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Ken Preuss

KEN PREUSS  (1966 - )

 Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    n/a


Ken Preuss is a Central Florida-based writer and teacher. His one-act comedies for high school and middle school students include Alienated, Spy TV, Wishful Thinking, and Juliet's Ghost. He is also the co-author of the book The Amazing Dad: 400 Ways to Wow the Kids. Mr. Preuss worked as a theater director, an actor, a magician, a balloon artist, a deejay, and an improvisational comedian before dedicating himself to teaching, where he could guarantee himself an audience five days a week. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from the University of Central Florida and lives just outside of Orlando with his wife and two sons.

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below is a list of Ken Preuss's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

 Alienated         Campsite Chaos: A Frantically Romantic Love Story         Juliet's Ghost         Moving Experience, A         Real Me, The         Shuffling         Socking the Octopus         Spy TV         Wishful Thinking

Alienated

Synopsis:
Twenty-six typical wise-cracking seniors gather to solve the mystery of a bright light that has occurred every six years of their lives: the year they were born, kindergarten, sixth and now twelfth grade. Rumor has it that one of the students is an alien receiving communications. Is it the diva, the jock, the slacker, the nerd, the actor or one of the others? Everyone has something weird to hide. Each deflects suspicion onto another until they realize that everyone's alienated in their own way: a surprising fact, but not nearly as surprising as the revelation of the true alien secret.

Notes:
Many roles Are flexible. 40 minutes running time

1st Produced:
Discovery Middle School, Orlando, Fl    2001

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Contemporary Drama Service (2002)   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy One Act

Parts:
Male:  10            Female:  16            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Campsite Chaos: A Frantically Romantic Love Story

Synopsis:
Zoe thinks a quiet, romantic camping trip in the middle of nowhere should be the perfect opportunity for her easily-distracted boyfriend Perry to finally pop the question. But this idea seems nearly impossible when a steady stream of unexpected guests -- from Robin Hood to The Safety Squirrels -- shows up! With a new forest-dweller disaster happening every time her boyfriend turns his back, will Zoe ever find a moment for a perfect proposal?

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc. (Apr 2011)   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  14 either (8-20 actors possible)

Further Reference:
-

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Juliet's Ghost

Synopsis:
On Halloween night, a group of students sneak into their high school theater to borrow costumes, but instead find themselves wrapped up in a mix of unexpected guests, unrequited love, and unexplained phenomena. A legendary tale of a teenage ghost lures them into to an exciting evening of Shakespeare, Spin-the-Bottle, and other scary things. . .

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Discovery Middle School (Orlando, FL, United States)    2004

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
45-60 min Comedy

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  7            Other:  6 males, 7 females

Further Reference:
-

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Moving Experience, A

Synopsis:
On the final night of spring semester, a newly-dating college couple meets in a dorm to prepare for a move. She is packing for a summer in Spain. He is trying to find out where things stand. Their rapid-paced banter tackles everything from Shakespearean quotes to sexy state capitals, from the rules of wishing to the perils of romance, from teddy bear voodoo dolls to the dreaded energy drink of death. As they fill up the boxes and open up about the relationship, their comical conversations, confrontations, and confessions explore past loves, present feelings, and future plans.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Valencia Community College    2010

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Next Stage Press, 2010   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
31 min Comedy

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Real Me, The

Synopsis:
Who is the real Annie? Is it the girl regaling the audience with her romantic misadventures, the girl acting out those adventures on the other side of the stage, or the girl in the audience who claims to be the playwright? All three Annies interact in this heartwarming comedy about finding the courage to be yourself -- not on stage, but in real life. As she strives to win her crush's heart, Annie is joined by a rambunctious cast of characters including her sharp-witted best friend, her wisecracking brother, an admirer named Dorkboy, and a grumbling Stagehand

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Edison Collegiate High School    2010

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York (2009)   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
45-60 min Comedy

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  7            Other:  13 actors possible: 7-8 females, 5-6

Further Reference:
-

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Shuffling

Synopsis:
Lacey, a teenage girl, has finished work at the mall and is waiting - and waiting - for her boyfriend to pick her up. Left stranded yet again, she reevaluates her love life while shuffling through the songs on her iPod. Actors portraying each of the songs appear with comedic monologues that stir her emotions, offer advice, and affect her decisions. Ethan, a good-humored co-worker, offers her a ride home and the possibility of future romance. The play may be performed with anywhere from 3 to 16 actors. Actors playing Songs portray the spirit and style of the genre rather than a particular musical number. Without mimicking a specific artist, your audience may make their own connections - creating individual personal playlists - as the performance unfolds.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Greenwood Lakes Middle School    2010

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Eldridge Plays & Musicals, 2010   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
30 min Comedy

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:   (1-14 flexible roles)

Further Reference:
-

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Socking the Octopus

Synopsis:
For Hannah, writing a play for a zany contest is like trying to put socks on an octopus: almost impossible! She needs the help of her best friends, Isabel and Darin, and a full cast of wonderfully weird characters -- from a narcoleptic mermaid to a doomed dead king -- to get the job done. Will they be able to include every one of the contest's demands in time to submit the play? Not if the Octopus has anything to say about it! This fast-paced and hilarious short is strangely satisfying and satisfyingly strange.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Central High School, Macon, GA    27 Oct 2011

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
30 min comedy

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  6            Other:  10 either

Further Reference:
-

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Spy TV

Synopsis:
Bradbury High is a typical American classroom until Principal Orwell signs a cable television deal to broadcast the daily activities live over the air. Some students revel in newfound celebrity while others cringe at having their daily mishaps broadcast to the world. A comical clash between the stars and those who wish the cameras removed leads to an ingenuous plot to take back the school. A humorous, lively commentary on trash TV

Notes:
Many roles Are flexible. 45 minutes running time

1st Produced:
Discovery Middle School, Orlando, Fl    1996

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Contemporary Drama Service (1997)   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy One Act

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  15            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Wishful Thinking

Synopsis:
In a typical, English classroom, a group of students are scheduled to take a big test on "The Monkey's Paw," the short story about making wishes. The appearance of a mysterious and quirky substitute and a rabbit's foot the works monkey's paw-like magic leads to hilarious debates on what to wish for, ironic results from each attempt, and comical karma for those who dare to tempt fate.

Notes:
Many roles Are flexible. 30 minutes running time

1st Produced:
Discovery Middle School, Orlando, Fl    1995

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Contemporary Drama Service (1996)   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy One Act

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  13            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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