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The Super Non-Heroes by Taryn Temple play script cover

The Super Non-Heroes

by Taryn Temple

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? Powerless Charlie sticks out like a sore thumb in a school full of superheroes. Smellinator can’t control her powers and forgot to do her Villain 101 homework. Golden Boy won’t follow protocol. And Toxic Sludge is, well, toxic sludge.

When a supervillain attacks the school Charlie must dig deep within herself. She may not be a superhero but she discovers her unique talents to save the day.

A fabulous middle school play that looks at friendship, acceptance and discovering yourself. Who doesn’t want to be a superhero?

Comedy Character Study Movement-based

Average Producer Rating: 5.0 out of 5

Also available in a competition-length version here.

Recommended for Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 60 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
23 Characters
3 M 7 F 13 Any Gender
Set
Simple set
Length
50 pages
Production Tips
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Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
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Performance Royalty Fees

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.

23 Characters

  • 3 Males
  • 7 Females
  • 13 Any Gender
  • PRINCIPAL BOOM / FIREHANDS Any gender 11, 12 lines
    Has the unenviable job of keeping a school full of superheroes under control, takes on the role of a supervillain to help students practice.
  • REFLECTOR Female 70 lines
    She can reflect any weapon used against her back onto her enemy.
  • SMELLINATOR Any gender 49 lines
    Imagines things into existence using her sense of smell. Unfortunately she doesn’t have much control over her power yet.
  • TOXIC SLUDGE Any gender 39 lines
    Big-hearted, simple and slow-moving. No one can touch him because of his nuclear skin.
  • GOLDEN BOY Male 102 lines
    He has both beauty and strength, plus the ego to match. Strength and charm are his superpowers and he uses them to get ahead with whomever he can.
  • SIDEKICK Male 48 lines
    He has attached himself to Golden Boy because he believes he can never be anything more than a sidekick.
  • BIG WHOOP Male 31 lines
    Golden Boy’s buddy, he’s a super bro.
  • SILVER TONGUE Female 5 lines
    Her powerful compliments are mostly for Golden Boy.
  • MRS. TEACHER Female 35 lines
    An elderly educator who sometimes unwittingly falls victim to her students’ powers.
  • CACOPHONY Any gender 6 lines
    The voice of the school, reads the daily announcements with flair.
  • THE SHIELD Any gender 25 lines
    Has the power to protect those around him.
  • WET BLANKET Any gender 26 lines
    The pessimist of the group. Always sees the negative side but ultimately has a very useful power.
  • SNEEZY MAGEE Any gender 15 lines
    His sneezes could move mountains but they are out of his control.
  • GUILTY PLEASURE Female 10 lines
    Uses bribery to get what she wants by convincing people to indulge in their guilty pleasures.
  • CHIEF CHIPMUNK Any gender 0 lines
    A person with super chipmunk powers; Lines are mimed
  • EMBER Female 11 lines
    She’s the only superhero hot enough for Golden Boy.
  • HOT MESS Female 4 lines
    She’s a super hot mess.
  • THE POET Female 7 lines
    Speaks in rhyme and commands lightning bolts to sizzle her enemies.
  • SNAGGLETOOTH Any gender 17 lines
    Blindth hith enemieth by thpitting all over them when he talkth.
  • HYSTERIA Any gender 11 lines
    Can cause mass chaos to disorient her enemies but since she hasn’t learned self-control she mostly just causes a ruckus among her fellow students.
  • CHARLIE Any gender 81 lines
    The only non-super attender of the superhero school.
  • THE VILLAIN Any gender 31 lines
    A non-super villain bent on revenge.
  • EVIL SIDEKICK Any gender 0 lines
    Adores The Villain. Her sole goal is to help The Villain take over the world. Lines are mimed.

Praise for The Super Non-Heroes

4 out of 5 stars
April Davis
Saint George Seattle
This was a great play for character work and allowed for flexible casting.
4 out of 5 stars
Darren Fleischhacker
Wm. E. Hay Stettler Secondary Campus
The kids enjoyed putting this show on.
5 out of 5 stars
Andrea Candea-Carroll
HH Poole Middle School
Great characters for an ensemble cast! Every kid thinks their character is the best character in the play (but obviously Toxic Sludge is actually the best character 😂)!

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