* Typically runs between 10 and 30 minutes
* Has a single storyline or conflict
* Usually has a small cast of characters
* Is often used for educational purposes or as a way to showcase new playwrights
* Examples of one-act plays: Anton Chekhov's The Proposal, Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie
Three-act play
* Typically runs between 90 and 120 minutes
* Has multiple storylines or conflicts
* Usually has a larger cast of characters
* Is more complex and ambitious in terms of storytelling
* Examples of three-act plays: William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross