For Directors & Producers

Parker Plays are for community theatres, regional theatres, and dinner theatres looking for comedies that are joyful, producible, and build to delight real audiences. If you're a director or producer searching for a quality comedy that gives people a true night out — laughter in the lobby, actors having ball in rehearsal, and patrons saying, "We should bring friends back to see this" — you may have just found your theatrical comedy happy place. Michael and I have written plays that are filled with relatable characters, deliciously quirky situations, and the kind of humor that happens when everyday life takes one tiny wrong turn and suddenly everyone is in the shrubbery. These are not one-joke comedies stretched thin over two hours like theatrical taffy. Parker Plays are packed with unexpected "sidewinders" — secondary storylines, comic twists, and surprises turns that weave into the main plot and keep audiences laughing, guessing, and happy off balance. The goal is simple: bring people together, let them laugh loudly and collectively for two wonderfully cathartic hours, and send them back into the world a little lighter than they came in.

Directors and producers choose Parker Plays because our comedies deliver what theatres need most from a great farce: big laughs, memorable characters, happy audiences, and a production process that doesn’t make everyone want to hide under the tech table. Michael and I write comedies with heart. Our plays give actors the chance to create real, relatable people caught in gloriously ridiculous situations — not flat caricatures running in circles for two hours. The result is a rehearsal room full of laughter, discovery, and, yes, the occasional director trying very hard to keep everyone on schedule. As David W. Mitchell, Artistic Director of All An Act Theatre Productions in Erie, PA, said of Sex Please We’re Sixty: “We had to do this! Just the whole premise, the whole plot line and the physical comedy — Sex Please We’re Sixty is hilarious. We’ve been rehearsing for four weeks, and every night, I just laugh constantly.” Since 1998, Parker Plays have received more than 1,700 productions, been produced in 28 countries, and are licensed more than 45 times annually. Nearly 85% of directors return to produce another Parker Play — which says a lot. After all, theatre people may be dramatic, but they are not usually in the habit of repeating disasters. Directors also choose Parker Plays because our scripts are built with production realities in mind. Farce depends on precise timing, fast pacing, verbal and visual comedy, outrageous situations, and, naturally, a suspicious number of doors. We provide practical staging insights and production tips to help theatres spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time making the comedy land. Actors consistently describe our roles as “actor-friendly,” full of eccentricity, relatability, and juicy comic moments. One actor even called his role “the funniest role of my lifetime.” Directors often tell us that audiences keep talking about the shows days later — and that actors are recognized around town long after the curtain falls. Most importantly, Parker Plays connect with audiences. Theatres frequently report strong box office response, return visits, and packed houses. As Thorold Community Theatre shared about Money Matters: “We are tickled to announce that we had another SOLD OUT show of Money Matters last night! If the laughs from the audience were any indication of how the show went — Bazinga! Sunday’s matinee saw the house packed to the rafters!” In other words: directors choose Parker Plays because they are fun to rehearse, practical to stage, satisfying to perform, and built to send audiences home laughing.

The short answer? Probably exactly where your audience needs a really good laugh. Parker Plays fit beautifully into many different places in a theatre season: a midwinter comedy when everyone needs a lift, a Valentine’s Day crowd-pleaser, a spring farce, a summer audience favorite, a holiday-adjacent comedy, a second-stage production, or that all-important “send them home smiling” slot. If your season needs something joyful, accessible, and full of comic momentum, one of our plays may be just the ticket. We know choosing a season is about much more than picking good titles. You’re balancing audience expectations, casting realities, budget, volunteer availability, rehearsal schedules, technical needs, and the eternal theatre mystery of where all the available men have gone. Sometimes finding three good male actors for a comedy can feel harder than building the set itself. That’s why most of our titles are designed with practical casting in mind. Many of our comedies offer strong roles for women, memorable parts for mature actors, and manageable ensemble sizes. Some require only two or three male roles, with casts as small as six actors, making them a strong fit for community theatres, dinner theatres, second stages, and companies working with limited performer pools. Production-wise, Michael and I have written plays with real-world theatre needs in mind. Every script includes set drawings, with designs ranging from simple, economical builds to larger multi-level productions — all centered around a single set construction. And yes, because we do love a proper farce, there will absolutely be doors. Possibly several. Possibly with people hiding behind them. The technical demands are also designed to be manageable. Lighting and sound requirements are straightforward, and costume, hair, and makeup suggestions provide enough guidance to help your team get started while still leaving plenty of room for your own production style, resources, and creativity. Our comedies can work well whether your theatre is powered by volunteers wearing twelve different hats, a small but mighty production team, or specialized departments with full technical support. The goal is to give directors and producers comedies that are practical to stage, satisfying to rehearse, appealing to audiences, and built to deliver the one thing every season needs somewhere: big, generous, room-filling laughter. In other words, if your season needs a comedy that feels doable for your team and delightful for your audience, Parker Plays are ready to take their place in the lineup.

You know your community best, and you’re looking for strong audience appeal. The good news? You won’t be disappointed by trying something new in the world of comedic farce. Parker Plays has built a steady track record of sold-out performances, strong box office success, and audiences leaving the theatre still laughing in the parking lot. When reviewing our catalog of plays, keep these important qualifiers in mind: Rehearsal Time: Farce is all about timing, pacing, and precision. We recommend 6–8 weeks of rehearsal time, with actors ideally four weeks before opening so they can fully develop the physical comedy and comic rhythm. Stage Size & Sets: Some Parker Plays feature simple, budget-friendly sets, while others are a bit larger and more detailed. The good news? Each play only requires one set. The other good news? Yes, there are plenty of doors. Play Length: Most Parker Plays run just under two hours with a 15-minute intermission — though audience laughter has been known to extend running times ever so slightly. Budget & Resources: Every theatre has different resources, budgets, and volunteer support. The key is matching your ambition with your theatre’s realities — financially and people-wise. Director’s Experience: Comedy is wonderfully technical. Strong pacing, ensemble timing, rhythm, and tonal control all help farce truly shine. Directors who love comedy’s organized chaos usually have a blast. Actors & Casting: Think about your local talent pool. Do you have strong comedic actors? A leading lady who can command a stage? A charismatic leading man? Mature actors looking for juicy roles? Blooming younger actors? Could the show attract new performers to your theatre?  Production Demands: Some plays may include musical moments, visual choreography, dialects, physical comedy, or other specialized staging elements. Be sure the production fits your team’s strengths. Audience Experience: Your audience matters most. Consider their age range, interests, local sensibilities, and the kinds of shows they’ve connected with in the past. Most importantly — will they laugh? Marketing Potential: Can the play generate excitement in your community? Does it lend itself to creative promotions, visual marketing, or word-of-mouth buzz? (Farce tends to help with that.) Most Important — Did You Laugh? If you laughed while reading the script, chances are your audience will too. Choose a play you connect with personally and can direct truthfully. A well-loved Broadway title doesn’t always create the strongest audience connection — but the right play at the right theatre absolutely can. When everything aligns — the script, the cast, the director, and the audience — productions develop a natural momentum that carries from first rehearsal all the way to standing ovations.

Licensing a Parker Play is handled through Concord Theatricals — and fortunately, the process is far less complicated than one of our plots. The easiest place to begin is the Parker Plays catalogue page. Simply choose the play that sparks your interest and click the licensing link. From there, you’ll be taken to the play’s page on Concord Theatricals, where you can request a script, read a perusal, or begin the licensing process. If you’re interested in a complimentary perusal script, just reach out through the Parker Plays website. We’re always happy to help theatres discover their next audience favorite.

So… JUST DO IT! (Apparently, Nike knew a thing or two about making big decisions.) I’d genuinely love to hear from you and help support your production in any way I can. Whether you have questions about casting, choosing the right play for your season, staging farce, or simply want to chat comedy, I’m always happy to connect. You can reach me directly by emailing me at info@parker-plays.com. After all, great theatre often starts with a simple conversation.