Jonathan O'Neill

Jonathan O'Neill

Popular science, like theater, ignites our curiosity and reminds us of our humanity. On this page: some theater about quantum physics, robots, and outer space. Hopefully it ignites something.

I'm a New York-based playwright. My work has been performed throughout the U.S. and Scotland, where I got my Master's in Playwriting from the University of Edinburgh. I've had productions...
Popular science, like theater, ignites our curiosity and reminds us of our humanity. On this page: some theater about quantum physics, robots, and outer space. Hopefully it ignites something.

I'm a New York-based playwright. My work has been performed throughout the U.S. and Scotland, where I got my Master's in Playwriting from the University of Edinburgh. I've had productions at FringeNYC, the Traverse Theatre, and The Tank. In New York, I'm a contributing member of the Gray Door Theater Project at Brooklyn Brewery. In Edinburgh, I've developed works with Playwrights Studio Scotland and Urban Fox Theatre. I graduated Fordham University in 2015, where I studied English, Creative Writing, and Classical Civilization; aced a course in quantum mechanics to spite my STEM-brained roommates; and earned the Fechteler Award for Excellence in Theater upon graduation.

In my spare time, I'm a powerlifter & a liability to my Fortnite squad.

Plays

  • Tragedy Sells! by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    6
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: OK boomer, journalism + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, mystery/thriller, satire, tragedy
    Keyword: OK boomer, journalism, Fake news, capitalism, television, anxiety, money, cancer, Greek tragedy
    Eight-year-old Carth Parish has terminal cancer. To make up for lost time, his mother throws him a birthday party every day. ATC43 has the full scoop — they helped create the story, after all.

    A comic Greek tragedy for the 21st century.
  • Rocks Algae Water Stars by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 13
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: dark comedy, horror + 3 more
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    Keyword: Mars rovers, NASA + 7 more
    Genre: dark comedy, horror, mystery/thriller, radio drama, science fiction
    Keyword: Mars rovers, NASA, Robots, artificial intelligence, existential, birthday, space, Mars, psychological
    It's a whole planet. There must be something.
    (But what if there's nothing?!)
  • Call For Submissions by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 3
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale + 1 more
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    Keyword: Mars, science fiction + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale, science fiction
    Keyword: Mars, science fiction, Art and Artists, diversity, new writing, multiculturalism, hopecore
    The editor of a science fiction magazine publishes a story written by an actual Martian.
  • Little Things Add by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy, holiday + 1 more
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    Keyword: new year's eve, chemistry + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, holiday, science fiction
    Keyword: new year's eve, chemistry, electricity, experimental, marriage, Women Scientists, based on a true story, holiday, professor, college
    The electrons are angry at Dr. Millikan. Can he stop their subatomic rampage?
    Based on real allegations against 1909's Millikan Oil Drop Experiment.
  • Composition Delta Zero by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 3 more
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    Keyword: metatheatrical, pop culture + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, farce, satire, tragedy
    Keyword: metatheatrical, pop culture, death, fame, writing, absurdism, Art and Artists, aging, Hollywood, silly
    An obscure performance artist criticizes Hollywood’s reboot craze by literally reinventing the wheel.
  • Haven of Consolation by Jonathan O'Neill
    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: horror, satire + 2 more
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    Keyword: H.P. Lovecraft, Tinder + 7 more
    Genre: horror, satire, science fiction, tragedy
    Keyword: H.P. Lovecraft, Tinder, magic, loneliness, incel, occult, halloween, internet, witch
    A loveless young man performs an occult ritual to earn his crush's affection.
  • Testing Dunleavy-Grove by Jonathan O'Neill
    Cast: 
    12
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    Genre: mystery/thriller, romantic comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: hallmark, Influencer + 7 more
    Genre: mystery/thriller, romantic comedy, satire, science fiction
    Keyword: hallmark, Influencer, small town, social media, suspense, romantic thriller, Fear of failure, podcast, audio drama
    Amy Grove’s influencer empire has fallen. Forced back to her hometown, she discovers every hallmark of a happy life: a best friend, an old flame, a new suitor, and a Harvest Festival to boot. Great Pines is perfect – or, it should be. So why does it feel so artificial? As she stares down the horrors of her love life, Amy must decide what’s real and what’s fake, and what it matters to her happiness.
    ...
    Amy Grove’s influencer empire has fallen. Forced back to her hometown, she discovers every hallmark of a happy life: a best friend, an old flame, a new suitor, and a Harvest Festival to boot. Great Pines is perfect – or, it should be. So why does it feel so artificial? As she stares down the horrors of her love life, Amy must decide what’s real and what’s fake, and what it matters to her happiness.

    Hear this play for free on "Fast Radio Burst!" wherever podcasts are found.
  • Rule Against Perpetuities by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: experimental, fable/folktale + 2 more
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    Keyword: archaeology, law + 8 more
    Genre: experimental, fable/folktale, pantomime, science fiction
    Keyword: archaeology, law, fathers and sons, growing up, sailing, visual, dogs, accepting death, Parenting, weird
    An impossible to stage adventure, inspired by an archaeological accident and the litigation which ensued.
  • Jephthah's Vow in the Multiple-Now by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: dark comedy, experimental + 3 more
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    Keyword: Old Testament, Catholic + 8 more
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental, faith-based, immersive, science fiction
    Keyword: Old Testament, Catholic, LGBTQ, multiverse, quantum mechanics, optimism, queer, monologue, church, ghosts
    A young priest has new ideas about faith, happiness, and the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics.
  • Wonderkid Spells Defeat by Jonathan O'Neill
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    3
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    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale + 3 more
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    Keyword: spelling bee, middle school + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale, fantasy, radio drama, young audiences
    Keyword: spelling bee, middle school, superhero, students, teachers, puns
    A teen superhero faces his greatest challenge yet:
    The spelling bee he didn’t study for.

    A radio play for young audiences.
  • Lobstergeist by Jonathan O'Neill
    Cast: 
    6
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    Genre: comedy, experimental + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, fantasy, mystery/thriller, period, science fiction
    Massachusetts, 1926. An enterprising flapper named Quinn Coolidge inherits a house from Uncle, an adjunct professor of medicine at an eccentric university. Together with Uncle’s research assistant Emory and old suffragette Nan, Quinn investigates a winding mystery surrounding Uncle’s death. Why is Nan’s greenhouse growing purple lobsters? Why is Emory so fixated on a tome written by an 18th century crackpot...
    Massachusetts, 1926. An enterprising flapper named Quinn Coolidge inherits a house from Uncle, an adjunct professor of medicine at an eccentric university. Together with Uncle’s research assistant Emory and old suffragette Nan, Quinn investigates a winding mystery surrounding Uncle’s death. Why is Nan’s greenhouse growing purple lobsters? Why is Emory so fixated on a tome written by an 18th century crackpot mystic?? Isn’t it weird that Uncle died immediately after inviting his bombastic priest, his greedy patent lawyer, and his ambitious rival over for dinner???

    This drawing room whodunnit is Agatha Christie meets H.P. Lovecraft meets 'His Girl Friday.'

    Work currently in progress.