1: To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee and Christopher Sergel Published by Heinemann

Cast: 13 males, 8 females

Themes and issues: This play is wonderfully loyal to the novel: Harper Lee's watershed work set in 1935 Alabama. This masterpiece of American fiction explores very real racial tensions and bigotry, giving us an exposition of the justice system for black people in a white world. It displays heart-wrenching courage and questions society. Perhaps it's more relevant than we would like to imagine.

Performance matters: Proscenium Arch with the Finch front porch upstage is the established staging, but I did it inthe-round in the school hall, with three entrances/exits and the balcony above the hall as the balcony of the courtroom. The production became immersive and claustrophobic on a small circular stage, and we didn't need much furniture.

Why it's great: Very often our rehearsals became PSHE, citizenship or history lessons, especially over some of the language. The text is so rich, it's a real opportunity to highlight talented actors with Atticus, Bob and Mayella. The play has comedy and heart, packaged up in a weighty social message.

Watch out for: The big tree that is supposed to be on stage – not easy for school productions. We got around this by using a leaf-patterned gobo in one of the lanterns. Another area of note is the casting of the children. They are huge roles; Scout drives the play. It's well worth older actors playing those leading roles if they can get away with it – we were lucky with a very tall Atticus Finch!

2: Cabaret

by John Kander and Fred Ebb

Licensed by Josef Weinberger Ltd.

Cast: 8 males, 10 females, ensemble

Themes and issues: Set in 1931 Berlin, a time of economic depression and the rise of Hitler's totalitarianism, the play explores anti-semitism, oppression, gender roles and motherhood.

Performance matters: We staged the play on the Proscenium Arch, with the Kit Kat Club permanently set back to the cyclorama. We utilised the club's ‘walls’ in a variety of ways by putting them on trucks (stage right and left) and in scene changes, they were spun around and moved to centre stage to reveal the train, the bedroom, and the fruit shop. This was highly effective and made the production seamless. It also makes sense, as most scenes can be set in the club.

Why it's great: There isn't a limit to the number of extras that you can employ; there are a number of big scenes to fill – chorus girls, soldiers and Kit Kat Club scenes can be expanded to an infinite number. The musical numbers provide many opportunities to showcase talented dancers and the score is sensational.

Watch out for: You will need an extremely talented female lead in the role of Sally Bowles. She carries the show and has huge musical numbers to perform. The themes may be too mature for some.

3 A Handbag

by Anthony Horowitz Published by Samuel French

Cast: 4 males, 2 females

Themes and issues: This National Theatre Connections play is set in a young offenders' institute as they attempt to rehearse The Importance of Being Earnest. It is extremely funny yet very poignant, exploring the criminal system, youth and friendship.

Performance matters: As it is just set in one room of an institution it is easy to stage in a studio or pretty much anywhere. It is contemporary, and the only furniture you might need is a couple of chairs.

Why it's great: It's short, extremely well-written and students always enjoy it. The characters are enigmatic to begin with, but the exposition of their back stories is fascinating. The humour makes it joyful to rehearse.

Watch out for: Some of the crimes committed by the characters are quite disturbing; an immature group would not be able to deal with the issues at hand. Additionally, some of their childhood stories may emotionally affect students. There are a few instances of strong language.

4 Abigail's Party

by Mike Leigh Published by Samuel French

Cast: 2 males, 3 females

Themes and issues: The British class system in the 1970s, a satirical comedy of manners set in the suburbs, the idea of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ and the rise of consumerism.

Performance matters: For examination purposes the play will need to be cut (it's originally two hours). I managed to cut it to 45 minutes without losing the integrity of the plot. You might need a large stage space to create the living room, but there is only the one set needed, with wings or flats off to the kitchen and bathroom. At one point the men leave, so the internal and external exits need to be established.

Why it's great: It is hilarious and very clever. The set and costumes are so much fun too – you can really go to town with the 70s setting. There are huge opportunities for five talented actors to really showcase a wide range of their skills. It is wonderfully easy to rehearse and stage in one room, and the build-up of tension between Beverly and Laurence is extraordinary. The film is an excellent starting point.

Watch out for: To do justice to the period, you will need a lot of furniture (preferably period), and the record player becomes very important. Actors will need time to rehearse with glasses and drinks as there is an endless cycle of drinking and pouring!

5: Fear and Misery of the Third Reich

by Bertolt Brecht Published by Methuen Drama

Cast: From 3 to 30

Themes and issues: Also known as The Private Lives of the Master Race, Brecht's 1938 anti-Nazi play explores the lives of the German people under Hitler. The twenty-four ‘playlets’ explore fear, anxiety, oppression, patriotism, poverty, violence, nationalism, socialism and of course, anti-semitism in 1930s Germany, from varying vantage points.

Performance matters: The sky is the limit if you want to produce a truly ‘Brechtian’ performance of the play utilising the features of the ‘epic’ genre – there are almost 90 roles. The play works just as well in a studio as on a stage, and the playlets provide huge freedoms and room for directorial decision.

Why it's great: Episodic in style, this play can be performed to great effect by any number of A-level students, either in a devising or scripted context. I had a small A-level class of three students who were able to multi-role a selection of scenes from the play, alongside writing and performing original songs to utilise Brecht's prologues for each scene. The play is easy to cut and manipulate, and the themes and context are outstanding in the context of a portfolio submission.

Watch out for: If you do have a small cast, the multi-roling, while effective, is difficult for an audience to discern unless the physicality is vastly different. We used a couple of ‘signifier’ costumes but the movement and gesture need a lot of development; the script alone doesn't give much.