Ken Preuss

10-MINUTE PLAY: A student, home from college for the funeral of a friend, and a singer, hired to perform at the service, meet by chance outside the church, conversing, confessing, and connecting in unexpected ways.

10-MINUTE PLAY: A deep dive into her boyfriend’s Sci-Fi favorites sends Daisy over the deep end. (This piece pays tribute to classic sci-fi and horror movies, novels, and television shows.)

10-MINUTE PLAY: Dave and Destiny meet on a street and struggle to discover why they recognize each other. Are they crazy? Have they met before? Is there a deeper connection? Perhaps all three.
Note: UK and Canadian adaptations with regional reference are also available.

“A Dave With Destiny... subverts the cliches of opposites attracting and the cliche of dreams foretelling someone’s love life in a way that’s sweet and funny." - Richard Sanford, Columbus Underground. https://www.columbusunderground.com/big-gamble-in-madlabs-2018-theatre-…

10-MINUTE PLAY: A female researcher and her wealthy benefactor, both missing something in their lives, explore multiple timelines to find the feasibility of 100% happiness.

WINNER: Best Dramatic Screenplay, The Hive Collaborative The Ten Show Season 2, 2020

10-MINUTE PLAY: A two-character, workplace comedy with a sci-fi twist. An employee, introduced to the minutia and machinations of a new job, discovers the fantastical and philosophical truths about deadlines, duties, and the destiny of mankind.

An audition for Hamlet at Glenmark College goes comically awry becoming a matter of life and death... and afterlife.

10-MINUTE PLAY: An author attending a monthly meeting of her critique circle discovers some unexpected and unethical similarities between her writing and that of her peers.

Winner, 2020 Shakespeare in the 'Burg One-Act Playwright Competition

Friends, Ron and Suzie, meet 3 times across 60 years, exploring poetry, geometry, friendship, romance, and other complicated things.

10-MINUTE PLAY: Greg visits his friend’s apartment to discover that his friend, Jon, and his date, Roni, have binged their entire relationship in one night. Confusion and comedy ensue.

WINNER: Best Short Comedy, 2015: Playwrights' Round Table, Orlando, Fl.

10-MINUTE PLAY: Four women in Heaven try to perfect their pitch, convincing God to include their planet, Earth, in the big plans.

An attempt at the world’s most beautiful first date teeters precariously between amazing and annoying.

Alora’s boyfriend, Hughey, is making all her dreams come true, but it’s not quite what she expected. She turns to her friend, Shelby, for clarity, courage, and comfort.

10-MINUTE PLAY: Ella sets out to prove that her best friend, Ana, is still in love with an ex-girlfriend. Wordplay, romance, and smoothies ensue.

Gay Shorts II 2018 Review: "Florida-based playwright Ken Preuss has concocted a wordplay-inspired confection, Ava, that explores the idea that you express your subconscious interest in another person if his or her name appears frequently in your vocabulary." (http://artsfuse.org/170948/theater-review-gay-shorts-part-2-we-are-fami…)

Two friends overlooking one of nature’s wonders wonder if they’re overlooking the nature of their friendship.

A young woman breaks a mirror and is offered options by an agent in charge of dispensing the bad luck. Will she spread the bad luck across 7 years or take it all in one lump sum?

A woman relives a tumultuous year as she flips through a calendar she is about to discard. Hitchcock, humor, heartbreak, and horror ensue.

A young man tries to impress a girl by making her laugh on their blind date. Things go horribly and comically awry. (Gender of either character could be changed if desired.)

An experienced worker and a possible recruit explore the mysteries and machinations of The Waiting Room.

In this dark comedy, a mother with cancer returns to the family beach house with her twenty-something daughters hoping to share some final reflections and revelations.

A marriage counselor finds an unorthodox way to help an unusual quarreling couple who speak exclusively in Beatles lyrics.

In interlocking scenes, two couples try to piece together their crumbing puzzle of a relationship.

While preparing decorations for a dance, two teens pin hearts, make puns, and pine for their dream dates.

On the one-year anniversary of a government shutdown, two members of a theatre company rendezvous in their shuttered theatre.

A nervous woman and a female officer view a line-up of men through a two-way mirror.

WINNER: Best Overall Production, Beth Marshall presents Play-in-a-Day 2016

Three people meet outside of a nightclub closed after a tragedy.
Music, friendship, and hope emerge.
Along with a few jokes.

"a tiny gem of musical magic realism" (https://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/beth-marshalls-annual-play-in-a-d…)

A female astronaut, at the start of a two-year solo mission, discovers her girlfriend has stowed away on the ship.

Two isolated characters connect by phone to discuss feeling disconnected from their partners, leading to a surprise resolution.

As newly-dating couple packs a dorm and prepares for a summer apart, their conversations, confrontations, and confessions explore past loves, present feelings, and future plans.

*Winner: Best Play, Beth Marshall Presents: Play-in-a-Day 2015, Orlando Fl.

