Rene Zabel

Rene Zabel

Rene Zabel (she/her) holds a BFA in Psychology from University of Arizona Global Campus and graduate studies in Music composition and design for Film and TV from Academy of Art University. She uses her degree frequently in writing her plays, such as Evil Therapy and A Rare Case. Here solo musical, When the Silence Sings, was a finalist in the Rave Theater Festival in 2020 and the 2019 Producer’s Perspective:...
Rene Zabel (she/her) holds a BFA in Psychology from University of Arizona Global Campus and graduate studies in Music composition and design for Film and TV from Academy of Art University. She uses her degree frequently in writing her plays, such as Evil Therapy and A Rare Case. Here solo musical, When the Silence Sings, was a finalist in the Rave Theater Festival in 2020 and the 2019 Producer’s Perspective: Producer’s Pick.


Member of Dramatist Guild
Member of CreateTheater

Plays

  • Back From the Dead
    EMILY, GABRIELLA, and AMIRA have moved into an old Victorian house. While unpacking EMILY finds a deck of old Tarot cards. When she thinks she is only learning and reading her future path, she is possessed by an ancient entity, back from the dead. Can they rid EMILY of this entity before it is too late and EMILY is lost forever?
  • Lenore: A play with music
    On a dark cold, December night, Lord Dudley is visited by a mysterious young woman, who claims to know his Father and Grandfather, yet he has never met her. Who is she? How did she travel in the winter with nothing but a thin cloak?
  • Mother Solstice: A New Holiday musical. Book and Lyrics: Rene Zabel, Music: Paul Scherer
    Mother Solstice is a 90-minute female driven, original musical without intermission, with elements from the Germanic and Scandinavian reindeer Goddess folklore melded with the secular story of Santa. Both reside in the North Pole with Elves, sleighs with reindeer and gifts for nice children. Krampus and his minions deal with all the naughty ones. There is a cast of 7 Principal characters and a flexible ensemble...
    Mother Solstice is a 90-minute female driven, original musical without intermission, with elements from the Germanic and Scandinavian reindeer Goddess folklore melded with the secular story of Santa. Both reside in the North Pole with Elves, sleighs with reindeer and gifts for nice children. Krampus and his minions deal with all the naughty ones. There is a cast of 7 Principal characters and a flexible ensemble. Mother Solstice is Elf meets Jingle Jangle with music that combines jazz with standard and modern holiday motifs. Mother Solstice explores themes of power, betrayal, and in the end love and forgiveness, which is What Christmas Really means.
  • Krampus Day
    It's Christmas time, however Stephanie is not in the Christmas spirit; her best friend and brother has passed from cancer. She wants nothing to do with Christmas. Krampus comes to take her to the underworld, however her Mother steps in her place. Time passes by, Stephanie now has a daughter of her own, Haylee. Haylee has been bullied in school for loving Christmas and believing in Santa. Krampus day comes...
    It's Christmas time, however Stephanie is not in the Christmas spirit; her best friend and brother has passed from cancer. She wants nothing to do with Christmas. Krampus comes to take her to the underworld, however her Mother steps in her place. Time passes by, Stephanie now has a daughter of her own, Haylee. Haylee has been bullied in school for loving Christmas and believing in Santa. Krampus day comes, Haylee, at first doesn't want to make cookies for Santa, but then realizes that she doesn't have to be like Billy the Bully...and Krampus leaves. Always remember to keep the fire lit and be good for goodness sake.
  • The Green Room
    What happens when a playwright creates a character and doesn't write them into a script?
    In "The Green Room," a diverse quartet of characters find themselves trapped in the liminal space of a Green Room. With time to kill before their destinies are inked into existence, a lesbian suffragist from 1912, a caffeine-fueled female executive from the 1980s, a free-spirited hippy chick from the...
    What happens when a playwright creates a character and doesn't write them into a script?
