Tina Esper

Tina Esper

Tina Esper is a first-generation American playwright of Lebanese-Brazilian and Portuguese descent. Her multi-cultural background informs her writing and underscores themes of dislocation, assimilation and the pursuit of freedom. She's also dedicated to telling the stories of older women that frame the political implications of aging in America.

Tina attended the 2023 Sewanee Writers...
Tina Esper is a first-generation American playwright of Lebanese-Brazilian and Portuguese descent. Her multi-cultural background informs her writing and underscores themes of dislocation, assimilation and the pursuit of freedom. She's also dedicated to telling the stories of older women that frame the political implications of aging in America.

Tina attended the 2023 Sewanee Writers Conference as a Tennessee Williams Scholar and the 2023 New Harmony Project as a Kennedy Center Fellow.

Her play, Neighbor Jane is the co-recipient of the 2023 National Partners of the American Theatre’s Julie Jensen Playwriting Award. Neighbor Jane was also selected for the 2022 Great Plains Theatre Conference and was developed at The Workshop Theater's Spring Intensive 2021 and the Sewanee Writers Conference 2021. Her play Fireflies was a 2021 Woodward/Newman Drama Award Finalist as well as a 2020 O’Neill Semifinalist.

She is a member of Honor Roll! an advocacy and action group of women playwrights over 40, as well as a member of the Dramatists Guild and The Playwrights Center.

Tina (she/her) is currently working on The Jane Trilogy and is an MFA candidate in Playwriting at Boston University. Soft Star, the prequel to Neighbor Jane, will have a production at the Boston Playwrights Theatre Fall of 2024.


Plays

  • Neighbor Jane by Tina Esper
    Recommendations: 10
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: surreal pastoral, magical realism + 2 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: surreal pastoral, magical realism, great role for older female actor, Minnesota
    2023 National Partners of the American Theatre’s Julie Jensen Playwriting Award
    2022 Great Plains Theatre Commons New Play Conference
    2021 The Workshop Theater Intensive
    2021 Sewanee Writers Conference

    Jane is a 73 year old woman with a terrible secret. Her husband has threatened to kill her if she tells anyone. But Jane can't live like this any longer so she sneaks to...
    2023 National Partners of the American Theatre’s Julie Jensen Playwriting Award
    2022 Great Plains Theatre Commons New Play Conference
    2021 The Workshop Theater Intensive
    2021 Sewanee Writers Conference

    Jane is a 73 year old woman with a terrible secret. Her husband has threatened to kill her if she tells anyone. But Jane can't live like this any longer so she sneaks to her neighbor's house where he's spending a romantic evening with his girlfriend. Is tonight the night someone finally helps Jane?

  • State of Maine by Tina Esper
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama
    Genre: drama
    2024 Moonbox Productions Boston New Works Festival
    2023 New Harmony Project
    2023 Sewanee Writers Conference
    2023 The Workshop Theater Spring Intensive
    2023 Fresh Ink Season Finalist
    2023 Bay Street Title Wave Semifinalist

    This sequel to Neighbor Jane finds Jane in Maine after escaping her past in Minnesota. She lands in a small seaside town where she meets...
    2024 Moonbox Productions Boston New Works Festival
    2023 New Harmony Project
    2023 Sewanee Writers Conference
    2023 The Workshop Theater Spring Intensive
    2023 Fresh Ink Season Finalist
    2023 Bay Street Title Wave Semifinalist

    This sequel to Neighbor Jane finds Jane in Maine after escaping her past in Minnesota. She lands in a small seaside town where she meets Beckett and Moe, a couple facing unexpected change and loss while trying to hold on to what's most important.
  • Fireflies by Tina Esper
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama
    ·
    Keyword: love story, divorce + 6 more
    Genre: drama
    Keyword: love story, divorce, illness, magical realism, LGBTQ, trans, surreal pastoral, full-length play
    Nominated for the Cherry Lane Mentor Project
    2021 Woodward/Newman Drama Award Finalist
    2021 The Loom at Woven Theater Finalist
    2022 Athena Project Semifinalist
    2020 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semifinalist
    2021 Garry Marshall New Works Festival Semifinalist
    2021 Cimientos Semifinalist

    Anya’s weekend in the intensive care unit brings...
    Nominated for the Cherry Lane Mentor Project
    2021 Woodward/Newman Drama Award Finalist
    2021 The Loom at Woven Theater Finalist
    2022 Athena Project Semifinalist
    2020 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semifinalist
    2021 Garry Marshall New Works Festival Semifinalist
    2021 Cimientos Semifinalist

    Anya’s weekend in the intensive care unit brings together her divorced parents and her boyfriend Lorenzo—a meeting which Anya hoped would happen under different circumstances. But Anya may not survive and who has the right to love her becomes the burning question.
  • Jersey Intersections by Tina Esper
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–9
    ·
    Genre: comedy, experimental + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: ensemble, New Jersey + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, radio drama, tragedy
    Keyword: ensemble, New Jersey, christmas, comedy, full length, dark holiday
    2020 Garry Marshall New Works Festival Semifinalist
    2019 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semifinalist

    Olivia dumbs herself down to stay in a broken relationship with Leigh. Ben works like a dog to support his unforgiving wife Maggie. Kate and Lisa dream of fairytale lives but wake up to harsh realities. Trapped by their habits and needs, these friends, lovers and coworkers are...
    2020 Garry Marshall New Works Festival Semifinalist
    2019 O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semifinalist

    Olivia dumbs herself down to stay in a broken relationship with Leigh. Ben works like a dog to support his unforgiving wife Maggie. Kate and Lisa dream of fairytale lives but wake up to harsh realities. Trapped by their habits and needs, these friends, lovers and coworkers are spinning their wheels in pursuit of happiness. Maybe, just maybe they can make it. If they can only find the road that leads out of Jersey.
  • Dream of Joan by Tina Esper
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Ten-Minute Play, unrequited love + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Ten-Minute Play, unrequited love, masks
    Boy loves girl. Boy dreams of girl. Do dreams ever really come true?
  • The Frost Makes a Flower by Tina Esper
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: divorce, socio-economics + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: divorce, socio-economics, close friendship, alcoholism
    Faye is throwing Birdie a party on a hot summer day. Just a few friends from the block are invited. But when the spiked punch starts getting thrown back, these ladies who lunch begin to reveal much more than they ever expected to share.