Rory O'Neill

Rory O'Neill is a playwright originally from Los Angeles, currently based in Brooklyn. In her plays, Rory loves to explore the fine line between reality and a secret other place, especially through the lens of complicated and imperfect queer characters. She loves large animals, dirt under her fingernails, and tearing things apart at the seams. Rory is proud to be a member of Theatre Write Now's 3rd Writing Cohort & The Road Theatre Company's Under Construction 7.

Select credits: untitled hamlet play (LOVECHILD Theatre Co.), Meeting Notes (Fork & Shoe Theatre Co-op), dogboy supreme (QTC Boston Developmental Residency), change diagonals (QTC Night of Shorts), 4 Genres in Search of a Plot (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025, University of Northern Iowa, Silver Masque Theatre Company), Coolwater...

Rory O'Neill is a playwright originally from Los Angeles, currently based in Brooklyn. In her plays, Rory loves to explore the fine line between reality and a secret other place, especially through the lens of complicated and imperfect queer characters. She loves large animals, dirt under her fingernails, and tearing things apart at the seams. Rory is proud to be a member of Theatre Write Now's 3rd Writing Cohort & The Road Theatre Company's Under Construction 7.

Select credits: untitled hamlet play (LOVECHILD Theatre Co.), Meeting Notes (Fork & Shoe Theatre Co-op), dogboy supreme (QTC Boston Developmental Residency), change diagonals (QTC Night of Shorts), 4 Genres in Search of a Plot (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025, University of Northern Iowa, Silver Masque Theatre Company), Coolwater (Staged reading, Full Circle Players; Shortlist, Boston Court Pasadena), You Should Talk to Someone (Boston Theatre Marathon 2024, Natick Dinner Theatre, Western Connecticut State University, Silver Masque Theatre Company), Garlic Sounds (Silver Masque Theatre Company), Art Imitates (Edmonds Driftwood Players), They Don't Need Bombs In Cleveland written with Fig Lefevre (Fresh Ink Theatre Company, 8th Annual Mad Dash).

Outside of writing, Rory can be found with a knitting project in hand, probably talking about Survivor.

Scripts

Back to Back

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

When knitting influencer Kate gets sent to an independent sheep farm on a branded content contract, she finds herself deeply entangled in the life of the bizarre family that inhabits the farm… Back to Back is a play about influence, power, consumption, and sheep.

When knitting influencer Kate gets sent to an independent sheep farm on a branded content contract, she finds herself deeply entangled in the life of the bizarre family that inhabits the farm… Back to Back is a play about influence, power, consumption, and sheep.

dogboy supreme

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

A punk-rock adaptation of the myth of Caeneus. It's the mid-90s, it's in the basement, and there's a house show that can't be missed. Caenis is Thessaly's hottest rocker. Poseidon is new in town, and he's set his sights on her. A play with music exploring transformation, control, and what it means to be protected.

A punk-rock adaptation of the myth of Caeneus. It's the mid-90s, it's in the basement, and there's a house show that can't be missed. Caenis is Thessaly's hottest rocker. Poseidon is new in town, and he's set his sights on her. A play with music exploring transformation, control, and what it means to be protected.

Meeting Notes

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

Every week, six animals on a small family farm gather to share stories, settle disputes, and chat about changes they’d like to see in their daily lives. With the arrival of new, mysterious, buzzing boxes in the trees, alliances shift, life on the farm is thrown into question, and these once casual weekly meetings quickly become serious. As the shadowy underbelly of the Johnson Family Farm comes to light, will...

Every week, six animals on a small family farm gather to share stories, settle disputes, and chat about changes they’d like to see in their daily lives. With the arrival of new, mysterious, buzzing boxes in the trees, alliances shift, life on the farm is thrown into question, and these once casual weekly meetings quickly become serious. As the shadowy underbelly of the Johnson Family Farm comes to light, will this motley crew of animals be willing to face it?

untitled hamlet play

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

As comedy writer Casey tries (and struggles) to write their thesis play about Hamlet, they find themself unable to find the right language to express themself. It's a good thing their best friend Hadley has such a way with words. And such a great personality. And such an interesting life. The deeper Casey gets into Hadley's story, the more they adopt it as their own part to play, attempting to truly become the...

