Morris McLennan

Morris McLennan is a writer from Chicago, IL. He holds a BFA in Playwriting from DePaul University. He is the recipient of the Zach Helm Endowed Playwriting Scholarship, the Bundschu Award, a DeGroot Foundation Writer of Note award, a Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Individual Artist Project grant, a Robert Chelsey/ Victor Bumbalo Foundation Award, a Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Residency, a Cottonwood Residency, and a MAP Fund grant. His plays have been workshopped & produced with the support of DePaul University, King’s College, DCASE, Pocket Theatre VR, and Cypress Productions. His writing has appeared in Adelaide, underscore_magazine, and more. You can purchase his new poetry chapbook, Poems for Employees, from Bottlecap Press. You can view his work at...

Morris McLennan is a writer from Chicago, IL. He holds a BFA in Playwriting from DePaul University. He is the recipient of the Zach Helm Endowed Playwriting Scholarship, the Bundschu Award, a DeGroot Foundation Writer of Note award, a Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Individual Artist Project grant, a Robert Chelsey/ Victor Bumbalo Foundation Award, a Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Residency, a Cottonwood Residency, and a MAP Fund grant. His plays have been workshopped & produced with the support of DePaul University, King’s College, DCASE, Pocket Theatre VR, and Cypress Productions. His writing has appeared in Adelaide, underscore_magazine, and more. You can purchase his new poetry chapbook, Poems for Employees, from Bottlecap Press. You can view his work at morrismclennan.net.

Scripts

The Psychonauts

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Michael and Devin meet on a cruise ship. Their goal: ten days of debauchery. They snort and smoke and sleep together under the pretense that they'll never see each other again. But when Devin starts his first day of work at the same law firm as Michael, they're going to need to figure out how to deal with each other as professionals, even maybe friends. They figure out that they have more in common than not, and...

Michael and Devin meet on a cruise ship. Their goal: ten days of debauchery. They snort and smoke and sleep together under the pretense that they'll never see each other again. But when Devin starts his first day of work at the same law firm as Michael, they're going to need to figure out how to deal with each other as professionals, even maybe friends. They figure out that they have more in common than not, and can no longer deny wanting to be in each others' lives. But Michael has been hiding everything from his wife, and needs to come clean before they can figure out how to be together.

Red Eye

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

A barista prepares for an international coffee competition. This play is ten minutes long, unless you make all the coffee live onstage, which can make it longer.

A barista prepares for an international coffee competition. This play is ten minutes long, unless you make all the coffee live onstage, which can make it longer.

Savior Complex

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Inspired by gay erotic genre fiction, Savior Complex is the story of a transgender prostitute working in the corporate office of the Chicago Italian mafia. Savior Complex is both an intimate two-person drama and an outlandish pornographic villain origin story, reflecting the duality and absurdism of bodies under capitalism.

Inspired by gay erotic genre fiction, Savior Complex is the story of a transgender prostitute working in the corporate office of the Chicago Italian mafia. Savior Complex is both an intimate two-person drama and an outlandish pornographic villain origin story, reflecting the duality and absurdism of bodies under capitalism.

In the Valley

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

"In the Valley" follows the story of Brynjar, a soldier from a puppet cult on a quest to kill witches. When Yan, a witch, saves his life, Brynjar has to reckon with his beliefs and understanding of himself. "In the Valley" is an exciting and experimental new play about the future of queer culture & information after the end of the survivable environment.

"In the Valley" follows the story of Brynjar, a soldier from a puppet cult on a quest to kill witches. When Yan, a witch, saves his life, Brynjar has to reckon with his beliefs and understanding of himself. "In the Valley" is an exciting and experimental new play about the future of queer culture & information after the end of the survivable environment.

"The Ice Prince's Assassin" & Other Metaphors for Loneliness

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

""The Ice Prince's Assassin" & Other Metaphors for Loneliness" tells the story of a romance writer's first relationship after transitioning. Samson is trying to describe their life like a romance novel, but the manifestation of their inner monologue keeps bringing the vibe down. Together, the author and the internal critic take the audience on a journey of first love, coming out of the closet, self-acceptance...

""The Ice Prince's Assassin" & Other Metaphors for Loneliness" tells the story of a romance writer's first relationship after transitioning. Samson is trying to describe their life like a romance novel, but the manifestation of their inner monologue keeps bringing the vibe down. Together, the author and the internal critic take the audience on a journey of first love, coming out of the closet, self-acceptance, and finding home in the big city.

Crossing

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Stan and Parker meet at work. This year at a National Park in a few miles south of the Canadian border, next year on the train to a ski resort, next year in another ghost town in the middle of nowhere. As seasonal tourism staff, they’re completely isolated from the American queer community. Years pass and they try to figure out how to have community in transient spaces. Crossing is a play about queer friendship...

Stan and Parker meet at work. This year at a National Park in a few miles south of the Canadian border, next year on the train to a ski resort, next year in another ghost town in the middle of nowhere. As seasonal tourism staff, they’re completely isolated from the American queer community. Years pass and they try to figure out how to have community in transient spaces. Crossing is a play about queer friendship and the barriers we create for ourselves when we’re afraid of being understood.

Meeting Points

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Meeting Points follows the lives of four queer twentysomethings living in Chicago in the near future. Their quest for fulfilling interpersonal relationships is disrupted by a climate apocalypse. At the end of the world, they find that connection is a survival need.

Meeting Points follows the lives of four queer twentysomethings living in Chicago in the near future. Their quest for fulfilling interpersonal relationships is disrupted by a climate apocalypse. At the end of the world, they find that connection is a survival need.

Hexafoil

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Brian meets most of the psychological requirements to be a serial killer. When he discovers an ability to bring back the dead, he goes on a wacky anti-killer adventure with his new undead not-quite-girlfriend. They meet up with some witches to try to figure out what's going on. And at the end of the day, they're right back where they started.

Brian meets most of the psychological requirements to be a serial killer. When he discovers an ability to bring back the dead, he goes on a wacky anti-killer adventure with his new undead not-quite-girlfriend. They meet up with some witches to try to figure out what's going on. And at the end of the day, they're right back where they started.

Satan Saves

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

Satan Saves is a one-person play about a profoundly depressed transgender person who makes a deal with the devil to live a little bit longer.

Satan Saves is a one-person play about a profoundly depressed transgender person who makes a deal with the devil to live a little bit longer.

October

by Morris McLennan

Synopsis

A ten minute play about a closeted cisgender man and an out transgender man falling in love but not knowing how to talk about it. A silly surreal adventure told with moments of connection.

A ten minute play about a closeted cisgender man and an out transgender man falling in love but not knowing how to talk about it. A silly surreal adventure told with moments of connection.