The Perils of Modern Education by Matthew Webster - Theatrefolk

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The Perils of Modern Education

Recommended for High Schools

The Perils of Modern Education

by Matthew Webster

A comedic romp through the stresses and struggles of making it through the school day.

 About 35 minutes

Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks

 22
3 M | 19 Any Gender

Simple set

 39 pages

Comedy Vignettes

Average Producer Rating:

Reviews from Past Producers

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.

Click here to read production tips for this play.

This is a vignette play! What is a Vignette Play?

22 Characters
3 M, 19 Any Gender

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

Wendy [A] 8 lines
Bradley [A] 7 lines
Holly [A] 8 lines
Chip [A] 13 lines
Emma [A] 50 lines
Seth [A] 32 lines
Morgan [A] 27 lines
Jess [A] 27 lines
Shakespeare [M] 29 lines
Anne [A] 11 lines
Don [A] 11 lines
Donna [A] 65 lines
Katelyn [A] 57 lines
Mrs. Walakowski [A] 26 lines
Ms. White [A] 62 lines
Jules [M] 32 lines
Tiff [A] 27 lines
Perry [M] 20 lines
Megan [A] 27 lines
Clair [A] 13 lines
Tony [A] 13 lines
Silent Student [A] 1 line
Mostly mime

Settings
Present day

Dress
Contemporary costumes Period costumes

Audience
Pre-teen Teen

Features
Mime Poetry Movement-based Physical comedy Variable gender breakdown

Set
Simple set Exterior set Interior set Multiple sets

Themes
Adolescence Friendship Individuality Relationships Self-image

Other uses
Competition Monologues Audition material Class work Scene work

Prop List

Phone, cardboard tri-fold presentation board, stack of cards, backpack, handbag, cup of coffee, backpacks, manuscripts, paperwork, phones, register, journal, little pad and pen, manila envelope, clipboard, blood, inhaler

Multimedia
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Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

Related Titles

We accept orders worldwide using the following payment methods:
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.

A vignette play is a collection of short scenes on a theme. You'll love working with the variety and flexibility of the scenes. Your actors will love the fast pace and fun characters.

There's more. Every Theatrefolk vignette play holds the unexpected. A showcase monologue. A dramatic moment. A change in form. A left turn.

Ideal for classwork, competitions, and more!

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