James T. Washburn

James T. Washburn

James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist based in Seattle. His work is deeply inspired by his community and experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities.

Washburn is a multi-hyphenate artist, with works spanning from the immersive novella Sealed with Honey to Achilles + Patroclus, a chamber opera commissioned by the Seattle Opera. He takes...
James T. Washburn (he/him) is a gay, trans, and disabled Storyteller-Activist based in Seattle. His work is deeply inspired by his community and experiences at the intersection of marginalized identities.

Washburn is a multi-hyphenate artist, with works spanning from the immersive novella Sealed with Honey to Achilles + Patroclus, a chamber opera commissioned by the Seattle Opera. He takes inspiration from folklore, mythology, and queer history; his work focuses on discovering queerness in traditional stories and reimagining familiar tropes and archetypes through a queer lens.

He is the Founding Artistic Director of Magpie Artists’ Ensemble, an artistic collective focused on innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling. His work at Magpie allows him to collaborate with other artists in new ways, pushing genre boundaries and experimenting with how form and story serve each other.

Upcoming projects include a graphic novel adaptation of Achilles + Patroclus and the ensemble-generated devised theatre film The Myth Cycle.

James is currently a Hugo House Fellow, where he is writing a hybrid scipt/poetry chapbook exploring different interpretations of the Persephone myth.

Plays

  • RUST: A Ghost Story by James T. Washburn
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    7
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    Genre: drama, experimental + 6 more
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    Keyword: Shakespearean verse, Shakespearean tragedy + 6 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, horror, melodrama, mystery/thriller, period, tragedy, verse
    Keyword: Shakespearean verse, Shakespearean tragedy, Haunted House, psychological horror, queer relationship, Strong Female Characters, medieval, play with music
    A tense, claustrophobic exploration of the cycles of patriarchal violence and what happens when tradition and a mythologized past cloud our understanding of the present. Hamlet and Macbeth meet Gormenghast and The Woman in Black (+ homoerotic swordfights) in this haunting supernatural revenge thriller.

    A skeleton crew of courtiers and servants wander the abandoned hallways of a once-great castle...
    A tense, claustrophobic exploration of the cycles of patriarchal violence and what happens when tradition and a mythologized past cloud our understanding of the present. Hamlet and Macbeth meet Gormenghast and The Woman in Black (+ homoerotic swordfights) in this haunting supernatural revenge thriller.

    A skeleton crew of courtiers and servants wander the abandoned hallways of a once-great castle, haunted by the dramatic events that led to the fall of the royal family. As a strange song fills the halls, each member of the court begins to succumb to their own form of madness. The survivors are forced to confront their roles in the story - and decide whether to accept their fates as written, or try to create their own destinies.
  • Achilles & Patroclus by James T. Washburn
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: adaptation, drama + 7 more
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    Keyword: ancient greek mythology, the Iliad + 7 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, experimental, fable/folktale, melodrama, movement/physical, opera, tragedy, verse
    Keyword: ancient greek mythology, the Iliad, queer, gay romance, Achilles, Homer, iambic pentameter, nonlinear, stage combat
    An intimate retelling of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship from childhood to the events of the Iliad. The four-person cast is comprised of adolescent and adult versions of Achilles and Patroclus who play out pivotal moments from their lives together out of order, weaving the tapestry of their relationship as they spiral toward the inevitable end.

    *A chamber opera containing text from this...
    An intimate retelling of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship from childhood to the events of the Iliad. The four-person cast is comprised of adolescent and adult versions of Achilles and Patroclus who play out pivotal moments from their lives together out of order, weaving the tapestry of their relationship as they spiral toward the inevitable end.

    *A chamber opera containing text from this script, with music by Erika Meyer, is available upon request.
  • Phoenix Rising by James T. Washburn
    Recommendations: 3
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: drama, experimental + 4 more
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    Keyword: queer, Transgender + 4 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, fable/folktale, fantasy, movement/physical, verse
    Keyword: queer, Transgender, intersectionality, resistance, Greek mythology, iambic pentameter
    Hero is a child of Zeus, forgotten until he dares to defy Zeus and live as his true self. Aided by Echo, Prometheus, and Hephaestus, Hero must battle for his life and sense of self against an unyielding god.

