Emmet L.F. Cameron

Emmet L.F. Cameron (they/them) is a rural queer writer living in a town called Perth, Ontario on unceded Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee land under the dish with one spoon wampum. With their friend sociology prof Youssef Sawan, they co-host the podcast THEOTRE OF THE MIND, an exploration of theory, theatre, practice & praxis. As a founder of the Kitchen Theatre Project & member of the Perkolator Creative Collective Emmet enjoys making theatre in places that are not theatres. They are a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada & a former staff member of the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre. Their work-in-progress SELF-SHOT MESSENGERS was shortlisted for Fault Line Theatre's new play development series Irons in the Fire in 2024, & their play MOTHERCULT was waitlisted for the Banff...

Emmet L.F. Cameron (they/them) is a rural queer writer living in a town called Perth, Ontario on unceded Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee land under the dish with one spoon wampum. With their friend sociology prof Youssef Sawan, they co-host the podcast THEOTRE OF THE MIND, an exploration of theory, theatre, practice & praxis. As a founder of the Kitchen Theatre Project & member of the Perkolator Creative Collective Emmet enjoys making theatre in places that are not theatres. They are a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada & a former staff member of the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre. Their work-in-progress SELF-SHOT MESSENGERS was shortlisted for Fault Line Theatre's new play development series Irons in the Fire in 2024, & their play MOTHERCULT was waitlisted for the Banff Playwrights Lab in 2026. As a member of the Lanark County Live Poets Society (LiPS), they have competed at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in 2018 & 2019. Their full-length play CAMERA OBSCURA will have its world premiere at the Studio Theatre in Perth, Ontario in 2027.

Note to educators & students: you are so welcome to use my work in an educational context! (Royalties apply for performances, but not for auditions or classroom use.) As a courtesy, I request that you contact me to let me know that you are using my work in class. Connecting benefits both of us. It helps me have a fuller picture of where my work is landing which is both generally encouraging & may help me make career decisions about where to pitch my work in the future. On the educational side, it opens the possibility for students to have a dialogue with a living playwright (me, it's me, I'm alive!). I have worked with people of all ages in educational & arts settings & I'd be so happy to field questions by email or have a video call with the class. Playwrights are people, let's talk!

Scripts

mothercult (working title)

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

~90 MINUTES, optional act break.

Indigo (mid-30s), & Xanthe (late teens) are sisters. Indigo grew up alone with their eccentric & unstable mother. When Xanthe was born, their Aunt Sharon was granted custody of her, & their mother disappeared. Xanthe is now a university student living with Indigo in a studio apartment in Toronto. Soon, Xanthe receives a mysterious message that reveals what Indigo has hidden from...

~90 MINUTES, optional act break.

Indigo (mid-30s), & Xanthe (late teens) are sisters. Indigo grew up alone with their eccentric & unstable mother. When Xanthe was born, their Aunt Sharon was granted custody of her, & their mother disappeared. Xanthe is now a university student living with Indigo in a studio apartment in Toronto. Soon, Xanthe receives a mysterious message that reveals what Indigo has hidden from her: their mother is now “Ma,” the revered leader of a small cult with a big internet presence — & she wants Xanthe, her “radiant daughter” to join her. Against Indigo’s objections, Xanthe accepts the invitation, & soon finds herself driven blindfolded to an unknown ghost town, & locked in a windowless shack for “purification” under the supervision of a mid-level cult member named Topaz. Meanwhile in Toronto, Indigo connects with Xanthe’s friend Riley (a nonbinary single parent & mature student) to interpret the cryptic clues from the limited contact Xanthe’s made with them since she left.

Camera Obscura: a complicated connection in 2 acts

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

TWO ACT. Davy & Nate were queer kids at Christian college together. They met in an ex-gay (un)support group, became friends, & were briefly engaged to be married. They meet again many years later at Nate's picturesque farmhouse wedding to Beata. Davy was surprised to be invited. Nate's surprised Davy showed up. They bump into each other behind the barn & assess whether there's any friendship left to save between...

TWO ACT. Davy & Nate were queer kids at Christian college together. They met in an ex-gay (un)support group, became friends, & were briefly engaged to be married. They meet again many years later at Nate's picturesque farmhouse wedding to Beata. Davy was surprised to be invited. Nate's surprised Davy showed up. They bump into each other behind the barn & assess whether there's any friendship left to save between them.

A year later, Davy & their girlfriend Rachel are invited to a barbecue in celebration of Nate & Beata's anniversary, which happens to fall on the solar eclipse. They're the only guests who show up. As the sun is obscured, what is revealed?

(FKA "Knit With The Soul")

Sayle Island, not exactly: A Familial Memory Rendered Queerly in Multimodal, Polymorphous, Intergenerational, & Transtemporal Perspective

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

1 HOUR OR LESS (optional act break). It’s the end of summer circa 2010, & single mom Heather is trying to herd her teenage daughter Geordie (or is he her son?), her preschooler Issey (or is she in kindergarten?) & her (allegedly) adult brother Ryan to the ferry dock in time to meet her mother & her mother’s best friend who have promised (or threatened) some kind of surpise. SAYLE ISLAND, NOT EXACTLY is a...

1 HOUR OR LESS (optional act break). It’s the end of summer circa 2010, & single mom Heather is trying to herd her teenage daughter Geordie (or is he her son?), her preschooler Issey (or is she in kindergarten?) & her (allegedly) adult brother Ryan to the ferry dock in time to meet her mother & her mother’s best friend who have promised (or threatened) some kind of surpise. SAYLE ISLAND, NOT EXACTLY is a contemporary-ish family drama with comedic elements which takes place inside each character’s memories from different points in their lives.

Sweet Home

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

(1 ACT) Caro's building up courage to tell her sugar daddy she's catching feelings before she catches the train back to the city after a lovely weekend together in his suburban home. Caro's roommate/lifemate Dee is en route from campus to visit their dad. They're both about to find out that Caro's daddy is Dee's dad. & he'll be home any minute.

(1 ACT) Caro's building up courage to tell her sugar daddy she's catching feelings before she catches the train back to the city after a lovely weekend together in his suburban home. Caro's roommate/lifemate Dee is en route from campus to visit their dad. They're both about to find out that Caro's daddy is Dee's dad. & he'll be home any minute.

like mother

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

10 MINUTE. A grown daughter & her young mother meet up for a cold drink on a surprisingly hot October afternoon. The daughter vents about the difficulty of keeping public school kids in line. Her mother's got a more nuanced take on it than she ever experienced growing up.

This play was written to be performed in a public outdoor area, such as a park, beach, or cafe, but could be done in a theatre or other...

10 MINUTE. A grown daughter & her young mother meet up for a cold drink on a surprisingly hot October afternoon. The daughter vents about the difficulty of keeping public school kids in line. Her mother's got a more nuanced take on it than she ever experienced growing up.

This play was written to be performed in a public outdoor area, such as a park, beach, or cafe, but could be done in a theatre or other indoor space.

Catfish Picnic: a short play for pride

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

(10-15 min) Jess & Tess were never friends in high school, but they've ended up with a lot in common anyway...including the same fake internet girlfriend.

This short play was written for a rural 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride celebration.

(10-15 min) Jess & Tess were never friends in high school, but they've ended up with a lot in common anyway...including the same fake internet girlfriend.

This short play was written for a rural 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride celebration.

Orange Peels

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

TEN MINUTE. Oscar has made too much breakfast. He calls his ex-girlfriend Melinda, who is trying to eat an orange, without success.

(Tiny Play #1)

TEN MINUTE. Oscar has made too much breakfast. He calls his ex-girlfriend Melinda, who is trying to eat an orange, without success.

(Tiny Play #1)

Not Like This: a short play

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

10 MINUTES (or less). Ash & Bash awake to find themselves the only two people in their neighbourhood. Or perhaps the world? They've idly wished the society around them would melt away before...but this isn't quite like they fantasized.

This script was written based on a prompt provided by KDC Theatre's Festival of New Writing, "The Plan” in Spring 2024.

10 MINUTES (or less). Ash & Bash awake to find themselves the only two people in their neighbourhood. Or perhaps the world? They've idly wished the society around them would melt away before...but this isn't quite like they fantasized.

This script was written based on a prompt provided by KDC Theatre's Festival of New Writing, "The Plan” in Spring 2024.

