The 10-minute play is a unique theater genre that has taken hold in recent years, with many one-act festivals ranging from community-based events to international galas. Last weekend, guided by executive producers Sarah Labov and Nancy Frick, Old Academy Players opened its “Summer Bonanza.” It is a smorgasbord of seven one-act plays, each about 10 minutes long.

Their yearly “Summer Bonanza” was created by Chris Schenk in 2009. The foundational idea was to open up the stage to newcomers, to give novice playwrights, directors, actors and stagecraft workers entry into the world of theater. Old Academy tries to discover unpublished plays. This year, 11 of the 23 actors are new to the Old Academy stage, and it is a first-time experience for four of the seven directors.

“Summer Bonanza” 2026 starts up in high gear with “Shut Up and Listen,” written and directed by Jerry Jennings. Rex (Chase Dannelly), an intern therapist, is in agony. Disliked by his clients, Rex begs his supervisor, Sandy (Precious Emmanuel), to teach him the inside tricks involved in engaging with patients.

But Sandy comically frustrates Rex with her singular insistency. It is a familiar trope, from literature (Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” for example) to vaudeville skits (like the Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” routine). “Shut Up” is primarily the comedy of deliberate frustration. Yet it also hints that, when it comes to helping others, attentive conviviality matters more than neo-gnostic claims to secret knowledge.

Director Doug Tague strikes a warmer chord with “Crowbar,” written by Sara Freedman. Riley (Jade Cox) quietly works on her laptop when her mother, Jo (Laura Somogie), tells her that she invited an older neighbor, Bill (Nick Lutwyche), to the house. At first, Riley is annoyed, until she and Bill unexpectedly bond across generations. It is the only play not driven by a comic sensibility.

“Leo/Lisa” by Kathy Passero takes you back to the studio of Leonardo DaVinci in 15th-century Florence. Randy and Joan Shupp direct strong performances by Jaideep Mujumdar and Regina Zeng, who bring the great polymath artist and his model to life. “Make me interesting,” she asks. With references to homosexuality and women’s rights, it is the only one-act play with a political inference.

“Cue” by Kate Danley ends the first half on a high note. Directed by Marc Johnson, it is hilarious. Mary (Kelci Schlierf) trysts with John (Gregory Lepore), but they worry that Mary’s husband, Tom (Matt Thompson), will walk in on them. Their schlock romance would be funny on its own terms. But Danley doubles down on the satire as Tom keeps missing his entrance cues, forcing the clandestine lovers to repeat hokey lines, like “Love does not know the meaning of impossible.”

Following intermission, “Hello,” written by Dana Leslie Goldstein and directed by Haley Dunning, drew boisterous applause on opening night. A daughter, Tina (Sarah Velcofsky), is entrapped by her parents’ combative estrangement. Herman, the father, is wheelchair dependent and lives in a nursing home. Loretta, the mother, is in independent living. Both are jealous of their time with Tina. With some of the evening’s best acting, Norma Kider and Clint Cleaver mine the comedy of this quarrelsome odd couple, creating two distinct personalities. In a Neil Simon spirit, “Hello” proceeds to an unhappy, happy ending.

Two provocative one-acts wrap up the evening. “Unboxed” by Jean Ciampi is a take-off on writer’s block. Directed by Rachel Dalton, creative writer Willa (Victoria Anne) is haunted by characters who escape boxes of discarded works. (Actors: Emmie Ledesma, Elliott Rotman, Jane Jennings.) “Game Night” by Maria Riillo is about a family game of charades that ends up in a discovery no one expected. Kim Hess directs six actors who each have a shiny charade moment. (Actors: Chris Cutrufello, James Hearn, Jennifer Russ, Harry Callahan, Anna Kaminetz, Ava Callista,)

Much like the traditional Christmas “Panto” at People’s Light, the Summer Bonanza is a special event in the world of Philadelphia theater. You look forward to its arrival. The up-tempo 2026 edition celebrates the end of our theater season, and it is as much a community event as a theatrical one.

Old Academy Players is located at 3540-44 Indian Queen Lane. “Summer One-Act Bonanza” will run through July 19. Tickets are available at 215-843-1109.