    PHOENIX RISING is a part of The Myth Cycle, a set of three queer plays retelling or adding to the traditional Greek canon. The other plays in the Cycle include MEDUSA'S BLESSING and ICARUS FALLS.
  • Reaching by James T. Washburn
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, experimental + 3 more
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    Keyword: mythology, fairytale + 6 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, fable/folktale, fantasy, movement/physical
    Keyword: mythology, fairytale, modern fairytale, romance, physical theatre, gender neutral casting, circular play, Repetition
    The Moon was alone in the darkness, until it saw the Sun. Together they dance through the cosmos, awaiting their fleeting reunions.

    [This play is circular, meaning it can repeat seamlessly for as long as desired; therefor, it could clock in anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours]
  • The Headless Man by James T. Washburn
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: drama, experimental + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: ghost story, horror + 5 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, horror, melodrama, tragedy
    Keyword: ghost story, horror, romance, haunted romance, haunted, ghost encounters, scary stories
    An intimate moment between a young woman and her otherworldly lover goes terribly wrong.

    [Play length may vary depending on direction; it can be staged as a 5 minute or 10 minute play]
  • Tomorrow Comes by James T. Washburn
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4–5
    ·
    Genre: drama, political
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    Keyword: Transgender, gay romance + 7 more
    Genre: drama, political
    Keyword: Transgender, gay romance, 2016 presidential election, trans youth, found family, community, teen parent, hopeful ending, gay adoption
    The day after the 2016 election, 16-year-old Thomas is alone in the hospital. He is visited by Edgar and Jack, a young couple who came to meet their newborn daughter. As the election results and their effects play out on the TV, the three men struggle to find a new sense of normalcy amidst the chaos and uncertainty of our times.
  • Briar/Rose by James T. Washburn
    Cast: 
    7–12
    ·
    Genre: adventure, drama + 4 more
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    Keyword: Transgender, gay romance + 8 more
    Genre: adventure, drama, fable/folktale, fantasy, musical, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Transgender, gay romance, Grimm's Fairytale, happy ending, found family, magic, queer, LGBTQ, butch lesbians, musical
    The age-old story of a fairytale Princess banished by an evil Queen, with a twist: the “Princess” is actually Briar, a young trans man just discovering his identity. With help from budding sorceress Ellen, Briar is able to magically transform into his true self, and together they make a new life for themselves deep in the enchanted woods. But when dashing Prince Alister and Lady Knight Brunhilde appear after...
    The age-old story of a fairytale Princess banished by an evil Queen, with a twist: the “Princess” is actually Briar, a young trans man just discovering his identity. With help from budding sorceress Ellen, Briar is able to magically transform into his true self, and together they make a new life for themselves deep in the enchanted woods. But when dashing Prince Alister and Lady Knight Brunhilde appear after Ellen casts a seemingly harmless charm, Briar and Ellen’s simple lives are suddenly much more complicated - and the Queen still casts a long shadow over what should be a happy ending.
    Join this cast of familiar characters as they explore a world where magic can unlock what lies inside your heart - for better or for worse…

    Content Details and Accessibility:
    The 70-minute production is inspired by Grimm's fairytales and Slavic folklore, with songs set to traditional Celtic tunes. There is no intermission.
    While appropriate for ages 10+ with adult guidance, Briar/Rose is a complex story geared toward adult audiences and deals with themes of transphobia, internalized homophobia, and child/domestic abuse. There are also some instances of mature language and veiled sexual references.
  • Icarus Falls by James T. Washburn
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 6 more
    ·
    Keyword: Greek mythology, Ancient Greek Myth + 3 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, experimental, fable/folktale, fantasy, movement/physical, tragedy, verse
    Keyword: Greek mythology, Ancient Greek Myth, gay romance, queer family, physical theatre
    While Daedalus spends years devising a way for him and his son to escape their prison, Icarus grows up without his father noticing - and catches the eye of the Titan Helios.

    ICARUS FALLS is a part of The Myth Cycle, a set of three queer plays retelling or adding to the traditional Greek canon. The other plays in the Cycle include MEDUSA'S BLESSING and PHOENIX RISING.
  • Medusa's Blessing by James T. Washburn
    Cast: 
    3–10
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 5 more
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    Keyword: Greek mythology, Ancient Greek Myth + 5 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, experimental, fable/folktale, fantasy, movement/physical, verse
    Keyword: Greek mythology, Ancient Greek Myth, gay romance, queer family, physical theatre, sapphic, sexual assault
    A reimagining of Medusa's origins, this sapphic romance is a story of empowerment and connection between queer women in the face of patriarchal violence.

    MEDUSA'S BLESSING is a part of The Myth Cycle, a set of three queer plays retelling or adding to the traditional Greek canon. The other plays in the Cycle include ICARUS FALLS and PHOENIX RISING.