Ha!
three acclaimed one-act comedies
by Rich Orloff
Cast: 3+ M, 2+ W
“Deliciously satisfying. Buoyant, funny and occasionally quite touching.”
– Theater Online
“A very entertaining evening of theater, full of laughs.”
– The Lively Arts
“A great night of theater that has as many lessons as it does laughs”
– The Happiest Medium
“Entertaining, light-hearted and fun. Check it out.”
– Vermont Herald
“a sparkling series of one-acts”
– Express Milwaukee
“inspires and provokes with wit and style”
– Third Coast Digest
“A fine evening’s treat. Thoughtful, clever and flat-out funny.”
– WickedLocal.com
HA! consists of three of Rich Orloff’s most popular one-act comedies. The three plays have had over 500 performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Each has been published in the annual Best American Short Plays anthology. HA! can be performed together by an ensemble cast of five or more, each playing multiple roles. It’s an opportunity for comedic actors to show off – and for audiences to have a fun time!
The plays include:
OEDI, a farcical retelling of the Oedipus Rex story, faces the overlooked fact that if Oedipus married his mother, she had to be old enough to be his mother. When the play was produced at Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, the local critic described it as “Sophocles meets the Marx Brothers”. OEDI has had over 150 productions and was published in The Best American Short Plays 1997-1998. (3 m., 1 w., 1 off-stage either, approx. 20 min.)
THE NEWS FROM ST. PETERSBURG, a Chekhovian spoof set in 1905 Russia, examines the effect of a rumor on an aristocratic couple, their doctor, and an overworked and temporarily overjoyed serf. The New York Press wrote, “Orloff proves to be a genuinely witty writer, capable of imagination and deft jokes. Good stuff.” Published in The Best American Short Plays 2006-2007. (3 m., 1 w., approx. 25 min.)
THE WHOLE SHEBANG asks the question, “What if the entire universe was just some nerd’s science project?” The play has had over 300 productions around the world, was televised on A&E cable, and was published in the annual anthology, The Best American Short Plays. (1 m., 1 w., 3 either, approx. 45 min.)
HA! is published and licensed by Playscripts, Inc. To read lengthier excerpts, order books, or obtain performance rights, visit Rich’s page at Playscripts.com.
more critical praise
for OEDI
“The play is a hoot.”
– South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“A funny, zippy, Borscht-belt take on OEDIPUS REX.”
– Miami Herald
“witty, light-hearted, and wildly entertaining”
– Columbia Beacon (Columbia University)
for THE NEWS FROM ST. PETERSBURG
“a deft little footnote to history”
– Chicago Tribune
for THE WHOLE SHEBANG
“Witty and engaging. Orloff’s charming and whimsical comedy delivers impish fun, along with a thoughtful and provocative message.”
– Variety
“Consistently witty.”
– DramaLogue
“A witty, whimsical, charming one-act play.”
– New York Daily News
“Intense satire that had the audience rolling with laughter.”
– The Concordian (Athens, West Virginia)
