People’s attention spans are shrinking. William Shakespeare wrote plays in five acts. Henrik Ibsen wrote plays in three acts. Most modern plays are performed with just one intermission or sometimes no intermission at all. There are, of course, many great scripts that are classified as one acts not meant to be a full evening’s entertainment.

In the 1970’s the Actor’s Theater of Louisville created a new category of play scripts. They wanted writers to create “lightning in a bottle” or a theatrical haiku. Ten-minute plays are now a very popular, especially in small theaters across the country. I have written a large number of ten-minute plays, most selected to be performed multiple times and a few earning prizes in many venues.

What is the next logical step? You may have already guessed – the one-minute play. There are several outlets that offer options for performance or publishing. I decide to try writing one myself.

I’ve recently received word that the anthology “Mini Plays Review” has accepted and published my tiny play GRACE and the September 2025 issue is now available online. There is an option to purchase a printed copy for a price but you can also read it online for no charge. The link is here:

https://sites.google.com/view/the-mini-plays-magazine/current-issue?authuser=0

Oddly, the editor has elected to alphabetize the selections by playwright’s first name (yep, Walter gets the very last listing). You can find my play GRACE at page 159 because there are more than 90 plays selected. A lot of scrolling to do to reach it, but maybe you can read a few of the other plays along the way.

There are little (and fleeting) options for some reading or production, but it is a bit of fun. So if you can spare a minute give it a read.

A quick side note on short works. Ernest Hemingway was famed for his spare and clear prose and was once asked how short of a story he could write. His answer was six words and every writer should know the reply. “For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Used.”