For the last several years, I have taken part in a writing challenge called ’28 Plays Later’ — an exercise in both speed and stamina. As the name implies, participants are tasked with writing one play every day in February. It can be one page or it can be 100; the only rule is that it has to be a complete story.

The organization that ran the challenge stopped doing it after 2024 (where it was a 29-day event, naturally). Fortunately for the playwriting community, Debra A. Cole, a prolific writer and all-around fantastic human, took up the banner and started Facing February, providing willing scribes with prompts to spark their creativity every day this month.

I started this annual practice back in 2021, as the country was still in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. And though the approach this year was different — not as many explicit prompts to write in a particular genre — the benefits of the challenge remained the same. It helps to build a regular writing practice, forces the writer to accept shitty first drafts and, perhaps most importantly, forces the writer to accept that some of the plays might actually be good.

So thanks to Deb, dozens of fellow playwrights including me added 28 new plays to their portfolio. All of my plays are on my New Play Exchange page. For rights inquiries, please email me. Here’s the rundown:

Ten-Minute Plays:

Make Up the Bed

(Comedy)

Maura and Cassie go through the ritual of preparing for St. Brigid’s Day when an unexpected visitor arrives.

The First Time

(Comedy)

Trevor the Vampire helps his sister move, and has some news for her about the previous tenant.

Farvel, Ophelia

(Comedy)

A not-quite melancholy Dane finds Ophelia lying face up in a stream. He has questions. 

Patience

(Drama)

Elliott and Niall are waiting for their friend to get out of surgery. They each cope in different ways. 

Sunday Dinner

(Comedy-drama)

Bonnie has to get dinner on the table, and no one is able to help. Well, one person is.

37 Origami Bees

(Comedy)

The art heist of the century — or at least the week — has just been committed at the New Coleville Museum of Art. Can an aspiring docent crack the case?

Atonement

(Drama)

Morton meets an old high school friend through his work, but the reunion is anything but a happy one when Morton has to confess a past crime to Synge.

Still Beating

(Drama)

Cris enjoys the company of Nell’s ghost. But Nell thinks it’s time to go.

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Five-Minute Plays

Frog and Heron are — Friends?

(Comedy for Young Audiences)

After the wedding massacre that took so many of his friends as well as his bride-to-be, Frog tracks down the bird responsible. But the encounter doesn’t go as expected.

Relentless

(Comedy)

Bailey is ready to pull out all the stops in case of the best possible scenario. 

Tee Ball

(Comedy)

Two parents in the stands take different approaches to cheering on their players.

Accomplice

(Horror)

On June 10, 1809, Susanna Cox was hanged in Reading, Pa., for killing her newborn child. Now she wants to meet the father of her baby.

Benign Neglect

(Comedy)

Ignore your paper planner at your peril. That’s all I’m saying.

An Unmatched Set

(Comedy for young audiences)

Pen and Pencil vie for their owner’s attention. 

Absurdism revisited

(Comedy)

Corry has just returned from a strange trip, but Saiorse doesn’t believe him.

This is a companion piece to “Time Less,” a play I wrote in 2023 (also for 28 Plays Later).

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One-Minute Plays

Discount

(Satire)

At a grocery store, the sandwich case looks too tempting — or does it?

Chair Yoga

(Horror)

Charise and Hal discuss the secrets of youthful living while living at Golden Halls Assisted Living Facility.

No Secrets Here

(Comedy)

Unraveling family lore will take some time. More than a minute, anyway.

Stockholm Syndrome

(Comedy, fantasy)

Lorelai is drawn into the world of the faeries, who make an offer too good to refuse.

This Play Is an Allegory

(Comedy, satire)

Flo knew that Roderick’s cat would destroy the antique statue of liberty. Roderick never learns, however.

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Monologues

Dorian Gray’s Picture

(Drama, horror, verse)

In an attic in London, a famous painting has some thoughts.

Ritual

(Drama)

When the country is crumbling, sometimes all you can do is make a pot of tea.

Tree Hugger

(Drama)

It’s been a long winter, but Ronan finally gets to see his favorite tree.

Fourth-String Backup

(Drama)

A bench player cheers on his teammate. He’s happy for his best friend, until he isn’t.

Obit Policy

(Drama)

A woman tries to write an obituary for her friend.

Watch Your Feet

(Comedy, dark comedy)

Brian is ready to take you on a guided hike. Be careful. 

Shopping List

(Comedy)

Martin is buying Christmas gifts for his nieces and nephews and has reached the end of his patience.

Begin the Beginning

(Drama)

To quote “A Chorus Line,” what do you do when you can’t dance anymore? 

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What’s next? I’m taking the weekend off from playwriting as I plot out my next project. In the coming weeks I’ll look back over what I’ve written and decide what works are ready to submit, which ones need revision or deserve expansion and which ones should just lie fallow, object lessons in the importance of getting down that shitty first draft.

How to you build or sustain a writing habit? Leave a note in the comments.

As I mentioned above, if you are interested in producing any of these plays for a production, workshop or classroom use, email me.