Plays of the American Experience

What brings the past alive better than stories performed by live actors? The 25 plays in this collection are short theatrical pieces that bring to life moments in American history from the early nineteenth century to the 1970s. Most of the characters in these plays are not famous figures or even factual people. They are ordinary Americans who did not make history, but lived it. Each play runs between eight and ten minutes, and cast sizes range from two to eight. The plays can be read aloud, simply staged in the classroom, or fully staged with the help of complete character, set, and costume descriptions for each scene. Each play also includes a background description of the historical situation of the plot as well as an aftermath description that explains what happened after the dramatized event. Ideal for middle or high school drama classes wanting relatable period pieces or for American history classes wanting to make past events and times "real" for today's students.