Ben Jolivet

Ben Jolivet

Ben Jolivet teaches and tells stories and fortunes. He holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from SNHU and an MFA from The Playwrights Lab at Hollins University. His work includes award-winning scripts The Resurrections (Silver Spring Stage Company judge’s award: best script), Cold (finalist, Woodward/Newman Drama award; semifinalist, Princess Grace award; winner, KCACTC David Shelton Award, best play; productions...
Ben Jolivet teaches and tells stories and fortunes. He holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from SNHU and an MFA from The Playwrights Lab at Hollins University. His work includes award-winning scripts The Resurrections (Silver Spring Stage Company judge’s award: best script), Cold (finalist, Woodward/Newman Drama award; semifinalist, Princess Grace award; winner, KCACTC David Shelton Award, best play; productions appeared at Wilbury, the Hollins/Mill Mountain New Play Fest, and Tesseract Theatre Company), Community Garden (Shelton, best play; KCACTF, commendation playwriting; produced by Hollins/Mill Mountain Theatre Fest). As playwright-in-residence at The Wilbury Group, he developed a trio of plays: Communion, Cain + Abel (world premiere), and Cold. Fragile Thing Cracks appeared at Panndora Productions (premier) in Long Beach, CA, and Acadiana Rep in Lafayette, Louisiana. Something-Someone Might-Might-Have-Been was commissioned by Delta Grand theatre; Carol: A Broken Chain was commissioned by Acadiana Rep, who also debuted Ben’s Medea of the Big Box Store. Culture*Park developed and debuted his solo show, Lizzie Borden is a Bitch. Self-produced work includes Tig, Get Rough with Me, Haunted (also a finalist for Sanguine Theatre’s Project Playwright), and What Went Down. His newest work, Mary Magdalene Smokes a Joint, is in development at Colorado State University.
 www.benjolivet.com

Plays

  • COLD by Ben Jolivet
    Recommendations: 3
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    Cast: 
    3
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    Genre: dark comedy, drama
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    Keyword: loss, grief + 5 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: loss, grief, parenthood, Lesbian, hospitals, waiting room, Realism
    With their young daughter in surgery, Ellie and Jane play a playful and painful waiting game, with the future of child and their relationship at stake. As the timer ticks, they face questions of science, faith, and their weirdest pet peeves. A socially awkward nurse could help them beat the odds, but Jane's faith in an experimental treatment , and the realization that nobody wins this in this game, could leave them all out in the cold.
  • Community Garden by Ben Jolivet
    Recommendations: 3
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: Politics, racism + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: Politics, racism, election, current events, Democrat, hillary, bewitching, Trump, gay, Race
    Winner of the 2018 David L. Shelton Playwright Award.
    As Bernie and Hillary duked it out on the national stage, Claire got to work building the
    community garden she knew would transform her neighborhood and her life. Instead,
    political discord grew like weeds and strangled the gardeners. Months after the election,
    Claire recalls her story to a writer who also hopes to transform a...
    Winner of the 2018 David L. Shelton Playwright Award.
    As Bernie and Hillary duked it out on the national stage, Claire got to work building the
    community garden she knew would transform her neighborhood and her life. Instead,
    political discord grew like weeds and strangled the gardeners. Months after the election,
    Claire recalls her story to a writer who also hopes to transform a community for the better.
    But as this nice, white lady reveals what really went on amid beds of organic produce, the
    idealistic writer draws closer and closer to becoming the garden’s latest victim.
  • Cain + Abel by Ben Jolivet
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: mythology, Bible + 4 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, fable/folktale, melodrama
    Keyword: mythology, Bible, sexuality, family, belief, anxiety
    A contemporary take on a classic myth. In the shadow of the deserted garden, two brothers wrestle with faith and desire in the face of uncertainty and fear; two women struggle to find a place beyond the grossest instincts of men; and a lonely traveller grapples with his creation. Fighting their way into the unknown will demand everything from them and result in the ultimate sacrifice. Cain + Abel is a modern...
    A contemporary take on a classic myth. In the shadow of the deserted garden, two brothers wrestle with faith and desire in the face of uncertainty and fear; two women struggle to find a place beyond the grossest instincts of men; and a lonely traveller grapples with his creation. Fighting their way into the unknown will demand everything from them and result in the ultimate sacrifice. Cain + Abel is a modern myth about faith, family, sex, and sacrifice. In the beginning, nothing became something--and it was all downhill from there.
  • On a White Elephant by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: class, wealth + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: class, wealth, servants, friendship, Newport, comedy, women, period
    It’s summer 1938 and the Newport social season draws to a close. At the last possible minute, Mitzi receives an invitation that could change her status and her life. This might be the chance the young, nouveau riche debutante has been waiting for, when the gates of the golden, fairy tale realm of the social elite open wide for her. That’s if she doesn’t make a fool of herself. And if her snarky-but-well-...
    It’s summer 1938 and the Newport social season draws to a close. At the last possible minute, Mitzi receives an invitation that could change her status and her life. This might be the chance the young, nouveau riche debutante has been waiting for, when the gates of the golden, fairy tale realm of the social elite open wide for her. That’s if she doesn’t make a fool of herself. And if her snarky-but-well-intentioned maid doesn’t ruin her chances. And if those gathering clouds on the horizon don’t foretell one of the greatest natural disasters in New England history. If she can survive all that, surely this is her time to shine. She knows she can do it! … Kinda. Set on the eve of the great hurricane of 1938, in the dying years of the Gilded Age, On a White Elephant is a comedy about hope, class, and searching for a place to belong.
  • What Went Down by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: ghost story, campsite + 3 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, fantasy, melodrama
    Keyword: ghost story, campsite, crime, mystery, comedy
    See what you wanna see. We always do.

    A dark campsite. A fire. A ghost story begins. But the tellers aren't as far as they think from the tale they tell. As the story unfolds, they discover the parts each of them played in a horrible crime, putting them face-to-face with their victim. But what truly was the crime, and who is the real criminal? A spooky study of friendships, sex, and...
    See what you wanna see. We always do.

    A dark campsite. A fire. A ghost story begins. But the tellers aren't as far as they think from the tale they tell. As the story unfolds, they discover the parts each of them played in a horrible crime, putting them face-to-face with their victim. But what truly was the crime, and who is the real criminal? A spooky study of friendships, sex, and potentially depraved indifferences, What Went Down is a campfire story for our disconnected world.
  • Fragile Thing Cracks by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    6–7
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: LGBTQ, ghosts + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, fantasy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: LGBTQ, ghosts, Fantasy, death and grief, loneliness, true love
    Leo FINALLY found his soulmate...lying dead in bed beside him. Forced to grieve a man he loved but hardly knew, Leo smacks into faltering sanity, tempestuous in-laws, bossy friends, and the ever-waivering line between the living and the dead. FRAGILE THING CRACKS is a dark comedy about needing to be loved and not knowing how to be. "A comedy that's far out of left field...a new, outrageous, 'I-...
    Leo FINALLY found his soulmate...lying dead in bed beside him. Forced to grieve a man he loved but hardly knew, Leo smacks into faltering sanity, tempestuous in-laws, bossy friends, and the ever-waivering line between the living and the dead. FRAGILE THING CRACKS is a dark comedy about needing to be loved and not knowing how to be. "A comedy that's far out of left field...a new, outrageous, 'I-can’t-believe- what-I’m-seeing' work that will have you laughing from start to finish." -- Gazetts.com
  • Haunted by Ben Jolivet
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: drama, fantasy + 3 more
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    Keyword: haunting, ghosts + 4 more
    Genre: drama, fantasy, horror, melodrama, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: haunting, ghosts, contemporary, truth and lies, Fantasy, adult
    Once each month, a small group gathers to share the stories of the hauntings that wrecked their childhoods--and the aftershocks of those encounters that trouble them, still. This month, they welcome a new member to the fold. With her come powerful visions, flashbacks, and fires for each member of the group. But can the new girl and her exceptional haunting truly be the cause, or are their other forces at play?...
    Once each month, a small group gathers to share the stories of the hauntings that wrecked their childhoods--and the aftershocks of those encounters that trouble them, still. This month, they welcome a new member to the fold. With her come powerful visions, flashbacks, and fires for each member of the group. But can the new girl and her exceptional haunting truly be the cause, or are their other forces at play? In the days and weeks that follow, each of them will wrestle with their reality and what it means to be truly haunted. (Semi-finalist for the Eugene O'Neill NPC and finalist for Sanguine Theatre Company's Project Playwright.)
  • A Fine Romance by Ben Jolivet
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, fantasy + 1 more
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    Keyword: bad romance, adult + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, fantasy, farce
    Keyword: bad romance, adult, Sex
    Boy meets girl; writer meets reader.
    It's all down hill from here.
  • Something-Summer, Might-Have-Been by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    12
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    Genre: adventure, comedy + 2 more
    Genre: adventure, comedy, fantasy, young audiences
    Avril is furious when Summer backs out of their annual trip to the lake—until she discovers that a mysterious Something has taken her Summer away. With the help of their friend Los and a flock of nameless kids known as Might-Have-Beens, Avril goes in search of Summer. Along the way, she comes face-to-face with underworld lairs, strange tests, the end of everything, and the discovery that nothing (not even the...
    Avril is furious when Summer backs out of their annual trip to the lake—until she discovers that a mysterious Something has taken her Summer away. With the help of their friend Los and a flock of nameless kids known as Might-Have-Beens, Avril goes in search of Summer. Along the way, she comes face-to-face with underworld lairs, strange tests, the end of everything, and the discovery that nothing (not even the end) is all one thing. But can Avril save Summer before the Something turns them all into Nothing? It may take everything Avril has—and more—to win.
  • Why Don't We All Just Play Salad Bowl? by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: dark comedy, drama
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    Keyword: friendship, games + 1 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: friendship, games, LGBTQ
    A party game goes awry. Can a worn, old friendship survive it?
  • The Resurrectionists by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy
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    Keyword: friendship, contemporary
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: friendship, contemporary
    (Winner of the 2014 Silver Spring Stage Company award for best Script)

