MANCHESTER, NH – What’s longer than a TikTok, but shorter than a sit com episode?
The six original plays premiering at The Palace Theatre’s 2nd Annual Short Play Festival, hosted at The Rex, and you won’t want to miss it!
The plays featured in the 2026 Festival are original plays selected from over 80 submissions sent in from around the country. These short plays, ranging in genre from comedy to family drama, will be staged over two nights, with each 10-15 minute play running each night.
The mission of the Festival is to foster new theatrical works, while offering audiences a diverse, fast-paced evening of engaging story telling, and is sponsored by Kanteres Real Estate.
Buy your tickets for Friday, April 10th or Saturday, April 11th online at www.palacetheatre.org/shortplayfestival or stop by The Palace Theatre’s box office.
Following Saturday night’s performances a distinguished panel of judges will award the second annual “Astro” trophy to the playwright of the best play. On both nights, the audience will also have a chance to weigh in, voting for their favorite play to determine the “Audience Favorite” award.
About the Six Selected Plays:
Kierkegaard’s Gun by Andy Treusch: Set in a 1950s Bronx pool hall, a bookish monster turns a gun and a half-grasped philosophy into a deadly test of loyalty for his oldest friend.
Special Delivery by Margaret Berger: A case of mistaken identity when an exotic dancer shows up at the wrong address.
Paul Is Forgiven? by William Zolla, II: A sister and brother struggle to resolve their differences as they try to convince their mother to move into a senior community.
This Kind of Thing by Elizah Knight: Across different backgrounds and generations, two women try to make sense of the senseless ‘kind of things’ women endure with humor and grit.
The Dinosaur Age by Bruce Deveau: Two older men reflect on their lives and friendship with surprising revelations.
The STD by Michele Markarian: A middle aged couple finds that WebMD is probably not the best place to find a reliable medical diagnoses.
Visit www.palacetheatre.org/shortplayfestival/ to purchase your tickets today!
See you at The Rex located at 23 Amherst Street, Manchester NH!
Will Kanteres is a lifelong Manchester resident and strong supporter of the arts in our community.