A boy scout’s public project has unexpected political and comical repercussions leading to simultaneous recruitment from the army, a college, and a talent agency.

*Review: ‘Fringe POP [Performance over Projection]’ at Capital Fringe (Washington DC) - by Nicole Hertvik on October 7, 2016 - "The strongest play of the bunch, this story of a young man who accidentally becomes an internet sensation fits perfectly into the theme of what is public and what is private." (https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2016/10/07/review-fringe-pop-performance…)

Three people meet in a restaurant to discuss a sale of a rare collectible item. Bargaining, backstabbing, and bullying ensue.

On Halloween night, the anniversary of a loved one’s death, members of a family deal with love and loss in different ways

A young trick-or-treater gets more than he bargained for when he visits the home of an unusual family.

Matt attempts to buy a gift for his girlfriend, Katie, while an unexpected visitor brings extraordinary news that may alter his decision... and his future. (1 female role is a silent walk-on on final page.)

* "The Gift of the Matt-Guy," is a wonderfully plotted short play that has Matt visited by iterations of his future self as he tries to decide what Christmas gift to buy for his girlfriend. All his choices seem to lead to dismal futures, but a twist ending leaves everything delightfully explained. The writing here is the star. ("http://theaterreview.com/index.php?productionurl=5001&maindata=proddeta…)

Two twenty-something women, quarantined apart after a first date, connect online in hopes of arranging a second one.

An unexpected guest sends an online family birthday celebration off the rails, changing everyone involved.

"Karen" shows up at Skye’s door with a cat and a handful of complaints.

An author attending an online meeting of her critique circle discovers some unexpected and unethical similarities between her writing and that of her peers.

Dave and Destiny meet in an online seminar and struggle to discover why they both recognize each other. Are they crazy? Have they met before? Is there a deeper connection? Perhaps all three.

REVIEW: "The stand-out (and most absurdist) piece of the night was Ken Preuss’ A Dave with Destiny. Preuss weaves in layer upon layer of witty word play, combining existentialist themes with genuinely funny jokes. A laugh a minute, A Dave with Destiny is one piece that very much deserves to be watched again and again." - Samuel Nicholls (www.theupcoming.co.uk) reviewing Bare Essentials 5: Far from Home Online - Oct 1 2020

A young woman breaks a mirror and is offered options by an online agent in charge of dispensing the 7 years of bad luck. Will she spread the bad luck across 7 years or take it all in one lump sum?

Four women in Heaven meet online to perfect their pitch, convincing God to include their planet, Earth, in the big plans.

A young man tries to impress a girl by making her laugh on their online blind date. Things go horribly and comically awry. (Gender of either character could be changed if desired.)

A two-character, workplace comedy with a sci-fi twist. An employee, introduced to the minutia and machinations of a new job, discovers the fantastical and philosophical truths about deadlines, duties, and the destiny of mankind.

Wren and her Aunt Robin text and talk about Wren’s very recent ex-boyfriend.

Candice records a video diary recounting how the quarantine transformed her epic romance into an epic fail.
(A UK Version of this script is also available.)

Lilly records a video diary recounting how the quarantine transformed her epic romance into an epic fail. Her sister, Rose, chimes in with comedic commentary.

(A UK Version of this script is also available.)

Justin is too shy to reveal his feelings for new girl, Katie. Luckily - or perhaps unluckily - his best friend Scott offers some advice. Can notebook mix-ups, drama club auditions, and stories of misunderstood robots, possibly lead to a happy ending?
(This short script for middle or high school performers is also available as a One-Act Play)

Justin is too shy to reveal his feelings for new girl, Katie. Luckily - or perhaps unluckily - his best friend Scott offers some advice. Can notebook mix-ups, drama club auditions, and stories of misunderstood robots, possibly lead to a happy ending?
(NOTE: This play for high school and middle school students is also available as a Ten-Minute play.)

In the hustle of the holidays, Dave and Destiny struggle to discover why they recognize each other. Are they crazy? Have they met before? Is there a deeper connection? Perhaps all three.

Note: UK and Canadian adaptations with regional reference are also available.

An unexpected guest sends an online family Christmas gathering off the rails, changing everyone involved.

Hoping to attend Ladies Night with a friend, Claire tries to assume the identity on her just-purchased fake ID.

Two friends debate fate as a phone app claims to show images of their faces 2 minutes in the future.

Tess tutors Kip in the art of letting go of the past and embracing new possibilities… or maybe she’s just helping him clean his apartment.

College student Emma’s plan for a quiet night reading GREAT EXPECTATIONS is interrupted by her new roommate, Dawn.

Mel suffers from an unusual fear during a quarantine.

Elementary school buddies, Suzie and Ronnie, discuss “like” letters written to crushes.

A trio of comedic shorts explore the woe and whimsy experienced by workers dealing with deadlines, duties, and the destiny of mankind.

Students playfully banter about an absent student while their teacher tries to secure a volunteer for an upcoming talent show.