Dan Taube

Dan Taube

Dan is a playwright, director and actor. He has had his work performed throughout the country. In Chicago he has had several readings through Chicago Dramatists and Naked Angels and his play, “Monster Girl” was produced through Rhino Fest. Other productions include “Frankentherapy” with Towne Street Theatre in Los Angeles and “Lou and Bud Kill Their Dad” at Texas A&M University.

At Chicago...
Dan is a playwright, director and actor. He has had his work performed throughout the country. In Chicago he has had several readings through Chicago Dramatists and Naked Angels and his play, “Monster Girl” was produced through Rhino Fest. Other productions include “Frankentherapy” with Towne Street Theatre in Los Angeles and “Lou and Bud Kill Their Dad” at Texas A&M University.

At Chicago Dramatists Dan was a Network Playwright, a regular participant in their “Playwrights Aloud” series and the 2019 recipient of the M.E.H. Lewis scholarship.

Dan has a BFA in Acting from New York University and a MFA in Directing from DePaul University. He is the former Artistic Director for Thunder Road Ensemble and Madison Street Theatre. He is also a member of Playground Chicago and a participant in the Kennedy Center Playwrighting Intensive.

An excerpt from his play "Death of an Actor" and his one act, "Lou and Bud Kill Their Dad" have been published by Smith and Kraus through their “Best of” series.

Dan is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Plays

  • Miss Shakespeare
    Portia, a brilliant PHD theatre student is on a quest to discover the real Shakespeare. She is claiming that Shakespeare was a woman, much to her husband's chagrin. Was he a she? Portia says yes!
  • The Golden Rule
    Ten Minute Play. Two teachers in a suburban high school meet one afternoon to try to settle their disagreements and come to terms with their tumultuous relationship once and for all.
  • Thoughts and Prayers
    A concert piece dealing with the topic of gun control. Actors only ever speak to the audience, never to each other. There is a couple debating over a local guns for cash program that ends tragically. There is also two individuals recounting their experience with a shooter at school and at work.
  • Reckoning
    One Minute Play. At the wake of her husband's funeral, a mother must reckon with her artist son's complicated emotions.
  • Twisted Sister
    10 Minute Play. It is 1947 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Wilson family home was once an icon for respectability and power within its community. Now, it is a broken-down home for sisters Olivia and Anna. While Olivia is hoping for a teaching career and a husband, her younger sister, Anna, has much bigger plans for her future than just playing housemaid to a dominant male.
  • Lou And Bud Kill Their Dad
    The unfortunate sons of a big Abbott and Costello fan. While they were growing up their abusive father made them perform Who’s on First over and over again. As the play begins Bud has just murdered their father. They both celebrate the horrible act, their freedom and grieve over what must now happen.
  • Sticks and Stones
    Student and teacher, KRYSTAL and LISA are new to the school this year. Both want to fit in and be accepted at their new school. LISA, a long term foster care child needs to get out of her own way, while KRYSTAL has a bully of her own to deal with. There are accusations, confrontations and revelations. Eventually both young girl and woman succeed in their pursuit of what they love.
  • Frankentherapy
    THE CREATURE has reached a turning point in his eternal life. He has these fits of anger he can’t seem to control. After decades of terrifying villagers, he has sought out therapy with THE DOCTOR so that he can seek a “normal” life.
  • Death of an Actor
    Full Length. It is the year 1985, aspiring actors, Jeremy and Finn are excited to meet their fellow class-mates and begin their acting training. Throughout the course of their freshmen year, they have their highs and lows, and a strong friendship is forged between the two young men. Flash forward twenty-four years, both men have accomplished a lot. Finn is now an oscar-nominated actor, and Jeremy is an award-...
    Full Length. It is the year 1985, aspiring actors, Jeremy and Finn are excited to meet their fellow class-mates and begin their acting training. Throughout the course of their freshmen year, they have their highs and lows, and a strong friendship is forged between the two young men. Flash forward twenty-four years, both men have accomplished a lot. Finn is now an oscar-nominated actor, and Jeremy is an award-winning playwright. Both have had struggles with substance abuse over the years. They try to help each other overcome their demons. But some demons simply can't be defeated.
  • The Coin
    Two men, A and B meet for the first time in what appears to be a hospital or a waiting room or a halfway house.
    As they talk they discover all the things that make them the same and also what makes them very different. The question is: who will come out on top?
  • Second Chances
    STRUTZ, an ex-con and recently paroled visits his parole officer, BERMAN. He is looking for help with some of his ex-con specific situations. BERMAN counsels him towards healthier choices. Yet when he tries to do the right thing, it provides a tragic end.
  • Women Like Us
    Full-length. Alice, a recent rape survivor is at a turning point in her life. Through her complicated relationship with her mother Lola, her supportive best friend Cindy and the memories she has of her gramma, she is coming to realize that in order to be the best mother to her adoptive daughter Lucy, she needs to let go and move on. It's as simple as that. Or is it?
  • What Did You Think Of Me?
    Two college roommates clash over lifestyles, sexuality and responsibilities. Once they become truly honest with each other they have reached the point of no return. It’s going to take a lot of work for them to put aside their differences and become friends again.
  • Chances Are
    It is five o’clock in the afternoon. In a large, metropolitan city. CHARLIE is waiting for a bus to take him home when he is approached by RIP. RIP might be homeless, we’re really not sure. All RIP wants is a dollar, so he can get something to eat.
  • Let's Make A Deal (A one minute play)
    Two upper management executives are about to make the deal of a lifetime. Or are they?
  • Monster Girl
    Monster GIrl is obsessed with monsters. Her nocturnal pals help to keep her safe from the real monsters of this world -predatory cousins, vicious brothers and uncaring parents. She is alone in this world until she meets another "weird kid" - Anna - at a party circa 1982.
  • Our Grand Old Khristmas Apokalypse
    Ten Minute Play. The old wizard GOKA is trying to kill Christmas once again. The magical trio of Pig, Scarecrow and Fairy are out to stop him and maybe convert him to the forces of good once and for all. And who is the mysterious Beast? Friend or foe? Good or evil? Only time will tell!