Plays by Donald E. Baker
Thank you for visiting. I write naturalistic dramas that shine light into the dark corners of American society--homophobia, racism, misogyny, extremism. Oh, and I've written some comedies, too. My work has been performed all over the country. If you want more information about me, click here.
Perusal copies of these scripts are available for the asking unless they are published. For licensing and royalty information for Baker's Dozen, Trade With Klan, and Grand Dragon in Power contact Next Stage Press. For all other titles contact the playwright directly, or members of New Play Exchange can download them from there.
Copyright Notice: By receiving scripts or samples from any source, you thereby acknowledge that Donald E. Baker is the sole copyright owner for these plays. None of them may be produced or reproduced in whole or in part unless permission is granted by the playwright or his designated agents.
Collection
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023. For copies or to inquire about licensing Baker's Dozen or any of its individual plays or monologues, click below:
BAKER'S DOZEN: 13 GAY PLAYS AND MONOLOGUES
13 SHORT COMEDIES AND DRAMAS. The pieces may be performed separately or together as one evening of theater.
Individual pieces require 1, 2, or 3 actors. When performed together, they can be done with as few as 6 actors, 4M, 2F, ages 20's to 70's.
Short Plays
Feeling Devilish -- For a Man Your Age -- Guilt by Association -- I Invited Your Mother for Thanksgiving -- Life Support -- Marvin and the Muses -- What Happened This Time
Monologues
After It Stopped -- The Boys Across the Street -- Dad and Uncle Mark -- The First Time -- Intestate -- My Summer of Cypress Gardens
For a more detailed description, click here.
Full-Length and One-Act Plays
Published by Next Stage Press, 2021. For copies or to inquire about licensing Trade With Klan, click below:
TRADE WITH KLAN
FULL LENGTH. Resist or collaborate? Risk everything or lie low? Go along or get out? A young preacher and a motherly café owner face life-altering choices in the face of extremism abetted by militant religious fundamentalism. The world of the play is all-white rural Indiana in the 1920’s, when the Ku Klux Klan pitted Protestants against Catholics, but the religious prejudice and xenophobia of a century ago still echo in contemporary American society.
3M, 4W ages 20's-60's, plus pre-recorded voice of a male radio announcer.
Produced by Southwest Theatre Productions, Austin TX, Jan.-Feb. 2020.
Trade With Klan is worthy of large audiences and should be seen all over this country.
--Broadway World Austin
Trade With Klan sits in your soul the way the best of art does.
--Austin Chronicle
For a more detailed description, full reviews, and recommendations, click here.
GRAND DRAGON IN POWER
FULL LENGTH. When the Grand Dragon takes charge, nothing is sacred and no woman is safe. D.C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, rules Indiana until he is convicted of murder and rape. This play, set in the 1920's and inspired by a true story, contains startling parallels to the society and politics of contemporary America.
4M, 3W ages 20's-50's, doubling.
Staged reading by Panglossian Productions, Williamsburg VA, Nov. 2020.
Radio adaptation produced by Radio Theatre Project, St. Petersburg FL, March 2018. (Available on SoundCloud.)
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
BEST FRIENDS
FULL LENGTH (60 minutes). Eddie and Danny are small-town blue-collar guys who in high school engaged in a little sexual exploration together before they started dating girls. In Scene 1 (1975), Eddie fearfully questions his sexuality after an encounter in a public restroom. When he turns to his best friend Danny for help, the toxic nature of their lifelong relationship is revealed. In Scene 2 (1985), both men discover they may have been infected with HIV/AIDS. Are they capable of confronting that devastating new reality together?
2M age 25 in Scene 1, age 35 in Scene 2.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
THE CHATEAU RAINBEAU HOLIDAY
DOOR DECORATING CONTEST
30-MINUTES. After Ray loses his husband, he moves into Chateau Rainbeau, a gay retirement facility where his friend George lives. James, Ray’s long-time nemesis, also lives there. Their enmity breaks out into the open when they both enter the facility’s annual holiday door decorating contest. The play deals with issues of rivalry, coping with grief, and finding love in ones seventies.
3M age 70's.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
EVERYDAY MONSTERS
25-30 MINUTE TWO-HANDER. A man confronts his abuser 27 years after the fact. Issues of sexual trauma and white power emerge as the two men hurl conflicting memories at each other, and the tension builds to a shattering conclusion.
1 Black male age 40, 1 White male age 67.
FINALIST, Waterworks 2024 New Play Festival, Live Arts, Charlottesville VA
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION
20-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. In 1950, a pleasant father-son evening of window shopping for cars turns serious when the son mentions his best friend is considering suicide. This triggers a painful memory from the father’s days in the army in World War II. Their conversation results in mutual revelations that change their relationship going forward.
1M age 35, 1M age 15 going on 16.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like GUILT BY ASSOCIATION, click below:
AUNT NELLIE'S TWO CENTS WORTH
10-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Flo’s son has not only rejected his parents’ plans for his future, he just might end up marrying outside his religion. Whether Flo likes it or not, she’ll get Aunt Nellie’s two cents worth of advice on the situation.
1W age 40's, 1W age 70's.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
COMING OUT TO UNCLE JAKE
1-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Robert tells his mother he has finally had enough of Uncle Jake's Thanksgiving rants about "people like him."
