James La Bella

writing onstage with NYU Skirball, The Civilians, The Prelude Festival, PS21, Life World, WNYC's Green Space, The Brick, Art Cafe + Bar, and The Tank. 2023 Lambda Literary Fellow and Civilians R&D Group member. Other recognitions include Rod Parker Playwriting Fellowship, Betsy Carpenter Playwriting Award, EVVY Award for Best Writing for the Stage. finalist for INKubator new play program. semi-finalist for Bay Area Playwrights Festival and Ars Nova's ANT Fest. James works at Clubbed Thumb as deputy literary associate. MFA Brown University.

Jameslabella.com
For inquiries, contact me at James_Labella1@gmail.com :)

writing onstage with NYU Skirball, The Civilians, The Prelude Festival, PS21, Life World, WNYC's Green Space, The Brick, Art Cafe + Bar, and The Tank. 2023 Lambda Literary Fellow and Civilians R&D Group member. Other recognitions include Rod Parker Playwriting Fellowship, Betsy Carpenter Playwriting Award, EVVY Award for Best Writing for the Stage. finalist for INKubator new play program. semi-finalist for Bay Area Playwrights Festival and Ars Nova's ANT Fest. James works at Clubbed Thumb as deputy literary associate. MFA Brown University.

Jameslabella.com
For inquiries, contact me at James_Labella1@gmail.com :)

Scripts

Melt.Punish

by James La Bella

Cast Size
2
Genre
dark comedy,
docudrama/historic,
experimental,
horror

"What happened to the villain in your favorite movie as a child?"

An American doomscroll on media and punishment featuring me and a straight person I hate. Comprised of surreal confessional, found text, and material from a series of interviews conducted in 2024.

"What happened to the villain in your favorite movie as a child?"

An American doomscroll on media and punishment featuring me and a straight person I hate. Comprised of surreal confessional, found text, and material from a series of interviews conducted in 2024.

Mrs. Wrath

by James La Bella

Cast Size
4—7
Genre
fable/folktale,
horror,
political,
satire,
tragedy

Mrs. Wrath finds a tongue in her pool, then a hand, then a penis. She tries to solve the unsolvable as body parts continue to turn up, guests arrive and depart, and she lives through a non-insignificant number of national tragedies.

Mrs. Wrath finds a tongue in her pool, then a hand, then a penis. She tries to solve the unsolvable as body parts continue to turn up, guests arrive and depart, and she lives through a non-insignificant number of national tragedies.

The Painted Handgun

by James La Bella

2
Cast Size
7—18
Genre
adventure,
comedy,
dark comedy,
drama,
experimental,
fantasy,
melodrama,
mystery/thriller,
period,
radio drama,
satire,
science fiction

A gunshot shrieks across the shore.
Over the course of the Summer of 1963, three people become entangled in a possible conspiracy involving a children's television show, the Vietnam War, sleep-paralysis, and a long-forgotten Jacobean Revenge Play.

A piece of Epic Theatre done in loving-homage to the work of the post-modern fiction writers of the 1960's.

A gunshot shrieks across the shore.
Over the course of the Summer of 1963, three people become entangled in a possible conspiracy involving a children's television show, the Vietnam War, sleep-paralysis, and a long-forgotten Jacobean Revenge Play.

A piece of Epic Theatre done in loving-homage to the work of the post-modern fiction writers of the 1960's.

American Ant Motel

by James La Bella

Cast Size
5
Genre
dark comedy,
drama,
farce,
satire,
tragedy

An endless Fourth of July.

Ex-Neo-Nazi Valerie is welcoming her son home after a five year period of estrangement. She's just joined a new hate group, and he wants to be President.

An endless Fourth of July.

Ex-Neo-Nazi Valerie is welcoming her son home after a five year period of estrangement. She's just joined a new hate group, and he wants to be President.

Squeaky Fromme Love Song

by James La Bella

Cast Size
5
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
drama,
faith-based,
period,
satire

November, 1975. Chicky Baby's brother just died, his friend Celeste is pregnant with the Messiah, and the Squeaky Fromme trial is in full swing. A black comedy about meaning and destruction in the Malaise era.

November, 1975. Chicky Baby's brother just died, his friend Celeste is pregnant with the Messiah, and the Squeaky Fromme trial is in full swing. A black comedy about meaning and destruction in the Malaise era.