Production Tips for
Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less
by Bradley Hayward
The lives of seven teenagers become intertwined in this humorous and oftentimes bittersweet collection of ten minute plays. From extracting a gummy bear out of a new set of braces to coping with bullies, these characters share their innermost hopes and fears with each other, ten minutes at a time. As the audience drops in on these intimate moments, they will come to understand that being sixteen isn't always easy.
The plays herein may be licensed together or separately. The piece was conceived as a full length evening of entertainment, but each short stands perfectly well on its own without any prior knowledge of the characters.
Average Producer Rating:
Recommended for High Schools
Tips from the Author
Here’s a production tip from Bradley Hayward:
The key to producing Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less is getting the entire cast to see how all of the plays are interconnected. The characters may not be in every single play, but their influence is present in each and every one of them. For this reason, I recommend actors being present during rehearsals for the plays they are not physically in, whenever possible. Encourage the actors to listen carefully and look for ways that they “appear” in the other plays, whether directly or implied. This will not only deepen the characterizations, but make the staging of Friend Request and Status Update: A Symphony both easier and more powerful.