Crossing Paths

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

1 MINUTE PLAY. 2 generations of children meet on a street corner.

1 MINUTE PLAY. 2 generations of children meet on a street corner.

no worries lol :)

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

TINY PLAY. 2 roommates sit on a dumpster-dived loveseat. Then it gets strange.

A response to a prompt to write a detailed & impossible stage direction in 250 words.

TINY PLAY. 2 roommates sit on a dumpster-dived loveseat. Then it gets strange.

A response to a prompt to write a detailed & impossible stage direction in 250 words.

Hospital Juicebox

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

10 MINUTES. Nadine's not dead. Cale's not a fan of hospitals, but xe brought her here anyway. Is the night nurse concerned, or is he flirting? A queer couple talks the morning after a suicide attempt.

(Tiny Play #3)

10 MINUTES. Nadine's not dead. Cale's not a fan of hospitals, but xe brought her here anyway. Is the night nurse concerned, or is he flirting? A queer couple talks the morning after a suicide attempt.

(Tiny Play #3)

Breakfast, Lunch, & Wizard

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

TEN MINUTES. Dad got up early & made egg salad sandwiches in a messy kitchen. Gran's moved to dreamland. Son can take care of himself if Dad would just make things look normal.

(Tiny Play #2)

TEN MINUTES. Dad got up early & made egg salad sandwiches in a messy kitchen. Gran's moved to dreamland. Son can take care of himself if Dad would just make things look normal.

(Tiny Play #2)

3 Spoons

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

(1 ACT) Abe is an amateur baker with his heart set on winning the Cupcake Cup. & it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he just found out his girlfriend's girlfriend is one of the judges.

(1 ACT) Abe is an amateur baker with his heart set on winning the Cupcake Cup. & it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he just found out his girlfriend's girlfriend is one of the judges.

let the lake in

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

10 MINUTE RADIO PLAY. Kiersten's in a coma. It's her dad's night to stay with her. He doesn't know how to talk to her when he's awake, but when he falls asleep, she talks to him.

(Tiny Play #7)

10 MINUTE RADIO PLAY. Kiersten's in a coma. It's her dad's night to stay with her. He doesn't know how to talk to her when he's awake, but when he falls asleep, she talks to him.

(Tiny Play #7)

Rose Red speaks to the Bear-Prince (monologue)

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

MONOLOGUE. A queer epilogue to the fairy tale Snow White & Rose Red. Rose Red thought the prince was a bear. He thought she was Snow White's sister. Now that he's regained his true form, proposed to Snow, & tried to marry Rose off to his brother, it's Rose's turn to clear up a few things.

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the...

MONOLOGUE. A queer epilogue to the fairy tale Snow White & Rose Red. Rose Red thought the prince was a bear. He thought she was Snow White's sister. Now that he's regained his true form, proposed to Snow, & tried to marry Rose off to his brother, it's Rose's turn to clear up a few things.

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should reach out to the playwright either before or shortly after the piece is used. You can share as much or as little as you like about your experience with the piece, but at minimum it is helpful for a playwright to know what regions & types of education or auditions their work is being used in. The playwright is also willing to answer any questions about the piece or about playwriting.
B. Educators must provide students with the entire piece in its original context, including this note, even if only using a portion of the monologue.
C. Any video or audio created of the monologue cannot be posted publicly online without permission of the playwright.
Thank you for supporting living playwrights!

Transgender Day of (In)visibility (comedic monologue)

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

MONOLOGUE. Zoe relates the struggles of being a trans girl from a Catholic family when Easter & Trans Day of Visibility crash into each other. But she's got another plan for this year...

From the Facing February prompt "This ____ is going to be different."

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should...

MONOLOGUE. Zoe relates the struggles of being a trans girl from a Catholic family when Easter & Trans Day of Visibility crash into each other. But she's got another plan for this year...

From the Facing February prompt "This ____ is going to be different."

