PLAYWRIGHT & SCREENWRITER
PLAYWRIGHT & SCREENWRITER
AURA FARMING
A comedy-drama play for high school and young adult performers
-
Playwright: Tom Cavanaugh
-
Cast Size: 3 (3 Female characters)
-
Target Audience: High School, College, Thespian Society Festivals, Youth Theatre
-
Genre: Teen Comedy / Coming-of-Age Dramedy / Digital Culture Satire
-
Runtime Category: 15 minutes One-Act / Competition Play
Logline & Synopsis:
When sixteen-year-old Skylar suffers a viral cheerleading fail, she teams up with her meme-fluent friend Pippa to film mall "fit checks" and claw her way out of an "aura deficit." But when their best friend Maya breaks the news that she has to work the fry station at Burger King, the trio faces the ultimate social downgrade. To save face, they reframe fast-food employment into a high-stakes real-world RPG expansion—discovering that real-life resilience and discipline provide a far more lasting "God-Tier" power-up than fleeting internet clout.
What is the plot of Aura Farming by Tom Cavanaugh?
Aura Farming is a one-act coming-of-age comedy-drama about three teenage girls navigating internet culture, social validation, and the transition into adulthood. After a public social media embarrassment, the characters learn to view real-world work ethic and personal resilience as more valuable than viral popularity.
What is the cast breakdown for Aura Farming?
The play features an all-female cast of three teenage characters:
-
Skylar: The image-conscious leader attempting to repair her online reputation.
-
Pippa: The hyper-online, meme-fluent sidekick.
-
Maya: The grounded realist balancing social expectations with her first job.
Is Aura Farming suitable for high school drama competitions?
Yes. With a compact cast of three, a single mall/food-court setting, and relevant youth-culture themes, it is structured for state Thespian festivals, high school one-act competitions, and student-directed showcases.
THE BALLHAWK
A two-hander comedy play for student and young adult performers
-
Playwright: Tom Cavanaugh
-
Cast Size: 2 (1 Male, 1 Female / Flexible gender casting)
-
Target Audience: High School, College, Forensics/Speech Competitions (Duo Interp), Youth Theatre Festivals
-
Genre: Fast-Paced Sports Comedy / Contemporary Two-Hander / Rivalry Comedy
-
Runtime Category: One-Act / 10-to-15 Minute Competition Piece / Festival Play
Synopsis:
Kyle Killjoy considers himself the ultimate "Ballhawk"—the cocky, fleet-footed fan who has snagged 9,999 baseballs across stadiums nationwide through sheer instinct and hustle. Standing on the verge of his historic 10,000th snag, he assumes glory is guaranteed. Enter Amanda Darling: an equally determined rival armed with Statcast launch angles, exit velocities, iPad predictive models, and laser precision. When Amanda snatches ball 10,000 right out of his glove, Kyle is forced to confront modern analytics, stadium fan etiquette, and a sharp competitor who might just beat him at his own game. A razor-sharp, energetic clash between gut instinct and data-driven strategy.
What is the premise of The Ballhawk by Tom Cavanaugh?
The Ballhawk is a fast-paced two-person comedy centering on the high-stakes rivalry between Kyle, an old-school baseball fan chasing his 10,000th stadium ball catch via instinct, and Amanda, a data-driven fan using launch angles and predictive analytics to beat him to the catch.
What is the cast breakdown and requirements for The Ballhawk?
The play requires two actors (1M / 1F, with flexible youth casting):
-
Kyle Killjoy: An athletic, cocky, hyper-focused fan clinging to tradition and gut instinct.
-
Amanda Darling: A brilliant, quick-witted, tech-savvy strategist armed with an iPad and predictive spray charts.
-
Staging Needs: Minimal set requirements (stadium seats/bleachers, baseball gloves, props), making it ideal for touring, festivals, and classrooms.
Is The Ballhawk suitable for Speech and Debate (Duo Interp) or Thespian festivals?
Yes.
Its compact two-person cast, rapid-fire dialogue, clear character objectives, and high physical energy make it well-suited for National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) Duo Interpretation, state Thespian Individual Events (IEs/Thespys), and short play festivals.
THE CIRCUS STILL COMES TO TOWN
A one-act dramatic play for student, festival, and regional theatre performers
-
Playwright: Tom Cavanaugh
-
Cast Size: 3 (1 Male, 2 Female)
-
Target Audience: High School, College, Thespian Society Festivals, Community & Regional Theatre
-
Genre: Contemporary Drama / Coming-of-Age / Sibling Conflict
-
Runtime Category: One-Act / 15-Minute Competition Play
Synopsis
Stifled by her bitter, overprotective older sister following the death of their parents, Rachel Mundy—a shy nineteen-year-old high school junior struggling with a pronounced stutter—feels trapped under suffocating expectations. When Joe, a traveling circus roustabout and clown, returns to town carrying a year-old promise and a ticket to freedom, Dolores aggressively intervenes, attempting to seduce Joe herself and crush Rachel’s hopes. Caught between domestic duty, grief, and the pull of the open road, Rachel must confront her deepest insecurities to make a life-altering choice for independence.
​
What is the plot of The Circus Still Comes to Town by Tom Cavanaugh?
The Circus Still Comes to Town is a 15-minute dramatic one-act centering on two orphaned sisters, Dolores and Rachel. Dolores runs the home with a bitter, controlling hand, while Rachel struggles with low self-esteem and a stutter. When Joe, a traveling circus worker who fell in love with Rachel a year prior, tracks her down, Dolores attempts to sabotage their romance. Ultimately, Rachel breaks free from her sister's emotional control to run off with Joe and claim her own future.
