Tamara Kissane

Tamara Kissane is a playwright, parent, and podcaster based in Pittsboro, NC. She was the 2020 Piedmont Laureate and received Outstanding Contribution to the Arts from Chatham Life & Style.

Through her podcast production studio, Artist Soapbox (www.artistsoapbox.org), Tamara has produced, written, and directed a variety of audio dramas including Jesus Pancake (2022), ASBX Shorts (2021), Declaration of Love Anthology (2020), The New Colossus (2020), Master Builder (2019), Creekside with Winona (2021), Trailblazer: Mabel Lee (2022), with several in development.

Her plays and monologues have been presented by PlayMakers Repertory, University Theater at NC State, Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern, Burning Coal Theatre, Seed Art Share, and Mad Cow Theatre.

Her play NICE WHITE PARENTS 2016...

Tamara Kissane is a playwright, parent, and podcaster based in Pittsboro, NC. She was the 2020 Piedmont Laureate and received Outstanding Contribution to the Arts from Chatham Life & Style.

Through her podcast production studio, Artist Soapbox (www.artistsoapbox.org), Tamara has produced, written, and directed a variety of audio dramas including Jesus Pancake (2022), ASBX Shorts (2021), Declaration of Love Anthology (2020), The New Colossus (2020), Master Builder (2019), Creekside with Winona (2021), Trailblazer: Mabel Lee (2022), with several in development.

Her plays and monologues have been presented by PlayMakers Repertory, University Theater at NC State, Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern, Burning Coal Theatre, Seed Art Share, and Mad Cow Theatre.

Her play NICE WHITE PARENTS 2016 is the winner of the 2023 New Play Project and Mark Gilbert Award, and was selected and featured in the first annual Sips & Scripts New Works Festival 2021 (NC Playwrights Lab). Tamara’s new musical AWAY HOME, is in development with Honest Pint Theatre.

Along with Aurelia Belfield, Tamara leads a yearlong lab for aspiring audio dramatists. She also leads Soapbox Audio Collective Writers’ rooms, Public Works events, and Creative Accountability Groups. Tamara is a co-founder and playwright for the YA theatre company Curious Theatre Collective.

Tamara has been a panelist, workshop leader, or speaker at the National Women’s Theatre Festival, HOME BREW, Triangle ArtWorks Lunch & Learn, Dramatist Guild NC, Beltline to Broadway, Justice Theatre Project, Musical Theatre Factory (MTFxR), UNC Humanities, and North Carolina Writers Network. She is the parent of two young children.

Tamara Kissane, Founder & Executive Director of Artist Soapbox and Soapbox Audio Collective
[email protected]
www.artistsoapbox.org

Scripts

Game On

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

Snuggle in for a mellow game of Candy Corner with long-time friends, Rita and Sheree. Game On is a sweet comedic peek into what it means to find love, find life, and stay friends forever.

This script was part of the Declaration of Love Audio Anthology. Listen here: https://artistsoapbox.org/2020/10/27/dol-2-game-on/

Snuggle in for a mellow game of Candy Corner with long-time friends, Rita and Sheree. Game On is a sweet comedic peek into what it means to find love, find life, and stay friends forever.

This script was part of the Declaration of Love Audio Anthology. Listen here: https://artistsoapbox.org/2020/10/27/dol-2-game-on/

Near Kisses

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

How do we grow closer from a distance? Near Kisses is a tender interlude between Mariah and Zachary who refuse to let a screen derail their love.

Near Kisses was part of a short play festival written specifically for Zoom.
https://artistsoapbox.org/2021/02/05/six-plays-about-zoom-on-zoom/

Review: https://chathamlifeandstyle.com/f/theatre-review-seed-art-share-uses-zo…

How do we grow closer from a distance? Near Kisses is a tender interlude between Mariah and Zachary who refuse to let a screen derail their love.

Near Kisses was part of a short play festival written specifically for Zoom.
https://artistsoapbox.org/2021/02/05/six-plays-about-zoom-on-zoom/

Review: https://chathamlifeandstyle.com/f/theatre-review-seed-art-share-uses-zo…

The New Colossus Audio Drama

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

The New Colossus Audio Drama is a totally unhinged dark comedy reboot of Anton Chekhov’s classic play, THE SEAGULL. It was rewritten for audio and released in six episodes via podcast. https://www.thenewcolossuspodcast.com

The New Colossus Audio Drama is a totally unhinged dark comedy reboot of Anton Chekhov’s classic play, THE SEAGULL. It was rewritten for audio and released in six episodes via podcast. https://www.thenewcolossuspodcast.com

Thunderclap

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

Parents Rachel and Jake are stoked that their daughter, Alice is now 18 and can vote in the 2020 election, but she doesn’t believe that her vote will actually help.

Parents Rachel and Jake are stoked that their daughter, Alice is now 18 and can vote in the 2020 election, but she doesn’t believe that her vote will actually help.

Leveraging Mr. Bumble

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

A video monologue for pandemic times. A lonely, funny, and frustrated mother uses childhood treasures to urge her grown children to come by the house (to pick up their crap and wave to their mama!). Featured as part of the STUCK monologues at PlayMakers Repertory Theatre in North Carolina.

A video monologue for pandemic times. A lonely, funny, and frustrated mother uses childhood treasures to urge her grown children to come by the house (to pick up their crap and wave to their mama!). Featured as part of the STUCK monologues at PlayMakers Repertory Theatre in North Carolina.

NICE WHITE PARENTS 2016: A time capsule-dreammare-cautionary tale based on real events

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

NICE WHITE PARENTS 2016 is a gentle, yet pointed poke at the responses of seemingly woke White parents when their second graders stage a Black Lives Matter march at the elementary school. Inspired by real events, this is a time capsule, dream-mare, and cautionary tale of what was to come.

NICE WHITE PARENTS 2016 is a gentle, yet pointed poke at the responses of seemingly woke White parents when their second graders stage a Black Lives Matter march at the elementary school. Inspired by real events, this is a time capsule, dream-mare, and cautionary tale of what was to come.

Master Builder (inspired by Ibsen)

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

Based on Henrik Ibsen’s thorny tragedy about ambition and its collateral damage, Kissane’s play swaps gender to ask how far women are expected to rise in America.

Based on Henrik Ibsen’s thorny tragedy about ambition and its collateral damage, Kissane’s play swaps gender to ask how far women are expected to rise in America.

The New Colossus

by Tamara Kissane

Synopsis

A family of frustrated, attention-starved artists flocks to the seashore. One of them has a gun…what could possibly go wrong? A darkly comic reboot of Chekhov’s classic, this rollicking tale examines the pitfalls of making art and making love in modern day America.

Three positives of the production 2016:
https://thefivepointsstar.com/

http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article789…...

A family of frustrated, attention-starved artists flocks to the seashore. One of them has a gun…what could possibly go wrong? A darkly comic reboot of Chekhov’s classic, this rollicking tale examines the pitfalls of making art and making love in modern day America.

Three positives of the production 2016:
https://thefivepointsstar.com/

http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article789…

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/the-new-colossus-updates-chekhov-for-a…

One negative:
http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2016/05/little-green-pigs-prese…