1M age 25ish, 1W age 50ish.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
FEELING DEVILISH
6-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Roger's best friend is very concerned when they discover Roger met a demon on an online dating site. They're even more concerned when the demon turns out to be a personal injury lawyer.
1M age 30ish, 1Any age 30-40.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like FEELING DEVILISH, click below:
FOR A MAN YOUR AGE
10-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. With their elevator not working, older gay couple Michael and Will find themselves trapped in their high-rise condo, discussing aging, flirtatious baristas, and The National Geographic.
2M, seniors.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like FOR A MAN YOUR AGE, click below:
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
6-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. A straight(?) man suggests he and a gay co-worker share a hotel room at a business conference so they can “get to know each other a little better.” They may have different ideas about just what that means.
1M age 40, 1M age 25.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
I INVITED YOUR MOTHER FOR THANKSGIVING
10-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. One half of a gay couple is not pleased to find out his estranged mother is coming for Thanksgiving.
2M age 30's.
Produced by Chapin Theatre Company, Chapin SC, in Nov. 2022 as part of their Second Annual 10-Minute-ish Play Festival.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like I INVITED YOUR MOTHER FOR THANSGIVING, click below:
ICE BOX CAKE AND THE MAN FROM LIMA
10-MINUTE ONE-WOMAN PLAY. In the 1950's, while preparing to host her ladies’ bunco club, a White woman of a certain age is shocked to see a person of color walking down her street. She can't wait to phone her best friend and tell her all about it. The play uses humor to illustrate the casual racism of the time and to demonstrate that fear of young Black men is nothing new in American society.
1W, White, senior.
Produced on Facebook and Vimeo by Stage Left Theater, Spokane WA, October, 2021.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
LIFE SUPPORT
10-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Ben, who never appears in the play, is in the hospital on life support following an accident. His lover of five years, James, and Ben's homophobic sister, Sandra, meet for the first time to discuss what happens next.
1M age 30, 1W age 42.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like LIFE SUPPORT, click below:
THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
8-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Gina and Dick discuss their son’s—and Dick’s—anxiety about not measuring up “down there.” Does size really matter?
1M, 1W, ages 35-40.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
MARVIN AND THE MUSES
5-MINUTE PLAY. Marvin fires his Muse and finds a replacement who may well be more distraction than inspiration.
1M age 30's+, 1M age 20's, 1W ageless.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like MARVIN AND THE MUSES, click below:
MUTUAL ATTRACTION
1-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. Two men meet and flirt in a Gay bar.
2M ages 20-40, one Italian, one Bulgarian.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME?
2-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. The “Klutz of All Klutzes” explains to their spouse why an attempt to take a box to the trash means a trip to the ER and the pet cemetery.
2 actors, any age, race, ethnicity, or gender expression.
Published in print and on line in Fresh Words Magazine's anthology Contemporary One-Minute Plays--Volume 3, 2022.
For a more detailed description and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual monologues or plays like WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME? click below:
Monologues
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
AFTER IT STOPPED
5-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. Adapted from Everyday Monsters. A man describes the after effects of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child.
1M age 38.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like AFTER IT STOPPED, click below:
THE BOYS ACROSS THE STREET
4-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. An older white woman discovers an interracial same-sex couple is moving in across the street. She isn't pleased.
1W, White, senior.
Produced on Facebook by Stage Left Theater of Spokane, March, 2022.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like THE BOYS ACROSS THE STREET, click below:
DAD AND UNCLE MARK
7-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. An older man remembers what he saw spying through a knothole when he was thirteen.
1M, senior.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like DAD AND UNCLE MARK, click below:
THE FIRST TIME
5-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. Adapted from Best Friends. A man fearfully questions his sexual identity.
1M age 25.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like THE FIRST TIME, click below:
INTESTATE: A COVID-19 MONOLOGUE
7-8-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. Fifty-year-old Richard is angry that he has lost his partner David and everything else to the pandemic. And afraid he may have given David the virus that killed him.
1M age 50.
Produced by Talking Horse Productions of Columbia MO, May 2021, and by Magnolia Arts Center, Greenville NC, Feb. 2022.
Published by some scripts literary magazine, 2021.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like INTESTATE, click below:
A LYNCH MOB FOILED
8-MINUTE MONOLOGUE. A mob attempted to lynch a Negro prisoner in 1880 when Julius August “Gus” Lemcke (pronounced “LEM-key”) was sheriff of Vanderburgh County, Indiana.
1M age 50 or older.
Adapted from Lemcke’s own account of this episode in his 1905 published memoir.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
MY SUMMER OF CYPRESS GARDENS
9-10 MINUTE MONOLOGUE. James, a man in his seventies, recalls the childhood trip to Florida when the “saw” Black people for the first time.
1M age 70+.
Included in Baker's Dozen. Licensing is available through Next Stage Press.
Published by Next Stage Press, 2023, as part of Baker's Dozen: Eight Gay Plays and Monologues. For copies or to inquire about licensing the whole collection or individual plays or monologues like MY SUMMER OF CYPRESS GARDENS, click below:
SINS OF EMISSION
3-4 MINUTE MONOLOGUE. A teenager fears God will punish him for his masturbatory fantasies and the contents of his sex dreams.
1 M playing a teen.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.
YEAH, I HAVE REGRETS
2-3 MINUTE MONOLOGUE. Musings from a life of experience.
1 older actor, any gender expression.
For more detailed information and recommendations, click here.