September Reading List: School-Themed Plays

September has arrived and it's time to hit the books - but with a twist! This month, we're showcasing a wonderful assortment of plays, all set within the hallowed halls of education.

It's time to build your September reading list! So grab a cup of tea, find your favourite reading spot, and cozy up with these fantastic perusal plays. Celebrate these plays on the stage or in the classroom!

You remember middle school. That first day can be a funhouse or a hall of horrors. Will I fit in or be left behind? Did I wear the right clothes? How will I find the right class? Why do those eighth graders look so big...

Middle school is the tricky tightrope between being a kid and being a teenager. How did you fare? Did you fall off the tightrope? Did you hold on?

See the characters in School Daze try to keep their balance on the first day of middle school.

Rick stumbles into a school hallway, alone. His breath is labored and there is blood on his chest. An announcement says that a fire has been reported in the building and everyone must evacuate.

He is visited by people from his life, some of whom have nothing kind to say. Is he hallucinating? And who is the voice from the classroom, calling for help? Will help come?

Life and Death in an Empty Hallway is an intense and honest drama with excellent character opportunities.

The Perils of Modern Education are many! From standardized theatre tests that call for an exact number of steps in a scene, to trying to eat green in the cafeteria, to dealing with caffeine withdrawal, to giving Shakespeare advice on his college application essay. That’s right. Shakespeare. Spoiler alert, Willy is not college material.

A comedic romp through the stresses and struggles of making it through the school day. Gender flexible casting, doubling possibilities, and easy to stage.

Humbug High: A Contermporary Christmas Carol is a new take on the classic Dickens tale! Eddie Scrooge is 17 years old. He hates his parents and his classmates. His only goal in life is to make money and keep his heart ice-cold. He carries his own low temperature always about him and doesn't thaw one degree at Christmas.

He is on his way to becoming a miserly, miserable, tight-fisted hand to the grindstone, until one Christmas season he is taken on a journey by Madge, the lunch lady, and the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future. Scrooge is about to meet the errors of his ways face-to-face.

What if Much Ado About Nothing took place at a high school dance?

Mayhem ensues at Much Ado High School. Student Council president Don Pedro schemes to set up new student Claudio with Hero. Hero schemes to set up Beatrice with Benedick. And Don John schemes to mess up everything!

An enjoyable introduction to this Shakespearean tale with lightning-fast pace, hilarious characters, and witty dialogue.

Sometimes the hardest part of school is getting from one class to the next. No one wants to make eye contact. No one wants to reach out when they see others in need. It’s toxic out there in the hallway of purgatory.

So what do we do? How can we look after others if we can’t even look after ourselves? You might be late for class, but you’re on time for the meaningful change that’s going to take place.

Are you willing to stand up? Check our Passing Period Purgatory today!

The geek. The freak. The stoner. The dumb jock. The mean girl. The thespian. The slut. The lonely girl. High school is full of stereotypes – or is it? Told in a series of interlaced vignettes, these "stereotypical" teens fight tooth and nail to reinvent themselves. There's nothing more powerful than the teen who stands alone, proud of who they are.

Stereotype High contains real situations, real feelings, and real thoughts about all the mature topics. Yes, that means sex, drugs and retainers.

Looking for plays to fit your inclusive classroom? This excellent resource (two plays plus staging suggestions) is just for you.

Students of all abilities can be fantastic actors. When given the opportunity, they will wow audiences with their authenticity and energy. Everyone deserves a chance to be in the spotlight!

Teen Plays for Inclusive Classrooms contains two royalty-free plays: