Allan Baker

Allan began writing in 2004 and has since written eighteen plays, most with gay characters and themes. Twelve of these plays have been produced, from coast to coast in the US and from Guam to Ontario, internationally.

In New York City his plays have been produced by Emerging Artists Theatre, NativeAliens Theatre Collective for the New York City Pride Festival in 2009, Turtle Shell Productions and at the Samuel French Festival. In 2017 Allan’s “Dare” won the Mario Fratti-Fred Newman Political Play Contest, sponsored by the Castillo Theatre in New York City.

Other plays have been produced by Buffalo United Artists; the Valley Repertory Company of Enfield, CT; the Salem Theatre Company in Salem, MA; by Uptown Players in Dallas for the 2011 Dallas Pride Festival; at the Hyde Park Theatre...

Allan began writing in 2004 and has since written eighteen plays, most with gay characters and themes. Twelve of these plays have been produced, from coast to coast in the US and from Guam to Ontario, internationally.

In New York City his plays have been produced by Emerging Artists Theatre, NativeAliens Theatre Collective for the New York City Pride Festival in 2009, Turtle Shell Productions and at the Samuel French Festival. In 2017 Allan’s “Dare” won the Mario Fratti-Fred Newman Political Play Contest, sponsored by the Castillo Theatre in New York City.

Other plays have been produced by Buffalo United Artists; the Valley Repertory Company of Enfield, CT; the Salem Theatre Company in Salem, MA; by Uptown Players in Dallas for the 2011 Dallas Pride Festival; at the Hyde Park Theatre, the Off Center Theatre and Rollins Theatre in Austin for the 2010 Austin Pride Festival; and by the West Coast Players in Clearwater, FL. Allan has had plays produced at Iowa State University; the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario; Blue Slipper Theatre in Livingston, MT; The Actors Theatre of Santa Cruz, CA; Eclectic Company Theatre in LA; the University of Guam, Palm Springs, CA; and Healdsburg, CA. In 2019 Allan’s play, “Dex & Abby”, was produced by The Ground Floor Theatre in Austin and in 2020 by PrideArts, in Chicago, IL. It is now published by Original Works Publishing, Los Angeles, CA. In 2020 his monologue, "Saturday, Duboce Park" was produced by Talking Horse Productions of Columbia, MO and won their first monologue contest. In 2021 his monologue, "Miss Lotta Chanel Explains" was produced by The PlayGround Experiment of New York City in their third monologue festival and was published in their anthology, "Faces of America Monologue Festival, #3". Allan's 10 minute play, "...last and always" was published by Smith & Kraus in their anthology "Best Ten Minute Plays, 2021",

Allan’s plays have been finalists for festivals in Greenville, NC, San Luis Obispo, CA, New York City and for the 2012 National Award for Short Playwriting of the City Theatre of Miami. His play, “Eskandar”, was a finalist for the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation competition in 2014 and one of three winners of the 2015 Texas Playwrights Festival at Stages Repertory, in Houston. His latest play is "Summer's End", finished in the aftermath of the 2024 election.

Scripts

Miss Lotta Chanel Explains

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Miss Lotta Chanel explains "the last rule": the origin of misogyny, homo-phobia, toxic masculinity, the "warrior culture", mass shootings, family violence, the destructive "inner closet" of gays who have escaped the "outer closet" society has imposed on them... and your quiet discomfort with drag queens...even the most FABULOUS!

This monologue is based on some of the dialogue in a scene in my full-length play...

Miss Lotta Chanel explains "the last rule": the origin of misogyny, homo-phobia, toxic masculinity, the "warrior culture", mass shootings, family violence, the destructive "inner closet" of gays who have escaped the "outer closet" society has imposed on them... and your quiet discomfort with drag queens...even the most FABULOUS!

This monologue is based on some of the dialogue in a scene in my full-length play, "Dare". That dialogue did not include any reference to mass shootings, since the scene was set in 1990, before mass shootings and during the assault weapons ban.

Saturday, Duboce Park

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

A monologue based on the observation of a young man and his old dog in Duboce Park, San Francisco

A monologue based on the observation of a young man and his old dog in Duboce Park, San Francisco

"Dare"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

In his 82nd year, Jack, a resident of a nursing home in the Central Valley of California, has decided to end his life by refusing food and starving himself to death. His young and new "consulting gerontologist", Josh, has been summoned by the nursing home's administrator to discover the reason for Jack's decision. Both Jack and Josh are gay, though from very different generations. In their afternoon of...

In his 82nd year, Jack, a resident of a nursing home in the Central Valley of California, has decided to end his life by refusing food and starving himself to death. His young and new "consulting gerontologist", Josh, has been summoned by the nursing home's administrator to discover the reason for Jack's decision. Both Jack and Josh are gay, though from very different generations. In their afternoon of conversation and flashbacks from Jack's past (San Francisco, '73; Fire Island, '78; New York City, '87; and New York City, '90), we come to understand the "play" in which Jack, the theatrical veteran, feels the "dramatic arc" of his character is complete. This play confronts the history of gay liberation, issues of aging in the gay community, the dialogue between advocates of "gay assimilation" and "gay exceptionalism"...and the role of drag queens.

"Dex & Abby"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Though Sean and Corey are enjoying the beginning of a relationship and their new home; their dogs, Dex and Abby, are not. Abby, Sean's young dog, must learn to deal with the much older Dex, who has been Corey's companion and protector for thirteen years. Over a period of two years, we watch the development of these two relationships and see how the dogs both resolve their conflicts and aid Sean and Corey in...

Though Sean and Corey are enjoying the beginning of a relationship and their new home; their dogs, Dex and Abby, are not. Abby, Sean's young dog, must learn to deal with the much older Dex, who has been Corey's companion and protector for thirteen years. Over a period of two years, we watch the development of these two relationships and see how the dogs both resolve their conflicts and aid Sean and Corey in the resolution of theirs. Fortunately, all four characters are able to communicate in lovely and very unexpected ways. A funny, sweet and very moving tribute to the importance of the companions with whom we share our lives.

"Eskandar"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Inspired by Bizet's "Carmen" and the "Shahnameh", or "Epic of Kings" of the 10th Century Persian poet, Firdowsi, this play tells the story of the consequences of a clash of politics, economic interest, military strategy, cultural heritage and differing gender roles in today's Afghanistan. Joe, a gay Afghan-American, who has returned to Afghanistan as part of a covert operation, meets Eskandar, the passionate...

Inspired by Bizet's "Carmen" and the "Shahnameh", or "Epic of Kings" of the 10th Century Persian poet, Firdowsi, this play tells the story of the consequences of a clash of politics, economic interest, military strategy, cultural heritage and differing gender roles in today's Afghanistan. Joe, a gay Afghan-American, who has returned to Afghanistan as part of a covert operation, meets Eskandar, the passionate, impulsive and wild "kept boy" of an Afghan warlord. They develop a relationship which ends in tragedy.

"All the Saints"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

A full length, modern re-telling of Dumas' "Lady of the Camellias" and Verdi's "La Traviata", with gay characters. Alex, a very successful gay model/escort/circuit party boy and AJ, a gay US Navy pilot, stationed in San Diego, fall in love. For the sake of his beloved, Alex renounces this love and leave AJ. With scenes set in San Diego, at the White Party in Miami, in Baja and San Francisco. A timeless love...

A full length, modern re-telling of Dumas' "Lady of the Camellias" and Verdi's "La Traviata", with gay characters. Alex, a very successful gay model/escort/circuit party boy and AJ, a gay US Navy pilot, stationed in San Diego, fall in love. For the sake of his beloved, Alex renounces this love and leave AJ. With scenes set in San Diego, at the White Party in Miami, in Baja and San Francisco. A timeless love story, faithfully translated from 19th Century Paris into a modern, gay setting.

"Five Minutes"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Three short scenes set in the World Trade Center on 9/11. In the first, two friends and co-workers, discuss faith and family before they take the only option available to them to escape the oncoming devastation. In the second, two strangers...also trapped and who will make the same choice, discuss baseball and, finally, what they have loved most. In the last scene, a gay couple...one in the Tower and one at...

Three short scenes set in the World Trade Center on 9/11. In the first, two friends and co-workers, discuss faith and family before they take the only option available to them to escape the oncoming devastation. In the second, two strangers...also trapped and who will make the same choice, discuss baseball and, finally, what they have loved most. In the last scene, a gay couple...one in the Tower and one at their home in the city...must say goodbye. Sometimes love will take us to a safe place when nothing else can.

"...last and always"

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Based on the final scene of Allan's play, "Five Minutes". On 9/11, a gay couple...one in the WTC and one at their home in the city...must say goodbye. Sometimes love may take us to a safe place when nothing else can.

Based on the final scene of Allan's play, "Five Minutes". On 9/11, a gay couple...one in the WTC and one at their home in the city...must say goodbye. Sometimes love may take us to a safe place when nothing else can.

