Free plays for staging — the main pain of amateur theaters and studios. Contemporary texts are under copyright, and classics have been done to death. Chitacle offers 200+ original plays under CC BY 4.0 — stage, adapt, read.
What "free plays" means in the contemporary sense
Previously "free" meant "a classic whose copyright has expired." Today it means something else: a contemporary text whose author has deliberately opened it up for free use. This phenomenon grew thanks to Creative Commons.
Chitacle is a contemporary project that has written its entire repertoire under the CC BY 4.0 license. These are new texts in contemporary Russian, available without legal red tape.
What freedom includes
The CC BY 4.0 license allows you to:
- Reproduce copy, print, quote.
- Distribute send, publish, reprint.
- Adapt cut, change, rewrite.
- Use for any purpose non-commercial or commercial.
The only requirement: attribution to the author — Chitacle.
Who this is useful for
- Amateur theaters no legal complications.
- School and student productions educational material in contemporary Russian.
- Seminars and festivals for selection and staging.
- Acting studios for classroom readings.
- Psychologists and drama therapists working material for practice.
- Authors and translators a basis for adaptation.
What's in the Chitacle collection
- 200+ original plays.
- Genres comedy, drama, melodrama, psychological.
- Duologues F/F, M/M, M/F.
- Monoplays for women and men.
- Runtimes convenient for staging — from 20 to 45 minutes.
How to get a play for staging
Write the title or a description of the desired genre to chitacle.online@gmail.com — the file will be sent for free. You can request several options at once and choose what fits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stage a Chitacle play without approval from the author?
Yes. All Chitacle plays are freely distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0), perpetually and worldwide, with no rights claims. Staging is allowed on any stage, including for commercial purposes. The only requirement — attribution to the author (Chitacle) and links to our resources.
How do I get the play text as a file for staging?
Write to chitacle.online@gmail.com with the play's title — we'll send you the file. You learn the title during your meeting in the theater.
Can I adapt the play — cut, change lines?
Yes. The CC BY 4.0 license allows the creation of derivative works, with attribution to the author (Chitacle) and links to our resources.
Are royalty payments to collecting societies required?
No. Chitacle plays are distributed freely with no royalties or fees.
What languages does the interface support?
The Chitacle interface is in five languages: Русский · English · Español · العربية · 中文. The play repertoire is being translated and continues to grow.
How much does it cost?
Your first meeting is on us. After that — by individual meetings or a monthly subscription.
Legal side — Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.
Chitacle plays are freely distributed perpetually and worldwide, with no rights claims. You may copy, distribute, perform on stage, create derivative works, and use commercially. The only condition — attribution to the author (Chitacle) and links to our resources.
Your first meeting is on us
Head to the Dressing Room at play-read.online and check the box.
Your first meeting is on us.
Enter the theaterChitacle now speaks five languages — Русский · English · Español · العربية · 中文.
We did it quietly, but properly.