    Two losers concoct a plan to escape their boring lives, their dead-end jobs, and their crappy hometown. And when that fails, something exciting emerges.
  • Medea of the Big Box Store: A workplace tragedy (A comedy) by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: adaptation, comedy + 4 more
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    Keyword: Greek tragedy, workplace + 3 more
    Genre: adaptation, comedy, dark comedy, farce, romantic comedy, satire
    Keyword: Greek tragedy, workplace, office, chorus, modern
    After years of toiling in the cluttered aisles of Magic Mart, Dee gets her big break: a gig at the Bull's Eye National flagship store and a romance with Jason, the nerdy new manager. But when the ruthless owner/CEO uses Jason as a ploy to stop his beautiful daughter from escaping into a world of minimum wage madness, Dee vows revenge. Now she and her friends must do whatever necessary to teach him a lesson...
    After years of toiling in the cluttered aisles of Magic Mart, Dee gets her big break: a gig at the Bull's Eye National flagship store and a romance with Jason, the nerdy new manager. But when the ruthless owner/CEO uses Jason as a ploy to stop his beautiful daughter from escaping into a world of minimum wage madness, Dee vows revenge. Now she and her friends must do whatever necessary to teach him a lesson--that is if her friends don't screw it up, and if they can survive her rage. Medea of the Big Box Store is a comic riff on a classic tragedy, dedicated to anyone who ever had a crappy job.
  • A Broken Carol by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    6–20
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    Genre: adaptation, comedy + 4 more
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    Keyword: A Christmas Carol, modern + 5 more
    Genre: adaptation, comedy, drama, holiday, pageant, verse
    Keyword: A Christmas Carol, modern, queer, LGBTQ, holiday, christmas, adaptation of dickens
    Originally commissioned and produced by Acadiana Rep (as Carol: A Broken Chain), this modern adaptation of the holiday classic transplants the characters into modern life but aims to keep the feel of the original. Our Cratchits are a same-sex couple raising and adopted Tiny Tim living with HIV, struggling with affordable healthcare; our Scrooge is a moneyed slum lord in a dying mill town. With thoughtful nods...
    Originally commissioned and produced by Acadiana Rep (as Carol: A Broken Chain), this modern adaptation of the holiday classic transplants the characters into modern life but aims to keep the feel of the original. Our Cratchits are a same-sex couple raising and adopted Tiny Tim living with HIV, struggling with affordable healthcare; our Scrooge is a moneyed slum lord in a dying mill town. With thoughtful nods to the rhythms of Dickens's familiar phrases and scenes, the play faithfully recreates the story we know and love while shining light on the struggles of modern life.
  • Heartwarming Coffee Commercials Make Me Sick by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    4–5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: christmas, family + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, holiday, radio drama
    Keyword: christmas, family, Sisters, radio play, small cast, adult, comedy, holiday, Alternative Holiday
    A holiday comedy for those weary of yuletide cheer, Heartwarming Coffee Commercials Make Me Sick is an audio play with snark. Bobbi is settling in for a long, winter's nap when younger sisters Emma and Sally arrive to save her from her introversion. A little wine. OK, a lot of wine. Some sisterly spats and long-ago memories collect as the snowfalls. Unsentimental but a little loving, it's a comedy for...
    A holiday comedy for those weary of yuletide cheer, Heartwarming Coffee Commercials Make Me Sick is an audio play with snark. Bobbi is settling in for a long, winter's nap when younger sisters Emma and Sally arrive to save her from her introversion. A little wine. OK, a lot of wine. Some sisterly spats and long-ago memories collect as the snowfalls. Unsentimental but a little loving, it's a comedy for those of us who love our loved ones but would also like to slap them sometimes.
  • Nut Clara and the Prince by Ben Jolivet
    Cast: 
    8–18
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: christmas, holiday + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, fantasy, holiday, satire
    Keyword: christmas, holiday, queer, fantasia, comedy, winter, Nutcracker, dance, gender neutral casting, Adult content
    A queer, unhinged holiday fever dream for unhinged fevery adults. It's Christmas and everything just fell out of Clara's fridge and she CANNOT FUCKING TAKE IT. This sexy nutcracker keeps showing up. Her therapist suddenly wants to be a three-dimensional character. Her brother is femme now (don't ask). Oh, and then there's that possibly dead godfather situation. Not to mention (gestures...
    A queer, unhinged holiday fever dream for unhinged fevery adults. It's Christmas and everything just fell out of Clara's fridge and she CANNOT FUCKING TAKE IT. This sexy nutcracker keeps showing up. Her therapist suddenly wants to be a three-dimensional character. Her brother is femme now (don't ask). Oh, and then there's that possibly dead godfather situation. Not to mention (gestures vaguely) all this . . . Nut Clara and the Prince is a holiday romp for grownups who just can't anymore.