Brett Abelman

Brett Abelman

Growing up in the Washington DC metro area, Brett has produced several plays in the region. Most notably, Brett is an alum of The Welders (thewelders.org), DC's playwrights' collective. Brett also acts, directs, stage manages, and sometimes writes reviews for dctheatrescene.com; in a past life, Brett even played drums in a rock band. Brett plays board games as much as possible and maybe will design...
Growing up in the Washington DC metro area, Brett has produced several plays in the region. Most notably, Brett is an alum of The Welders (thewelders.org), DC's playwrights' collective. Brett also acts, directs, stage manages, and sometimes writes reviews for dctheatrescene.com; in a past life, Brett even played drums in a rock band. Brett plays board games as much as possible and maybe will design one someday, and is very interested in the intersection between theatre and gaming.
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Brett was on the Tech Support team for the New Play Exchange at launch.

Plays

  • To The Earth by Brett Abelman
    Cast: 
    5–6
    ·
    Genre: drama, movement/physical + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: astronaut, first contact + 8 more
    Genre: drama, movement/physical, science fiction
    Keyword: astronaut, first contact, space, spaceship, space travel, aliens, international cooperation, future, escape, fate of the world
    A large crew drawn from all the peoples of the Earth embarks on a unity mission, reaching far into space. Then, in an instant, one catastrophic encounter sends five survivors reeling, escaping in a desperate struggle together to reach home. As their options narrow, the rifts between them deepen, and the pressure to break the deadlock falls on the no-nonsense pilot. When all you want to do is fly a spaceship,...
    A large crew drawn from all the peoples of the Earth embarks on a unity mission, reaching far into space. Then, in an instant, one catastrophic encounter sends five survivors reeling, escaping in a desperate struggle together to reach home. As their options narrow, the rifts between them deepen, and the pressure to break the deadlock falls on the no-nonsense pilot. When all you want to do is fly a spaceship, how do you decide the fate of the world... let alone your own life or death?
  • Curiouser by Brett Abelman
    Cast: 
    6–20
    ·
    Genre: adventure, comedy + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: wonderland, journey + 8 more
    Genre: adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy, movement/physical
    Keyword: wonderland, journey, Talking Animals, magic, magical creatures, internet, human connection, shadow, cave, dog
    A lonely soul of the Internet age takes his dog out for a walk when he has no one else to celebrate his birthday with. When the dog chases a mysterious talking squirrel into a cave beneath a cellphone tower, a magical journey begins into a land full of strange creatures fed by the runoff of human communications. But when he finds a runaway human girl in this curious place, will he able to cross his own barriers...
    A lonely soul of the Internet age takes his dog out for a walk when he has no one else to celebrate his birthday with. When the dog chases a mysterious talking squirrel into a cave beneath a cellphone tower, a magical journey begins into a land full of strange creatures fed by the runoff of human communications. But when he finds a runaway human girl in this curious place, will he able to cross his own barriers to make a real connection and save the denizens of this wonderland from a shadowy threat?
  • Switch by Brett Abelman
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: body swap, gender + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, fantasy, political
    Keyword: body swap, gender, gender roles, genderqueer, genderfluid, Pride Festival, Washington DC, sexuality, embodied gender, all nighter
    Straight couple Leila and Doug find in the afterglow of sex that they have switched bodies. But "Freaky Friday" this ain't, as the two immediately take advantage of the fantastical situation to explore their sexuality, gender, and other unexplored corners of themselves. Meanwhile, their genderfluid friend Lark finds out about their strange condition and injects hir own explosive ideas about what...
    Straight couple Leila and Doug find in the afterglow of sex that they have switched bodies. But "Freaky Friday" this ain't, as the two immediately take advantage of the fantastical situation to explore their sexuality, gender, and other unexplored corners of themselves. Meanwhile, their genderfluid friend Lark finds out about their strange condition and injects hir own explosive ideas about what it can all mean, leading to a wild night of strange and revelatory encounters.
    NOTE: The script is in the process of a rewrite. This version is the one produced by The Welders in 2018.
  • Homework by Brett Abelman
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: homework, school + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, young audiences
    Keyword: homework, school, elementary school, high school, family, dinner table, parenthood
    30-MINUTE ONE-ACT ~ For High-School Audiences ~ A hurricane of words and woes around the dining room table of the Baker household. The cause? Homework. Young impressionable Geraldine has a couple assignments to get done, and her three older siblings each have a different attitude towards the whole institution of take-home schoolwork: rebellious, studious, or carefree. Eventually, as usual, the parents have to...
    30-MINUTE ONE-ACT ~ For High-School Audiences ~ A hurricane of words and woes around the dining room table of the Baker household. The cause? Homework. Young impressionable Geraldine has a couple assignments to get done, and her three older siblings each have a different attitude towards the whole institution of take-home schoolwork: rebellious, studious, or carefree. Eventually, as usual, the parents have to step in. An all-too-familiar comedy - or is it a drama? - about this most everyday of experiences. (Note: a reduced version of the play is also available, as is an expanded one with additional showcase roles as teachers.)