Kate Tarker

American playwright, lyricist, and librettist, who grew up bilingually in Germany. I write offbeat countercultural plays and musicals for fun-loving audiences. Plays include Montag (Soho Rep., Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe), THUNDERBODIES (Soho Rep.), Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man (The Wilma, FoolsFURY), and Laura and the Sea (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble). Music-Theatre includes The Counterfeit Opera (Little Island) and A Period of Animate Existence (Pig Iron). My plays have been developed at: The Vineyard Theatre, The Wilma, Ars Nova, New York Theatre Workshop, The Playwrights’ Center, The Lark, Soho Rep., Theatre503, and The O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, among other places. Recognition includes: Jerome Fellowship, The Vineyard’s Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, Next Forever...

American playwright, lyricist, and librettist, who grew up bilingually in Germany. I write offbeat countercultural plays and musicals for fun-loving audiences. Plays include Montag (Soho Rep., Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe), THUNDERBODIES (Soho Rep.), Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man (The Wilma, FoolsFURY), and Laura and the Sea (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble). Music-Theatre includes The Counterfeit Opera (Little Island) and A Period of Animate Existence (Pig Iron). My plays have been developed at: The Vineyard Theatre, The Wilma, Ars Nova, New York Theatre Workshop, The Playwrights’ Center, The Lark, Soho Rep., Theatre503, and The O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, among other places. Recognition includes: Jerome Fellowship, The Vineyard’s Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, Next Forever Commission, Theater Masters’ Visionary Playwright Award, Core Writer at Playwrights' Center, Audrey Resident at New Georges. Residencies at MacDowell Colony, Tofte Lake Center, and SPACE at Ryder Farm. Published in The Paris Review and by McSweeney's. BA Reed. MFA Yale.

read more

Scripts

GOD IS DEAD, LET'S MAKE LOVE

by Kate Tarker

Cast Size
5
Genre
comedy

Nina reallllly likes Scott. Scott reallllly likes Nina. Scott is super happily married to Meg. Meg is super happily seeing other people. There’s a Google Document with some simple rules to keep everyone sane. Nina doesn’t have permission to edit it.

A wild romp through the power dynamics and deepest yearnings of three clueless explorers of distinctly American non-monogamy.

Nina reallllly likes Scott. Scott reallllly likes Nina. Scott is super happily married to Meg. Meg is super happily seeing other people. There’s a Google Document with some simple rules to keep everyone sane. Nina doesn’t have permission to edit it.

A wild romp through the power dynamics and deepest yearnings of three clueless explorers of distinctly American non-monogamy.

MONTAG

by Kate Tarker

1
Cast Size
4
Genre
dark comedy,
drama,
experimental,
movement/physical,
mystery/thriller,
opera,
tragedy

Faith and Novella are fun-loving, thirty-something besties living in a tiny German town near a U.S. military base. Typically they spend their nights clubbing, but tonight, in Novella’s basement apartment, they’re practicing some unusual combat drills–armed with wine, potato chips, and the very best speakers they can afford.

Faith and Novella are fun-loving, thirty-something besties living in a tiny German town near a U.S. military base. Typically they spend their nights clubbing, but tonight, in Novella’s basement apartment, they’re practicing some unusual combat drills–armed with wine, potato chips, and the very best speakers they can afford.

LAURA AND THE SEA

by Kate Tarker

5
Cast Size
6
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy

It’s company outing day, and Laura, one of the top travel agents of her generation, is quite possibly having both the best and worst day of her life. So much so that she decides to end it all. Afterwards, her colleagues try to piece things together on a memorial blog, but how do you mourn someone you didn’t know that well?

A darkly funny drama about living and dying in the age of digital intimacy.

It’s company outing day, and Laura, one of the top travel agents of her generation, is quite possibly having both the best and worst day of her life. So much so that she decides to end it all. Afterwards, her colleagues try to piece things together on a memorial blog, but how do you mourn someone you didn’t know that well?

A darkly funny drama about living and dying in the age of digital intimacy.

DIONYSUS WAS SUCH A NICE MAN

by Kate Tarker

Cast Size
6
Genre
adaptation,
dark comedy,
fable/folktale,
movement/physical,
tragedy

When a far-out family of shepherds on the outskirts of the Corinthian suburbs learn their adopted son Oedipus has ascended the throne of Thebes, they plan a bender to end all benders. But who’s on cleanup after the party’s over? Equal parts irreverent comedy and emotional journey into family and societal dysfunction, this play examines with horror and humor the lasting effects of buried trauma.

When a far-out family of shepherds on the outskirts of the Corinthian suburbs learn their adopted son Oedipus has ascended the throne of Thebes, they plan a bender to end all benders. But who’s on cleanup after the party’s over? Equal parts irreverent comedy and emotional journey into family and societal dysfunction, this play examines with horror and humor the lasting effects of buried trauma.

THUNDERBODIES

by Kate Tarker

2
Cast Size
5
Genre
adventure,
comedy,
commedia dell'arte,
dark comedy,
experimental,
political,
satire

The war is finally over. General Michail proposes to Grotilde—so she skips ahead and plans the inevitable, but festive, divorce. Meanwhile, the weather is playing tricks on people, as is The President, and Grotilde's son won't accept the armistice. In this comedy of no manners, everyone is normible (both normal and terrible all at once).

The war is finally over. General Michail proposes to Grotilde—so she skips ahead and plans the inevitable, but festive, divorce. Meanwhile, the weather is playing tricks on people, as is The President, and Grotilde's son won't accept the armistice. In this comedy of no manners, everyone is normible (both normal and terrible all at once).