    In "The Green Room," a diverse quartet of characters find themselves trapped in the liminal space of a Green Room. With time to kill before their destinies are inked into existence, a lesbian suffragist from 1912, a caffeine-fueled female executive from the 1980s, a free-spirited hippy chick from the 1960s, and a non-binary Gen Z’er from the 21st century engage in introspective and humorous dialogue. They debate their designed arcs, questioning stereotypes and the evolution of societal roles. United by anticipation and uncertainty, they confront their identities and challenge the playwright's intentions.
  • Sixty-nine Kisses
    CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, MARY "MOLLIE" GARRETT HAY, and MARY PECK were prominent Suffrage and women's rights leaders during the late 1800s until Carrie's death in 1947. Carrie and Mollie were in a relationship which lasted until Mollie's death in 1928. However, Mary and Carrie had a flirtation then a relationship from the day they met. This is the love triangle inspired and based on real...
    CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, MARY "MOLLIE" GARRETT HAY, and MARY PECK were prominent Suffrage and women's rights leaders during the late 1800s until Carrie's death in 1947. Carrie and Mollie were in a relationship which lasted until Mollie's death in 1928. However, Mary and Carrie had a flirtation then a relationship from the day they met. This is the love triangle inspired and based on real letters, set to a tango between the three women over the years, which ends at Mollie's death. This triple tango utilizes underscoring as the three women dance.
  • Beware the Muse: One Act
    What would you give to write your best work? Would you ask for supernatural help? Sell your soul? SEAMUS, writer of fiction and poetry, hasn't published any work since his last - seven years ago. Everything he has written has been rejected for numerous reasons. In an act of desperation, he calls for someone/something to help him - to be his muse. SOPHIA, SEAMUS' niece, a promising film director and...
    What would you give to write your best work? Would you ask for supernatural help? Sell your soul? SEAMUS, writer of fiction and poetry, hasn't published any work since his last - seven years ago. Everything he has written has been rejected for numerous reasons. In an act of desperation, he calls for someone/something to help him - to be his muse. SOPHIA, SEAMUS' niece, a promising film director and producer takes her uncles work, adapts it into a film. Is her success without assistance?
  • Wait - A monologue
    Monologue: approx 3 min.
    A mother reminisces about her son on his birthday. Time is passing to fast….wait!
  • The Pipe Burns Slowly
    In 1973, Mother and Father, with their three children have fallen on hard times; they return to Father's childhood home; a dugout on a farm in the panhandle of Oklahoma. Grandma and Grandpa are verbally and physically abusive. Father and Mother find that Grandpa has done something awful to RayAnne, which causes Rayanne to run away in the night.
  • Deirdre: A New Musical Book and Lyrics: Rene Zabel, Music: Jenna Cox-Hadley
    TThis modern re-imagining of the legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows, which depicts a story of love, a curse, forgiveness, and a warrior Queen.
    Deirdre is inspired by a first century Irish legend - Deirdre of the Sorrows, told with contemporary Irish music, ala, Once meets River Dance. There are strong female characters who sword fight, with opposing themes of love, revenge, loyalty and betrayal.
  • Evil Therapy
    Queen Pandora, in her quest for power casts a spell on Princess Aila, Prince Frederick, the Witch, and The Fairy Godmother from the Kingdom. Her daughter, who was just a baby is taken by Queen Serena out of the kingdom, who has cursed Queen Pandora into a mirror. Aurora, now a psychologist swears she will have revenge.
  • When The Silence Sings
    Growing up in an abusive home in rural Oklahoma, a young woman searches for love, faith and her own voice. Her journey spans forty years, four countries and four husbands. She loses everything; her voice, her marriage, even her children. Yet, in her strength, her love for music makes the silence sing.
  • A Rare Case
    A Rare Case:
    Playwright – Rene Zabel

    Colleen going through the change of life, she knows she is going through something no one else has. She believes she is dying. Nothing seems to help subside the symptoms. In rare cases women have psychotic breaks during menopause. Her symptoms, which proved comical and benign at first are now dark and deadly. Will she be able to combat the demons in her mind?