Free template
Stage Play Template, Format and Sample Script
In standard US stage play format, character names sit centred in capitals above their lines, dialogue runs the full width of the page, and stage directions are indented, italicised and wrapped in parentheses. Acts and scenes get centred headings. Type your scene below and the template formats it as you go.
Written and reviewed by ScriptLix Editorial
Stage play formatter
A name in capitals on its own line starts a speech. A paragraph on its own is a stage direction. ACT ONE or SCENE 2 on a line by itself becomes a heading.
ACT ONE
SCENE 1
(A hospital waiting room, after midnight. Three plastic chairs bolted together. A vending machine hums. RUTH, sixties, sits very upright with a handbag on her knees. MILO, twenties, enters with two cups of tea.)
MILO
They only had the one with lemon.
RUTH
I didn't ask for tea.
MILO
(Holding it out anyway.)
You didn't ask for me either.
(RUTH takes the cup. She does not drink it.)
RUTH
Your mother would have brought biscuits.
MILO
My mother isn't speaking to you.
(Pause. The vending machine clunks. Neither of them looks at it.)
SCENE 2
(The same. An hour later. MILO is asleep across two chairs. RUTH has drunk the tea.)
The sample above is a short original scene you can edit or replace. Writing for the screen instead? Use the screenplay format guide or the TV script format guide, and build your cast with the character profile template.
Play script format: a sample page
ACT ONE
SCENE 1
(A railway waiting room at night. One bench, one clock that is ten minutes fast. VERA, seventies, sits with a suitcase on her knees. TOM, twenties, enters with a mop.)
TOM
We close at midnight.
VERA
The last train is at ten past.
TOM
(checking the clock)
That clock lies.
VERA
So do timetables. I will wait.
(TOM leans the mop against the wall and sits at the other end of the bench.)
- Act and scene headings are centred, in capitals, and each act starts on a new page.
- Character names are centred in capitals above every speech.
- Dialogue runs the full width of the page, so plays read denser than screenplays.
- Stage directions are indented, in italics and in parentheses, and stay in present tense.
- Short acting directions sit on their own line under the name, in parentheses.
- Use a 12 point font such as Times New Roman or Courier, and number every page.
What does the same scene look like as a screenplay and as a play?
The screenplay tells a camera where to be and cuts in late. The play sets the stage in a direction and lets the actors enter, because the audience sees the whole room at once.
Screenplay
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - NIGHT
Three plastic chairs bolted together. RUTH (60s) sits upright, handbag on her knees. MILO (20s) offers a cup of tea.
MILO
They only had the one with lemon.
RUTH
I didn't ask for tea.
Stage play
(A hospital waiting room, after midnight. Three plastic chairs bolted together. RUTH, sixties, sits upright, handbag on her knees. MILO, twenties, enters with two cups of tea.)
MILO
They only had the one with lemon.
RUTH
I didn't ask for tea.
How to use it
- 1
Type a name in capitals on its own line, with the speech on the lines under it.
- 2
Put stage directions in their own paragraph, and ACT ONE or SCENE 2 on a line by itself.
- 3
Pick US Letter or A4, then save as PDF or copy the formatted text.
Stage play format at a glance
| Element | How it looks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Act heading | Centred, capitals, new page | ACT ONE |
| Scene heading | Centred, capitals | SCENE 2 |
| Character name | Centred, capitals, above the speech | RUTH |
| Dialogue | Full width from the left margin | I didn’t ask for tea. |
| Stage direction | Indented, italic, in parentheses | (She does not drink it.) |
| Direction inside a speech | Own line, italic, in parentheses | (Holding it out anyway.) |
How is a stage play different from a screenplay?
A screenplay is a blueprint for a camera: scene headings tell the crew where to shoot, and action lines describe images. A play is written for one space and a live audience, so there are no INT. or EXT. headings, no camera and no cuts. Scene changes cost real time on stage, which is why plays tend to have fewer, longer scenes.
The words carry more weight in theatre. Dialogue runs the full width of the page, and stage directions are kept lean because directors and actors make many of those choices in the room. Ownership differs too: in film the screenplay is usually sold outright, while a playwright generally keeps the rights and approval over changes to the text.
What goes at the front of a play script?
A title page (title, author, contact details), then a page listing the characters with a short description of each, then the setting and time. Some playwrights add a note on casting or style. After that the play begins with ACT ONE or, for a one act play, with the first scene.
How do you write stage directions?
Write only what the audience will see or hear: entrances, exits, important business and the state of the stage. Use the present tense and keep it short. Put character names in capitals inside directions so actors can find their moves. Avoid directing line readings in parentheses unless the meaning would otherwise be lost.
Is there one official play format?
No. Publishers, competitions and theatres each have house styles, and many ask for a specific layout in their submission guidelines. The format here follows the most common US convention, often called Samuel French style. Always check what a submission asks for, and change the template to match.
Questions writers ask
What is the format for a play script?
Character names centred in capitals, dialogue below at full width, stage directions indented in italics and parentheses, and centred act and scene headings. Use a 12 point font and number every page.
Is there a sample play script format I can copy?
Yes. The sample page on this template shows an act heading, a scene heading, a stage direction, character names and a short exchange in standard US play script format. Type over the editor above to format your own.
Do stage directions go in parentheses?
In the common US format, yes: indented, in italics and inside parentheses. Short directions inside a speech go on their own line, also in parentheses.
What font should a stage play use?
Twelve point Times New Roman or Courier are both widely accepted. Follow the submission guidelines if a theatre or contest names one.
How long is a one act play?
There is no fixed length. One act plays run from ten minute plays of about ten pages up to full one act pieces. Contests usually state a page or running time limit.
Can I use screenwriting software for a play?
Many screenwriting apps include a stage play template. This page formats a play in the browser for free, and saves to PDF in US Letter or A4.