Every play on this page was written by a student — ages 8 to 12 — over six sessions with Armando. No templates, no fill-in-the-blanks. Just their imaginations, let loose.
Age 8· Comedy · Adventure
Ded and Poop are Having an Adventure
By Ronnie D.
"What time is it?" / "Don't you know how to read a clock? There's a clock right in front of you." / "I don't know how to read clocks. Where would you learn how to read clocks?" / "Smart dogs with owners who the owners teach dogs."
Age 11· Spy Thriller · Comedy
You Only Drown Twice
By Tom B.
"Now, I know where the watch is! Time to go save my family, and the world!" — Grey the dolphin, on the trail of a mad scientist who owns the copyright to the Happy Birthday song.
Age 10· Drama · Friendship
All Alone
By Noa M.
"I'm sorry I left you and made you feel sangry." / "Sangry?" / "Sad angry." A dance-loving bear, a magic pillow, and the friend who moved away — and what it really means to come home.
Age 10· Drama · Friendship
The 2 Best Friends
By Daniel T.
A frog named Greg just wants human friends. A man named Benjamin just wants to win the lottery. They meet at a pond at sunrise and find that some wishes come true — just not always the way you expect.
Age 12· Comedy · Road Trip
Florida Dream
By Shaqed K.
Coco the quokka boards a plane to Florida and lands in Australia. Pig Joel — a pig-angel who became an Uber driver to make friends — picks her up. Neither of them planned for this. Neither of them is disappointed.
Age 11· Friendship · Fantasy
Not Besties (Yet)
By Hayley A.
"Cut me off." / "Ok take a deep breath." A dog afraid of the dark and a flower afraid of being cut help each other face their fears — and blast off into the sky together at the end.
Ronnie was 8 years old when he wrote this. He named his characters Ded and Poop. Set a scene at "1,000 o'clock" on "Planet Planet." And somehow wrote a story with real heart underneath all the chaos.
Scene 1 · Morning · Planet Earth
Ded
My name is Ded and I am a dog. I don't have a hous. I want to be ritch and have a normal house. I am looking for a owner, food, and some other stuff.
[Ded bumps into someone]
Ded
Who are you?
Poop
Who are you?
Ded
Im Ded. Who are you?
Poop
Im Poop, a dog. I want someone to bring me free food instead of having to steal food.
Ded
I just want food. I don't care if it's free or not.
Poop
I can teach you how to steal food. If you help me find a person that would bring me free food. Deal?
Ded
Okay, but can we share the owner because I want a owner too?
Poop
No, I want a owner to myself.
Ded
But I want a owner and someone to play with, too.
Poop
Well that sounds fun. Fine, we can be together. But don't annoy me.
Ded
What time is it?
Poop
Don't you know how to read a clock? There's a clock right in front of you.
Ded
I don't know how to read clocks. Where would you learn how to read clocks?
Poop
Smart dogs with owners who the owners teach dogs.
Ded
Can you teach me how to read a clock?
Poop
Tomorrow. Today I am busy.
Scene 2 · 1,000 O'Clock · Planet Planet
Ded & Poop
I want to eat! I want to eat!
Ded & Poop
Jynx! Jynx!
Ded
My favorite food is chicken wings!
Poop
My favorite food is Chipotle and sushi.
Poop
I don't know because a squirrel took my food.
Ded
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate squirells.
Scene 4 · 200 O'Clock · In The Night
Boy
Can I buy these pets please? I mean these pets.
Woman
It costs $500.
Boy
Can I please have them for only $1.
Woman
Fine, but once you get $500 you gotta pay me.
Ded
I like this owner.
Poop
I'm going to break out of this cage.
Ded
I'll follow you.
[Ded and Poop escape from the Boy]
END OF PLAY
You Only Drown Twice
By Tom B. · Age 11
Tom built a full spy thriller with a dolphin hero, a mad scientist villain, and one of the funniest scenes we've seen — a staring contest that goes on for a very, very long time.
Scene 1
Evil Guy has just found another clue to the location of the watch. Grey the dolphin is following him.
Evil Bad Guy
It's encrypted! Bring me the Quantum-micro-economic-decryptor!
[Pause]
Evil Bad Guy
I'm talking to you, Henchman!
Henchman
Google says that its in the Gulf of Guinea, North of Coffee Club Island, west of the Island of Timor, and South of the Bermuda Triangle.
Grey
Now, I know where the watch is! Time to go save my family, and the world!
Scene 4 · The Island
Evil Bad Guy
Finally! I have it! I am unstoppable! Now, on to the next phase of my plan. The monologue.
Henchman
But who are you going to monologue to?
Evil Bad Guy
. . . . you!
Henchman
But I'm not a hero. You have to monologue to a hero.
Evil Bad Guy
Then who else is there?!
Henchman
. . . . Oh! There's the dolphin I was talking about. Maybe he could be the hero.
The Staring Contest
[Grey stares at Evil Bad Guy. Long pause.]
Evil Bad Guy
So . . . how's your day been?
[Long pause]
Evil Bad Guy
You should probably blink so your eyes don't get dry. Though I guess that's not a problem for you, seeing as you're underwater and all.
[Long pause]
Evil Bad Guy
Wow, you're staring at me like I killed your family or something.
[Grey stares even harder]
Evil Bad Guy
Well I guess I lost this staring contest.
[Extremely long pause]
Evil Bad Guy
Well, suit yourself, Creepy McCreepyFace.