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should reach out to the playwright either before or shortly after the piece is used. You can share as much or as little as you like about your experience with the piece, but at minimum it is helpful for a playwright to know what regions & types of education or auditions their work is being used in. The playwright is also willing to answer any questions about the piece or about playwriting.
B. Educators must provide students with the entire piece in its original context, including this note, even if only using a portion of the monologue.
C. Any video or audio created of the monologue cannot be posted publicly online without permission of the playwright.
Thank you for supporting living playwrights!

staring at his face: monologue from THOUGHT I’D CALL

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

MONOLOGUE. Owen, a millennial trans guy, shares what happened today at the grocery store he's working at in his hometown the week his former high school drama teacher was arrested for sexual misconduct.

The project this piece comes from, a one act telephone/radio play, is a work in progress.

Context: In May of 2020, after reading that Mr, Prince, his high school drama teacher of nearly 2 decades ago has been...

MONOLOGUE. Owen, a millennial trans guy, shares what happened today at the grocery store he's working at in his hometown the week his former high school drama teacher was arrested for sexual misconduct.

The project this piece comes from, a one act telephone/radio play, is a work in progress.

Context: In May of 2020, after reading that Mr, Prince, his high school drama teacher of nearly 2 decades ago has been arrested for grooming & sexually assaulting several female students over the past 5 years, Ty (30s, he/him) calls up an old friend who he knew was in an inappropriate relationship with this teacher when they were seniors. He learns that his friend, now named Owen (30s, he/they), is transmasc, & has come back to their hometown to ride out the pandemic, where he’s living with his dad (a teacher at their old high school), & is working at the same grocery store where he worked as a teenager. In their conversation thus far, Owen has been reluctant to label what happened between him & Mr. Prince as abuse, although he recognizes that Mr. Prince abused other students after him.

This monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should reach out to the playwright either before or shortly after the piece is used. You can share as much or as little as you like about your experience with the piece, but at minimum it is helpful for a playwright to know what regions & types of education or auditions their work is being used in. The playwright is also willing to answer any questions about the piece or about playwriting.
B. Educators must provide students with the entire piece, including this note, even if only using a portion of the monologue. Students or educators can request a current copy of the work-in-progress this monologue comes from, if they wish for further context.
C. Any video or audio created of the monologue cannot be posted publicly online without permission of the playwright.
Thank you for supporting living playwrights!

Snooze: a monologue

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

MONOLOGUE. The morning after a hookup, sometimes you learn some unsettling things about the person you chose the night before.

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should reach out to the playwright either before or shortly after the piece is used. You can share as much or as little as you like about...

MONOLOGUE. The morning after a hookup, sometimes you learn some unsettling things about the person you chose the night before.

This stand-alone monologue is available to use for free in auditions or education on the following conditions:
A. Either the teacher or the student should reach out to the playwright either before or shortly after the piece is used. You can share as much or as little as you like about your experience with the piece, but at minimum it is helpful for a playwright to know what regions & types of education or auditions their work is being used in. The playwright is also willing to answer any questions about the piece or about playwriting.
B. Educators must provide students with the entire piece in its original context, including this note, even if only using a portion of the monologue.
C. Any video or audio created of the monologue cannot be posted publicly online without permission of the playwright.
Thank you for supporting living playwrights!

Believe Me Now (audio drama mini-series)

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

a fictional podcast about a fictional family divided by fictional satanism

See Music Samples for the full audio of the 3-episode podcast series.

a fictional podcast about a fictional family divided by fictional satanism

See Music Samples for the full audio of the 3-episode podcast series.

Jacky Figment & the Reject Brigade: a one act comedy on miserable themes

by Emmet L.F. Cameron

Synopsis

ONE ACT. Lady's waiting for her long-term girlfriend, Cynthia, to meet up with her for a date -- but instead she's approached by Jack, who convinces her to come with him to a church basement to join a circle of entities suffering from Abandoned Figment Syndrome. These are imaginary friends, invisible enemies, characters from the cutting room floor. Together, despite Jack's incompetence as a group facilitator...

ONE ACT. Lady's waiting for her long-term girlfriend, Cynthia, to meet up with her for a date -- but instead she's approached by Jack, who convinces her to come with him to a church basement to join a circle of entities suffering from Abandoned Figment Syndrome. These are imaginary friends, invisible enemies, characters from the cutting room floor. Together, despite Jack's incompetence as a group facilitator, they unpack their unreal experiences & look ahead to a new life unmoored from their creators.