April 4-5: Grab a seat for Palace Theatres’ first-ever NH Short Play Fest – 6 plays, one night – at The Rex

MANCHESTER, NH – The Palace Theatre is trying something completely different – staging its first-ever New Hampshire Short Play Festival, taking place at the Rex Theater on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, 2025. This groundbreaking event, presented by Kanteres Real Estate, marks the first short play festival of its kind in New Hampshire.

The festival will showcase six outstanding plays selected as finalists from a nationwide submission process. These short plays, ranging in genres from comedy and romance to social commentary, will be staged over two nights, with each play running approximately 10 to 15 minutes. This unique event celebrates diverse voices and offers a platform for new playwrights to present their work in front of a live audience.

Finalists:

• “The College Game” –
  Five high school Seniors compete on a T.V. game show, for a coveted acceptance to an Ivy League College. As they compete, they are asked questions by the moderator–what they answer is not what they actually believe. Underlying their public confidence, is the predicament each one is in, and the pressure each one faces.
  • By George Kelly

• Speed Dating –
  A widow and a widower – each deeply affected by loss – reluctantly attend a dating meet-up in a hotel conference room, their back-and-forth banter leads somewhere different than they expected.
  • By Curt Strickland

• Marriage Counseling on Valentine’s Day – A therapist resorts to unconventional tactics to help a bickering couple realize their love for each other.
  • By William Zolla II

• Glass Child – Upon returning home to rural Idaho from a school trip to Canada, 18-year-old Bella Nichols receives two college acceptance letters, one from the University of Idaho and one from Columbia University – her top choice. Bella is excited to start her college career in New York, but her single mother, Celeste, is less than thrilled, as this would force her to contend with her changing role as a mother and leave her to raise Bella’s mentally-handicapped brother without her daughter’s help. Both Bella and Celeste are faced with a choice; stick to the roles they’re used to, or branch out.
  • By Sharisse Zeroonian

• The Final Stop – Two soldiers must deliver the tragic news of a soldier’s death to an unsuspecting co-ed.
  • By Jack Wickens

• Bob in 4B – Two women find humor and friendship in reflections on their life with men.
  • Bruce Deveau

Following Saturday night’s performances a distinguished panel of judges will award the first annual “Astro” trophy to the playwright of the best play, while the audience will also have a chance to weigh in, voting for their favorite play to determine the “Audience Favorite” award.

Tickets for the NH Short Play Festival are available for $20 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.  Pick your night and don’t miss this exciting opportunity to experience the best in new, dynamic theater in the heart of New Hampshire.

Event Details:

• Dates: Friday, April 4, 2025 and Saturday, April 5, 2025
• Location: Rex Theater, 23 Amherst St, Manchester, NH
• Tickets: $20
• Tickets Available: palacetheatre.org

Join us for an evening of innovation, talent, and excitement as we celebrate the first-ever NH Short Play Festival!