As comedy writer Casey tries (and struggles) to write their thesis play about Hamlet, they find themself unable to find the right language to express themself. It's a good thing their best friend Hadley has such a way with words. And such a great personality. And such an interesting life. The deeper Casey gets into Hadley's story, the more they adopt it as their own part to play, attempting to truly become the person their classmates are hearing them claim to be. And then Casey gets visited by the ghost of a certain paternal figure, and all Shakespearean hell breaks loose. untitled hamlet play is dark comedy about obsession, lies, and insecurity... and what happens when those things can't possibly coexist any longer.

Coolwater

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

Spanning from the 1930s to today, four generations of women come together at pivotal moments in their young adulthood to give each other the love, wisdom, and (sometimes unwanted) advice that only a mother can give. Winona mourns a loss of family while struggling through a loss of culture, Ann must balance what is best for her family with what’s best for herself, Jeanie is trying to keep her head above water as...

Spanning from the 1930s to today, four generations of women come together at pivotal moments in their young adulthood to give each other the love, wisdom, and (sometimes unwanted) advice that only a mother can give. Winona mourns a loss of family while struggling through a loss of culture, Ann must balance what is best for her family with what’s best for herself, Jeanie is trying to keep her head above water as everyone around her is trying to push her under, and Maeve just has to live in the aftermath.

4 Genres in Search of a Plot

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

Four characters (who are they?) walk into a room (what room?) and don't know what to do with themselves. A one-man show devolves into madness. A private eye confronts a criminal. A love triangle becomes all tangled up. A mime is there too.

Four characters (who are they?) walk into a room (what room?) and don't know what to do with themselves. A one-man show devolves into madness. A private eye confronts a criminal. A love triangle becomes all tangled up. A mime is there too.

Art Imitates

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

A first date at the museum is getting so awkward that two paintings have no choice but to step in.

A first date at the museum is getting so awkward that two paintings have no choice but to step in.

Hot & Heavy

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

Margot & Sal are in their late 20s. They haven't seen each other since Margot left 4 years ago, and Sal smokes now, and there is so much to say and so few ways to say it.
Margot & Sal are in their early 20s. There's a heatwave, and tensions are high, and popsicles are melting on the couch, and Margot has to do something hard.
Margot & Sal are teenagers. It's a snow day sleepover, and they're best friends, and...

Margot & Sal are in their late 20s. They haven't seen each other since Margot left 4 years ago, and Sal smokes now, and there is so much to say and so few ways to say it.
Margot & Sal are in their early 20s. There's a heatwave, and tensions are high, and popsicles are melting on the couch, and Margot has to do something hard.
Margot & Sal are teenagers. It's a snow day sleepover, and they're best friends, and the amount that they love each other is starting to feel different in ways they don't have the words to explain.

Garlic Sounds

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

College student Charlie is finding themself impossibly distracted from their midterms, namely by the fact that the host of their college radio station is completely, 100% a vampire. No question about it. As Charlie gets more and more wrapped up in this notion, their friends Mona and Kit begin to worry about the behavior they're exhibiting, causing past conflicts to bubble to the surface as this undead threat...

College student Charlie is finding themself impossibly distracted from their midterms, namely by the fact that the host of their college radio station is completely, 100% a vampire. No question about it. As Charlie gets more and more wrapped up in this notion, their friends Mona and Kit begin to worry about the behavior they're exhibiting, causing past conflicts to bubble to the surface as this undead threat begins to feel more and more real. And by the way, has anyone else noticed how the guy on the radio has been getting really… ominous recently?

You Should Talk To Someone

by Rory O'Neill

Synopsis

When Ellie goes in for a psychic reading, she’s surprised to meet Dean, a
teenage psychic who draws on the spirits of his ancestors to deliver some
brutal truths. Over the course of the reading, the two are each able to
provide the other with some surprising wisdom as they form an unexpected and
fleeting connection.

When Ellie goes in for a psychic reading, she’s surprised to meet Dean, a
teenage psychic who draws on the spirits of his ancestors to deliver some
brutal truths. Over the course of the reading, the two are each able to
provide the other with some surprising wisdom as they form an unexpected and
fleeting connection.