions
- Clean, modern comedic style with broad audience appeal
Cast & Production Details
Cast size: Varies by play (typically 2–6 actors)
Gender flexibility: Most roles can be cast any way
Running time: Approximately 10 minutes per play
Staging: Simple, portable, festival-friendly
Tech requirements: Minimal lighting and sound
Themes & Comedic Style
The plays explore:
- Miscommunication and misunderstandings
- Romantic mishaps and near-misses
- Workplace absurdity and office politics
- Social awkwardness and everyday embarrassment
- Ordinary situations pushed to hilarious extremes
The tone is light, contemporary, and character-driven, with clean language and humor that lands with a wide range of audiences.
Who These Plays Are Perfect For
- High school theatre programs
- College and university theatre departments
- Community theatres
- Fringe and short-play festivals
- Acting and directing classes
- Readers’ theatre and informal performance groups
Included Plays (Short Descriptions)
Each ten-minute play stands alone and can be performed individually or as part of a full evening of comedy.
- Play 1: The Audience
- Play 2: Cindy & Julie
- Play 3: Clark & Bruce
- Play 4: Let There Be Light
- Play 5: Happy Trails
- Play 6: Mirror, Mirror
- Play 7: Not Who, What
- Play 8: Ring Tone
- Play 9: Sides
- Play 10: Ten Pages
- Play 11: A View From The Bench
- Play 13: In The Beginning
- Play 14: Bedfellows
Royalty-Free Performance
All plays in Cue The Laughter are royalty-free for live performance. You may stage them individually, combine several for a one-act showcase, or present the entire collection as a full evening of comedy.
Director’s Notes
- Plays can be performed in any order to suit your program or festival slot.
- Black-box or minimal staging works beautifully.
- Excellent material for actors who enjoy quick pacing and character work.
- Perfect for festivals with strict time limits and fast turnarounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. All plays in this collection are royalty-free for live performance.
Absolutely. The humor is clean, contemporary, and classroom-friendly.
No. Plays must be performed as written.
No. All plays are designed for minimal staging, with simple props and flexible settings.
About the Author
Bruce Kane is a playwright known for fast, witty, character-driven comedies that are easy to stage and consistently audience-pleasing. His scripts are widely used by schools, community theatres, and festivals looking for smart, flexible material that actors love to perform. His plays have been presented in over 700 venues in 33 countries.