Based on Playwright Paula Vogel’s exercise, NOMADS began offering playwriting prompts in which we give a theme, condition or inspiration to be included in a short play. Below is an archive of all the prompts we've ever offered. Check out our Facebook for the most up-to-date prompts!
November 8 - 15, 2020
You've buried something in your garden, but now it's spring and the grown is unfreezing...
Include the ingredients:
You've buried something in your garden, but now it's spring and the grown is unfreezing...
Include the ingredients:
- A letter
- A non-human character
- A character that is so human it hurts
- Bonus: a camel
October 25 - November 1, 2020
Write about a conspiracy.
Include the ingredients:
Write about a conspiracy.
Include the ingredients:
- one of your characters must be able to fly
- a skeleton that so thing but holds so much weight
- the "candy corn vs candy pumpkins" debate
October 11 - 18, 2020
Write a play that takes place post-Halloween night at a fast food/chain restaurant.
Include the ingredients:
Write a play that takes place post-Halloween night at a fast food/chain restaurant.
Include the ingredients:
- the concept of pi
- a secret
September 27 - October 4, 2020
Write a play about a zoom blind date, basing the conversation off of the last three photos on your camera roll
Bonus points for including the following ingredients:
Write a play about a zoom blind date, basing the conversation off of the last three photos on your camera roll
Bonus points for including the following ingredients:
- too many gourds
- getting lost
- an angry rant about a cruciferious vegetable
- a line for "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish"
April 27 - May 3, 2020
Listen to Welcome to Night Vale: Faceless Old Woman (ep.26)
Write a brief play in response to "Faceless Old Woman" with the following ingredients:
Listen to Welcome to Night Vale: Faceless Old Woman (ep.26)
Write a brief play in response to "Faceless Old Woman" with the following ingredients:
- A bird
- The color purple
- A character that speaks only in Capitalized Alliterations
- Bonus: a camel
April 20-26, 2020
Read Nikoka Madzirov's "Presence"
Write a brief play in response to "Presence" with the following ingredients:
Read Nikoka Madzirov's "Presence"
Write a brief play in response to "Presence" with the following ingredients:
- A teapot
- A crossroads (literal or metaphorical)
- A Joni Mitchell song lyric
- Bonus: a camel
April 13 - 19, 2020
Write a brief comedy of errors play with the following ingredients:
Write a brief comedy of errors play with the following ingredients:
- A classic comedy bit
- A mistaken identity
- Pizza and/or sparking cider
- Bonus: a camel