Stage Pages
Reading list · 30 plays

Best Comedies for High School Production

Selecting a comedy for a school season is a craft of its own. The list below favours plays whose language is approachable for student actors, whose situations work without an adult production budget, and whose subject matter is robust enough to survive the inevitable adolescent staging choices. Every title is in the public domain, so royalty considerations do not constrain the selection.

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  1. The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

    by Oscar Wilde · 1900 · Comedy

    A defining work of Realism & Naturalism, The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde (first published 1900) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close…

  2. The Playboy of the Western World: A Comedy in Three Acts

    by J. M. (John Millington) Synge · 1909 · Comedy

    J. M. (John Millington) Synge's The Playboy of the Western World: A Comedy in Three Acts (first published 1909) is a script directors return to whenever they want a vehicle that combines language of real beauty with characters…

  3. The Well of the Saints: A Comedy in Three Acts

    by J. M. (John Millington) Synge · 1909 · Comedy

    Written by J. M. (John Millington) Synge (first published 1909), The Well of the Saints: A Comedy in Three Acts stands as one of the durable works of Realism & Naturalism, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes…

  4. Amphitryon

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Molière's Amphitryon (first published 1673) is a script directors return to whenever they want a vehicle that combines language of real beauty with characters actors actually fight to play.

  5. The Middle-Class Gentleman

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Written by Molière (first published 1673), The Middle-Class Gentleman stands as one of the durable works of Renaissance & Elizabethan, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  6. The Inca of Perusalem: An Almost Historical Comedietta

    by Bernard Shaw · 1950 · Comedy

    A defining work of Realism & Naturalism, The Inca of Perusalem: An Almost Historical Comedietta by Bernard Shaw (first published 1950) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold…

  7. The Pretentious Young Ladies

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Pretentious Young Ladies (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  8. The Blunderer

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Written by Molière (first published 1673), The Blunderer stands as one of the durable works of Renaissance & Elizabethan, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  9. The Love-Tiff

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Love-Tiff (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  10. The Bores: A Comedy in Three Acts

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Molière's The Bores: A Comedy in Three Acts (first published 1673) is a script directors return to whenever they want a vehicle that combines language of real beauty with characters actors actually fight to play.

  11. Sganarelle, or, the Self-Deceived Husband

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    A defining work of Renaissance & Elizabethan, Sganarelle, or, the Self-Deceived Husband by Molière (first published 1673) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  12. Don Garcia of Navarre; Or, the Jealous Prince. A Heroic Comedy in Five Acts.

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    A defining work of Renaissance & Elizabethan, Don Garcia of Navarre; Or, the Jealous Prince. A Heroic Comedy in Five Acts. by Molière (first published 1673) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that…

  13. The School for Husbands

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Written by Molière (first published 1673), The School for Husbands stands as one of the durable works of Renaissance & Elizabethan, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  14. The Miser

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Miser (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  15. Monsieur De Pourceaugnac

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Written by Molière (first published 1673), Monsieur De Pourceaugnac stands as one of the durable works of Renaissance & Elizabethan, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  16. The Magnificent Lovers (Les Amants magnifiques)

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Magnificent Lovers (Les Amants magnifiques) (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  17. The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    A defining work of Renaissance & Elizabethan, The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman by Molière (first published 1673) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  18. The Countess of Escarbagnas

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Countess of Escarbagnas (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  19. The Learned Women

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    Written by Molière (first published 1673), The Learned Women stands as one of the durable works of Renaissance & Elizabethan, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  20. The Impostures of Scapin

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    The Impostures of Scapin (first published 1673) is a stage play by Molière, a touchstone of the Renaissance & Elizabethan repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  21. The Imaginary Invalid

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    A defining work of Renaissance & Elizabethan, The Imaginary Invalid by Molière (first published 1673) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  22. The Romancers: A Comedy in Three Acts

    by Edmond Rostand · 1918 · Comedy

    The Romancers: A Comedy in Three Acts (first published 1918) is a stage play by Edmond Rostand, a touchstone of the Realism & Naturalism repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  23. The Flying Doctor (Le Médecin Volant)

    by Molière · 1673 · Comedy

    A defining work of Renaissance & Elizabethan, The Flying Doctor (Le Médecin Volant) by Molière (first published 1673) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  24. Quality Street: A Comedy

    by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie · 1937 · Comedy

    A defining work of Realism & Naturalism, Quality Street: A Comedy by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie (first published 1937) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  25. A kiss for Cinderella: A comedy

    by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie · 1937 · Comedy

    A defining work of Realism & Naturalism, A kiss for Cinderella: A comedy by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie (first published 1937) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and…

  26. She Stoops to Conquer; Or, The Mistakes of a Night: A Comedy

    by Oliver Goldsmith · 1774 · Comedy

    She Stoops to Conquer; Or, The Mistakes of a Night: A Comedy (first published 1774) is a stage play by Oliver Goldsmith, a touchstone of the Restoration & Neoclassical repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  27. The Master of Mrs. Chilvers: An Improbable Comedy

    by Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka) Jerome · 1927 · Comedy

    The Master of Mrs. Chilvers: An Improbable Comedy (first published 1927) is a stage play by Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka) Jerome, a touchstone of the Realism & Naturalism repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

  28. The Silver Box: A Comedy in Three Acts

    by John Galsworthy · 1933 · Comedy

    Written by John Galsworthy (first published 1933), The Silver Box: A Comedy in Three Acts stands as one of the durable works of Realism & Naturalism, regularly revived for its richly playable scenes and theatrically generous structure.

  29. The Skin Game (A Tragi-Comedy)

    by John Galsworthy · 1933 · Comedy

    A defining work of Realism & Naturalism, The Skin Game (A Tragi-Comedy) by John Galsworthy (first published 1933) continues to attract directors, dramaturgs, and student companies looking for material that rewards close reading and bold staging.

  30. Hobson's Choice: A Lancashire Comedy in Four Acts

    by Harold Brighouse · 1958 · Comedy

    Hobson's Choice: A Lancashire Comedy in Four Acts (first published 1958) is a stage play by Harold Brighouse, a touchstone of the Realism & Naturalism repertoire that has been performed continuously for generations.

How this list was put together

The selections above were drawn from the full Stage Pages archive of 520 public-domain stage plays. Where ranking is implied by the order, that ranking is editorial — defensible, but not unanimous. Where the list is alphabetical or chronological, we say so.

If you have a candidate we missed, the whole library is one click away from the main scripts index; we add titles to lists as the catalogue grows.