Voices

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

A conversation across four generations, among five members of a family, all residents of a cemetery in rural Texas. Taking "Our Town" in a new direction, "Voices" focuses on Martha, the tyrannical, ninety-seven year old matriarch of a Texas family, born in the 1860's, and how she deals with the two most recently-arrived residents of the family cemetery: Cole, a relatively young, gay victim of AIDS, and Peggy...

A conversation across four generations, among five members of a family, all residents of a cemetery in rural Texas. Taking "Our Town" in a new direction, "Voices" focuses on Martha, the tyrannical, ninety-seven year old matriarch of a Texas family, born in the 1860's, and how she deals with the two most recently-arrived residents of the family cemetery: Cole, a relatively young, gay victim of AIDS, and Peggy, her seventy-five year old wild and bohemian granddaugther.

Click

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

It's Saturday night and two gay guys are online trying to hook up, each for a somewhat different reason. Jason sees easy sex as a way to avoid intimacy. Michael sees it as a way to get to intimacy more quickly.

It's Saturday night and two gay guys are online trying to hook up, each for a somewhat different reason. Jason sees easy sex as a way to avoid intimacy. Michael sees it as a way to get to intimacy more quickly.

A Midwinter Night's Conversation

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

It's seven years into the relationship and a gay couple must face a critical moment, in the relationship and in one member's career. It's a time for honesty, intimacy and total self-exposure. And one of the two is an actor...a very, very good actor.

It's seven years into the relationship and a gay couple must face a critical moment, in the relationship and in one member's career. It's a time for honesty, intimacy and total self-exposure. And one of the two is an actor...a very, very good actor.

A Midsummer Night's Conversation

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

It's four months into the relationship and a gay couple must face a critical moment. It's a time for honesty, intimacy and total self-exposure. And one of the two is an actor...a very, very good actor.

It's four months into the relationship and a gay couple must face a critical moment. It's a time for honesty, intimacy and total self-exposure. And one of the two is an actor...a very, very good actor.

Modesto

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

Jack, an 84 year old gay man, is a resident of a nursing home in Modesto, California. There, in the "reddest part of the bluest state", Jack is interviewed by members of the San Francisco Gay History Project. Jack had, for many years, been the owner of a bookstore in the Castro district of San Francisco that had also served as a gay community center. Jack, howeer, wants to give the history that brought him...

Jack, an 84 year old gay man, is a resident of a nursing home in Modesto, California. There, in the "reddest part of the bluest state", Jack is interviewed by members of the San Francisco Gay History Project. Jack had, for many years, been the owner of a bookstore in the Castro district of San Francisco that had also served as a gay community center. Jack, howeer, wants to give the history that brought him and the project curators to where they are today...in a world where threats to the gay community have emerged again after the 2016 election. He also wants to give the "gift" that will be a way to resist those threats. Jack does so in a series of flashbacks to this past: from San Francisco in the early '70s to Fire Island in the late '70s to New York City in the mid-80s and in 1990. This play confronts the history of gay liberation, issues of aging in the gay community, the impact of AIDS, and the dialogue between advocates of "gay assimilation" and "gay exceptionalism"...and the role of drag queens. Adapted and updated from Allan's full length play, "Dare".

Missing

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

In January, 1971 two US Navy personnel…one a junior officer and the other a Navy medic acting as his driver…disappear in the Delta of South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. In September, 1996 a US Consular official from Ho Chi Minh City, is in the Delta, looking for information on American MIA’s from the war. In a Buddhist temple the American comes upon a priest, who has been waiting for him. The priest...

In January, 1971 two US Navy personnel…one a junior officer and the other a Navy medic acting as his driver…disappear in the Delta of South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. In September, 1996 a US Consular official from Ho Chi Minh City, is in the Delta, looking for information on American MIA’s from the war. In a Buddhist temple the American comes upon a priest, who has been waiting for him. The priest has a story to tell…of the last days of those two MIA’s. The story is sad, enlightening, comforting…and one out of an important and very ancient legend: the story of Krishna and Arjuna and the battle of Kurukshetra.

Beauty

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

A great work of art changes hands and a story of beauty is told...by the Dealer, the Collector and the Buyer.

A great work of art changes hands and a story of beauty is told...by the Dealer, the Collector and the Buyer.

Schrodinger's Cat

by Allan Baker

Synopsis

A consideration, in the form of a Greek chorus, of certain implications of quantum physics, with respect to the infinity of universes and chaos.

A consideration, in the form of a Greek chorus, of certain implications of quantum physics, with respect to the infinity of universes and chaos.