I like to call ten-minute plays the "the haiku of playwriting." I love writing them. Why? One, it's possible to finish one quickly. Sorry, you probably can't write it in ten minutes, but two or three hours will do if you're on a roll. Two, there are lots of production opportunities for ten-minute plays. Ever since the Actors Theatre of Louisville started the National Ten-Minute Play Contest, the form has been in vogue, and theatres have since recognized that if they have a short play festival, they can include lots of writers, directors and actors, all of whom will get their friends to buy tickets. Three, I genuinely love the form. A ten-minute play isn't a skit. It's a complete play, with a beginning, middle and end, told in ten minutes.
Want to write your own ten-minute play? A few tips:
At its best, a ten-minute play can indeed be a beautiful haiku for the stage: simple, elegant and powerful.