Scene 9 · The End
Association of Super Spies
We are the Association of Super Spies. Please do not make that into an acronym. We need your help taking down another Evil Bad Guy — he's running a dolphin smuggling ring. Does he have your family? Quite likely.
Grey
Yes, obviously.
Association of Super Spies
Welcome, Grey, to the Association of Super Spies.
END OF PLAY
All Alone
By Noa M. · Age 10
Noa was 10 when she wrote a play about friendship, loss, and what home really means — in Gen Z dialogue, with a magic pillow as the moral compass. She invented the word "sangry." We stan.
Scene 1 · 9:60 · Crocro's House
Vibing.
Crocro
Ahhhh! Ooohh ohh yeah. (in slow motion) This is an awesome dance party.
Noa
Disco! Those dance moves are chef's kiss!
Noa
I'm leaving. My dad got a job. I can't.
Crocro
*gasp*
Noa
Here keep the pillow as a going away present.
Scene 2 · The Magic Pillow Arrives
Misty (The Pillow)
Owww! Wut was that? Ugh lighting. Wait! I can waddle? Fun!
Crocro
Oh my gawd. W-what is dat?
Misty
Hallo!
Crocro
Ahhh! You aren't supposed to be talking.
Misty
Well rude. I am Misty.
Scene 6 · Apology
Noa
I'm sorry I left you and made you feel sangry.
Crocro
Sangry?
Noa
Sad angry. Anyways we can figure smn out. You can come live with us in the Dome?
Crocro
(thinking) This is gonna be so awesome! . . . Not awesome, so loud! I miss my parents . . . .
Crocro
(to audience) Tonight was probably the best night of my life. I've never been happier! If there's anything I learned from this — not everything is as good as it seems.
END OF PLAY
The 2 Best Friends
By Daniel T. · Age 10
Daniel wrote a gentle, warm story about a frog and a human who meet at a pond and discover that friendship is its own kind of winning the lottery.
Scene 1 · Sunrise · At the Pond
Greg
Oh no it's a human. He came here to catch us! Run!
Benjamin
I'm not here to hurt you I came here to see you swim around.
Greg
Oh it looked like you were going to hurt me.
Benjamin
Oh I'm sorry I didn't want it to look that way.
Greg
It's ok. What's your name?
Benjamin
So what is your wish?
Greg
Mine? Well mine is I want to meet new friends that are humans because they are more nice than the animals over here. What's your wish?
Benjamin
Well mine is that I want to win the lottery to help my family and their bills.
Greg
Oh well maybe you get lucky one day.
Scene 5 · At the Beach · Benjamin says goodbye
Greg
(to himself) If I keep on fighting back Benjamin will get mad at me so I think I have to let him go before he is too late for his plane.
Benjamin
I'll be back in a dozen weeks.
Greg
Okay make sure to have fun while I'll try to make new friends.
END OF PLAY
Florida Dream
By Shaqed K. · Age 12
Shaqed built a cross-continental buddy comedy about a pig-angel Uber driver and a quokka who lands in the wrong country. It has more heart than most movies.
Scene 1 · 6AM · Australia
Pig Joel
Ahh what a wonderful day. The sun was so hot and I love it when it's hot because that is when humens stay hom. I'm off to my morning jog. I really want to be popular because 1 year ago I turned into an angel and everyone didn't like me because I was different.
Scene 4 · 5PM · Coco and Pig Joel Meet
Coco
Uhh were am I going to sleep or eat. I'll just get an Uber.
Coco
So I'm not supposed to be here I'm supposed to be in Florida were my dreams of living there need to come true and I don't have a hotel or money.
Pig Joel
You could stay with me.
Coco
Really? Thank you. Wait. What the heck are you I just realized.
Pig Joel
Oh I'm a Pig/Angel.
Coco
Uh that's not scary at all.
Pig Joel
Pleas don't freak out. I'm trying to make friends that's why I'm an Uber.
Scene 7 · On the Plane to Florida
Coco
So why did you come with me?
Pig Joel
Because you are my only friend and I don't want to loose that.
Pig Joel
Ya I thing that this a vacation we will never forget.
END OF PLAY
Not Besties (Yet)
By Hayley A. · Age 11
Hayley wrote a story where two characters — a dog afraid of the dark and a flower afraid of being cut — help each other face their fears. Then they blast off into the sky together. Structurally, this is remarkable for an 11-year-old.
Scene 1 · A Stage
Daisy
One, two? One, two? . . . Is it on? Oh! Hi everybody! My name is Daisy and I am 5 years old who is actually a Daisy! Ironic eh? . . . So you know how everybody has a dream? Well, I have one! It's going up into the clouds! But I can't go up into the sky because I am afraid of being cut off and then I can't be with my friends ever again.
Scene 2 · Saturday 6AM · Hayley's Backyard
Daisy
Psst psst Over here!
Rocky
Huh huh? Who is this?
Daisy
In the 15th bush!
Rocky
But I don't know how to count.
Daisy
Uggggggg!!!!!! Just follow my voice!
Daisy
I need your help. Help me overcome my fear. Cut me off.
Rocky
Ok take a deep breath.
[Daisy takes a breath while Rocky snips her stem]
Daisy
I did it! Thank you so much Rocky! Great now you can take me up to the clouds.
Rocky
Wait what?!!?!?!?!? NO! . . . Because bec because.. I cant fly.