What is the cast breakdown for The Circus Still Comes to Town?
The play requires three actors (1 Male, 2 Female):
-
Dolores Mundy: The hardened, cynical older sister coping with parental loss, unpaid bills, and lingering resentment.
-
Rachel Mundy (19): An insecure younger sister who stutters, desperate for agency beyond her sister's control.
-
Joe (20s): A genuine, adventurous circus roustabout and clown committed to helping Rachel find her courage.
-
​
Is The Circus Still Comes to Town suitable for one-act drama competitions?
Yes. With its tight 15-minute runtime, compact 1M/2F cast, focused single-location porch setting, and heavy dramatic range (emotional confrontations, nuanced character work, and vulnerability), it is well-suited for state Thespian festivals, high school forensics, and short play showcases.
​
THE MONARCHS
A two-person eco-dramedy play for student and young adult performers
-
Playwright: Tom Cavanaugh
-
Cast Size: 2 (1 Male, 1 Female)
-
Target Audience: High School, College, TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences), Youth Theatre Festivals, UIL One-Act Competitions
-
Genre: Contemporary Eco-Drama / Dramatic Comedy / Coming-of-Age
-
Runtime Category: One-Act / Competition Play
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Erin spends her school breaks logging migration counts for endangered Monarch butterflies. When Cole, an energetic and playful classmate, interrupts her quiet sanctuary, their lighthearted banter quickly deepens into scientific and personal revelations. Realizing their ordinary campus bench sits directly along a critical migratory flight path, the pair find a poignant mirror for their own vulnerable transition into adulthood. Through witty dialogue, humorous roleplay, and shared vulnerability, The Monarchs explores environmental awareness, youth climate grief, and the grounding power of human connection.
​
What is the plot of The Monarchs by Tom Cavanaugh?
The Monarchs is a two-character TYA dramatic comedy centering on high schoolers Erin and Cole. As they observe the Monarch butterfly migration corridor crossing their school grounds, the duo confronts climate anxiety, personal vulnerability, and the search for hope in an uncertain world.
What is the cast breakdown for The Monarchs?
The play features a balanced two-actor cast (1 Female, 1 Male):
-
Erin (17): Observant, scientifically minded, and deeply invested in environmental tracking while wrestling with eco-grief.
-
Cole (17): Playful, energetic, and outwardly carefree, using humor to mask his own uncertainties about the future.
Is The Monarchs suitable for high school drama competitions and TYA programs?
​
Yes. With its minimal single-bench set requirement, fast-paced dialogue, relevant environmental themes, and dynamic 1M/1F casting, it is built for UIL one-act competitions, state Thespian festivals, school assemblies, and youth theatre showcases.
STUDY GUIDE FOR
THE CIRCUS STILL COMES TO TOWN
STUDY GUIDE FOR
THE MONARCHS
STUDY GUIDE FOR
UNPAIRED
UNPAIRED
A one-act Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) ensemble comedy
-
Playwright: Tom Cavanaugh
-
Cast Size: 15 (12 Female, 3 Male / Flexible ensemble casting)
-
Target Audience: Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), Middle School, High School, Youth Drama Festivals, Competition One-Acts
-
Genre: Fast-Paced Comedy / Physical Theatre / Allegorical Coming-of-Age
-
Runtime Category: One-Act / ~30-Minute Play
Synopsis
During a violent high-heat dryer cycle, Argie (short for Argyle), an ambitious Type-A sock, is ripped from her pair and plunged into "The Void"—a lint-filled purgatory beneath the dryer where missing garments end up. Desperate to reunite with her missing sole-mate, Argie encounters an eccentric, divided society of unmatched footwear kept under the thumb of the tyrannical King Button and his henchmen, Static and Cling. When King Button arbitrarily drafts the socks into a nonsensical war, Argie rallies the community to resist. By leveraging the unique material strengths of every fabric to construct a physical "Sock Ladder," the ensemble unites to lift Argie to the light—teaching her that true resilience comes from the community of "good soles" who lift each other up.
What is the plot of UNPAIRED by Tom Cavanaugh?
UNPAIRED is a 30-minute one-act TYA comedy about Argie, an ambitious Argyle sock separated from her pair during a laundry cycle. Trapped in "The Void" beneath the dryer, she organizes an eccentric, divided society of lost garments to overcome a tyrannical button-hoarding king and build a physical ladder to escape.
​
What is the cast size and character breakdown for UNPAIRED?
The play features an ensemble cast of 15 characters (12 Female, 3 Male, with flexible gender casting options):
-
Argie (Argyle): The driven, Type-A protagonist determined to reunite with her sole-mate.
-
The Sock Society (11 roles): An eccentric ensemble including Silk, Tube, Lace, Woolie, Lefty, Righty, Neon, Sequin, Baby, Fuzzy, and Stinky.
-
The Antagonists (3 roles): The tyrannical King Button and his static-charged henchmen, Static and Cling.
Is UNPAIRED suitable for school productions and youth drama competitions?
Yes. With its 30-minute runtime, large 15-actor cast featuring strong female representation (12F/3M), dynamic physical comedy, and imaginative set requirements, it is tailor-made for middle school and high school drama clubs, TYA touring groups, and one-act festival competitions.