Short Scripts For Actors | Free Material for Showreels and Classes

Short Scripts For Actors

Written by on | Acting Industry

There are a wealth of free scripts and scenes available on the internet for actors to use—in fact, we have a fairly sizeable collection right here on StageMilk. What can be harder to find, though, are free, original scenes perfect for use in a showreel. Showreel scenes need to be heavy on character, light on context. Most importantly, showreel scenes need to be the right length: a minute at the absolute max. That’s why we’ve developed this page of short scripts for actors, perfectly suited to all your showreel needs.

This page contains a collection of short scripts for actors for use in showreels or classes. There are a variety of styles and genres to choose from, and a diverse array of characters to showcase different styles of performance. The advantage to original scripts for a showreel is that casting directors and agents won’t bring a 

As with all of our free script resources (listed below), we’ll be updating this page with fresh, free content on the regular. Be sure to give it a bookmark and check in again soon for the latest offerings!

What Should I Look For in a Showreel Script?

Good question. Hard question. It’s something that might sound simple enough, but has flummoxed enough seasoned actors so that they spend years planning a showreel without ever actually filming one. “The scenes I have aren’t right.” “Nothing really captures me.” “I just know I can find better material if I look a little longer.”

Our first piece of advice: the perfect showreel scene does not exist. Stop searching, stop stalling, stop hoping for something better. Shoot what you find without too much delay, and remember that you can always find new material to swap in against something older/weaker.

We have an entire article on this subject, which we’ll link here for you to read over in greater detail. But for brevity’s sake, here’s a few important pointers. Look for a scene that features you, isn’t too long and doesn’t get too dramatic. “No yelling, screaming or crying.” is the StageMilk rule of thumb.

From The Writer:

Hello! My name is Alexander Lee-Rekers; I’m a professional playwright and screenwriter. On behalf of myself and StageMilk, I hereby give you permission to use the scenes on this page for personal practice, as well as showreels and auditions. All I ask is that you credit my work—especially if you post it on social media. (If you’re feeling brave, you can tag me via @alexnobodyfamous so I can see what you do with it.)  Other than that: have fun, make bold choices and give ’em a go!

Short Scripts For Actors

These scripts utilise our in-house formatting for StageMilk Scene Club, designed for ease of reading and to keep the character and dialogue at the centre of actor’s attention. While you won’t be doing too much moving around during a showreel taping, don’t forget the physicality of the character or the given circumstances of the scene.

Each script is accompanied by some performance notes, provided by the author, to give you some larger dramaturgical questions to tackle. And while these should get you started, don’t forget to go through a full script analysis process before you film. Know what you’re talking about, and what the objective of your character might be.

NB: Finally, when regarding the age or gender of the characters, use what’s written as a guideline more than a hard-and-fast rule. If you think it fits you and you can pull the character of situation off: go for it! When you’ve got the power to pick your own role, an age or gender swap/total disregard can be a terrific challenge.


Psychic After The Fact

Genre: Comedy
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: A woman shares a mystical-ish secret with a friend.

Performance Notes: As with all comedy, the most important thing to do is to play it as straight as possible. Find the truth behind these characters, even the admittedly unhinged Vivian. For actors playing Contessa, how does this information strike them? Is this an unsettling revelation … or is it just another day being friends with a truly strange woman?


Home Late

Genre: Drama
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: A late night conversation reveals the cracks in a troubled marriage.

Performance Notes: The character relationship is vital in this piece: the more understanding and complexity you can bring, the more rich it will be in suggesting a shared history and subtext. The best tip you can follow for this piece is not to lose the love between Kathy and Marcus. Without a sense of love or affection, there’s no tension to this piece. Find what keeps them together.


Making His Way North

Genre: Drama / Procedural
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: Detective Knapper calls on a usual suspect for some information about a robbery.

Performance Notes: This piece is something of an exposition dump—which is fairly standard for a procedural-type show. However, there’s plenty to do with the connection and shared history between these two characters. How long have these two known each other? It’s also worth thinking about the third character: Vance’s brother. What can you tell the audience about this person without him actually showing up on screen? 


Character Reference

Genre: Drama
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: A subordinate speaks to their supervisor after an unpleasant, chance discovery.

Performance Notes: There is plenty of world-building to be done for this piece. What is the company they work for? How long have they been there? Are these characters assets to the company, or expendable? Furthermore, spend time establishing the relationship between John and Darren. Who has the higher status? Who has more power?


Boxing For Gold

Genre: Comedy / Drama
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: A boxer contends with their train-wreck of a career … until their manager shows up at their door with a brilliant idea.

Performance Notes: This piece lives and dies on developing the tension of the scene: so establish your stakes early for each character. What do they stand to win in the scene, and what’s at risk if they lose? Finally, don’t force the comedy in this scene: it’ll come from the absurdity of Cam’s plan and how they pitch it as the simplest solution in the world.


Worst Customer

Genre: Drama
Length: 1 min
Synopsis: Two friends make a list of the worst customers that have visited their decrepit, local cinema.

Performance Notes: This piece is rife with subtext. What’s not being said at the end, what’s not being admitted by either of these characters about their feelings (for one another?) Spend time on the character relationships in this piece and determine what each character really wants out of this interaction. Is it a game, or is it something more? And on this track, how much of what’s not being said is known to the other person anyway?


Other StageMilk Script Resources

This page is one of many on our site with free, original practice scripts you can use. Be sure to check out the others in this series, and keep returning to catch all the latest updates:

Find the Connection, Find the Warmth

So there you have it: a collection of short scripts for actors, perfect for your next showreel or acting class. Before we wrap up, let us leave you with one important piece of advice when it comes to showreel scenes: the selecting, the preparing and the performing.

Find the connection, find the warmth. You need to connect with your scene partner immediately. This will grab your viewer, even if there is no context for the larger story whatsoever. As for the warmth? Show your viewer what it’s like to work with you. Do you come across as cold and brilliant? Or as somebody who a director, producer or casting director might think: “This person seems amazing! How do I work with them…”

Connection and warmth. And have some fun.

Good luck!

About the Author

Alexander Lee-Rekers

Alexander Lee-Rekers is a Sydney-based writer, director and educator. He graduated from NIDA in 2017 with a Masters in Writing for Performance, and his career across theatre and television has seen him tackling projects as diverse as musical theatre, Shakespeare and Disney. He is the co-founder of theatre company Ratcatch (The Van De Maar Papers, The Linden Solution) and co-director of Bondi Kids Drama, a boutique drama school offering classes to young people in the Eastern Suburbs. Alexander is drawn to themes of family, ambition, failure and legacy: how human nature can flit with ease between compassion and cruelty. He also likes Celtic fiddle, mac & cheese and cats.

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