Dead Giveaway by Daniel Guyton

DEAD GIVEAWAY - 1M,1F. One-Act (10 min); Robert buys his wife an unconventional gift for Valentine's Day, which leads to an awkward conversation about love after death.

*Winner of the Judge's Choice Award in the Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia, 2017.*
Winner of the People's Choice Award in the Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia, 2017.*
*Winner of...
DEAD GIVEAWAY - 1M,1F. One-Act (10 min); Robert buys his wife an unconventional gift for Valentine's Day, which leads to an awkward conversation about love after death.

*Winner of the Judge's Choice Award in the Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia, 2017.*
Winner of the People's Choice Award in the Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia, 2017.*
*Winner of the Audience Favorite Award in the Short+Sweet Festival in Manila, Philippines, 2016*
*Winner of the A.R.T. Valentine's Day Playwriting Competition, 2015*
*Winner of the End of the Road New Play Festival Judges' Choice Award, 2015*
*Semi-Finalist in the Minnesota Shorts Festival of Plays, 2015*
*Honorable Mention in the Storefront Theatre Playwriting Competition, 2015*

"I am the bearer of great news. The independent assessor of the plays has decided [DEAD GIVEAWAY] was the BEST play of all the plays (over 70) submitted. The play was rehearsed yesterday and the actors concerned (as we piloted 8 plays) ALSO decided it was the best play. What this means is that it WILL be performed. There is still one more judging process - the audience - but the likelihood [is that] yours will be the overall winner." (Margaret Taylor, Almost Random Theatre, 2015)

"Excuse me for gushing forth, but that was a dynamite piece you brought in - a laugh-a-minute piece of entertainment... You are amazingly talented." (Hank Kimmel, Working Title Playwrights, 2015)

"That was one of the best Shorts I have ever seen." (Mary Marshall, Working Title Playwrights, 2015)

"On Valentine’s Day, Denise (Elisabeth Cooper) is presented with funeral arrangements as a gift by husband Robert (Charlie Miller). Their light-hearted discussion about their mortality leads to the hypothetical romantic future of each possible surviving spouse. It’s pleasant and cute." (Playgoer, www.theaterreview.com, 2015)

"This is a modern take of 'Until Death Us Do Part'. An excellent play. Well-written, and well-performed." (Anonymous audience member, Almost Random Theatre, 2015)

"Fantastic writing. Brilliant winner of the competition." (Anonymous audience member, Almost Random Theatre, 2015)
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Dead Giveaway

Recommended by

  • Asher Wyndham:
    15 Oct. 2017
    “ Those who are committed or married gotta talk about it - it - y'know, the big D - Death - and funeral arrangement, burial etc - and what better day to to do that than on Valentine's Day. Not. What's wrong with Daniel Guyton? A lot, and thankfully it continually results in some twisted plays. From the head of this wonderfully morbid writer comes a Valentine's Day play like no other. If you're a producer or director thinking about including a Valentine's Day play in your February showcase on love, choose this play. ”

1 male, 1 female - married couple

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Georgia Military College in Fayetteville, GA
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    Clamour Theatre Company in Fleming Island, FL
    ,
    2018
  • Reading
    ,
    Storefront Theatre in Waxhaw, NC
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Decatur Arts Festival in Atlanta, GA
    ,
    2015
  • Reading
    ,
    End of the Road Short Play Festival in Gulf Shores, AL
    ,
    2015

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    Lionheart Theatre in Norcross, GA
    ,
    2023
  • Professional
    ,
    Kettlerock Brewing Company in Norcross, GA
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Staples High School in Westport, CT
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Cambridge Rindge & Latin School in Cambridge, MA
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Pelham High School in Pelham, GA
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Austin Catholic High School in Chesterfield, MI
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Woodside Priory School in Portola Valley, CA
    ,
    2021
  • Professional
    ,
    Philly Flava Productions in Philadelphia, PA
    ,
    2021
  • High School
    ,
    Wellesley High School in Wellesley, MA
    ,
    2021
  • Professional
    ,
    Aux Dog Theatre in Albuquerque, NM
    ,
    2020
  • University
    ,
    Union University in Jackson, TN
    ,
    2020
  • Professional
    ,
    The Baxter Perkinson Center for Arts and Education in Richmond, VA
    ,
    2020
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Malverne Community Theatre in Malverne, NY
    ,
    2020
  • University
    ,
    Union University in Jackson, TN
    ,
    2020
  • Professional
    ,
    Pinewood Players of Munds Park, AZ
    ,
    2019
  • High School
    ,
    Bob Jones High School in Madison, AL
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    Dubai Drama Club in Dubai, UAE
    ,
    2019
  • High School
    ,
    The Blake School in Minneapolis, MN
    ,
    2019
  • Professional
    ,
    Metro Theatre in Brisbane, Australia
    ,
    2018
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Staged Right Theatre in Lilburn, GA
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks, CA
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Dramatists Guild Foundation, National Conference in Manhattan, NY
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Director's Cut Theatre in London, UK
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Westfield Theatre Group in Westfield, MA
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    Cohasset Dramatic Club in Cohasset, MA
    ,
    2017
  • High School
    ,
    Warren Hills Regional High School in Washington, NJ
    ,
    2017
  • University
    ,
    University of Memphis in Memphis, TN
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    ACME Theatre in Maynard, MA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    Grief Dialogues in Seattle, WA
    ,
    2016
  • Professional
    ,
    Short + Sweet Festival in Manila, Philippines
    ,
    2016
  • Workshop
    ,
    Ashland Brethren in Christ Church in Ashland, OH
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Almost Random Theatre in Oxford, UK
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Almost Random Theatre in London, UK
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Almost Random Theatre in Warsaw, Poland
    ,
    2015
  • Professional
    ,
    Onstage Atlanta in Atlanta, GA
    ,
    2015

Awards

Winner
,
Judge's Choice Award
,
Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia
,
2017
Winner
,
People's Choice Award
,
Short + Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia
,
2017
Winner
,
Audience Choice Award
,
Short + Sweet Festival in Manila, Philippines
,
2016
Winner
,
Valentine's Day Playwriting Competition
,
Almost Random Theatre
,
2015
Winner
,
Judges' Choice Award
,
End of the Road New Play Festival
,
2015
Semi-Finalist
,
10-Minute Play Competition
,
Minnesota Shorts Festival of Plays
,
2015
Honorable Mention
,
Playwriting Competition
,
Storefront Theatre
,
2015