Riley Gene

Riley Gene's (they/them) work blends the mythic and the intimate, weaving stories of resistance, transformation, and survival. Their plays move between horror, comedy, and epic musical forms, often drawing on ritual, folklore, and the uncanny to ask how communities endure in the face of power. Recent works include The House Devours (a period supernatural/psychological horror), DROOSE IS LOOSE (a commissioned children’s musical comedy for foundry10), and Headlights. Their new epic musical, EPOS: A Song Without End, explores abolition, environmental collapse, and the fight to keep singing when silence is demanded. An autistic and trans-nonbinary artist, Riley Gene writes with a voice at once lyrical and defiant, creating theatre that cracks open the familiar and lets something wilder in.

Riley Gene's (they/them) work blends the mythic and the intimate, weaving stories of resistance, transformation, and survival. Their plays move between horror, comedy, and epic musical forms, often drawing on ritual, folklore, and the uncanny to ask how communities endure in the face of power. Recent works include The House Devours (a period supernatural/psychological horror), DROOSE IS LOOSE (a commissioned children’s musical comedy for foundry10), and Headlights. Their new epic musical, EPOS: A Song Without End, explores abolition, environmental collapse, and the fight to keep singing when silence is demanded. An autistic and trans-nonbinary artist, Riley Gene writes with a voice at once lyrical and defiant, creating theatre that cracks open the familiar and lets something wilder in.

Scripts

The Wisherman Cometh

by Riley Gene

Cast Size
3—4
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
fable/folktale,
fantasy,
period,
verse

In a land where wishes are real and the guillotine gleams, Cedric has two problems: unrequited love and a recently dead cobbler. When declarations of devotion interrupt an execution, things spiral quickly—from romantic tragedy to folkloric horror. Elmyra isn’t interested. Cedric won’t stop talking. And the Wisherman? He cometh.

A darkly funny, blues-tinged fairy tale set somewhere between Shakespeare and a...

In a land where wishes are real and the guillotine gleams, Cedric has two problems: unrequited love and a recently dead cobbler. When declarations of devotion interrupt an execution, things spiral quickly—from romantic tragedy to folkloric horror. Elmyra isn’t interested. Cedric won’t stop talking. And the Wisherman? He cometh.

A darkly funny, blues-tinged fairy tale set somewhere between Shakespeare and a fever dream, The Wisherman Cometh asks: what’s the price of a pure wish in a town that’s anything but?

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The House Devours

by Riley Gene

1
Cast Size
5—6
Genre
drama,
fable/folktale,
fantasy,
horror,
period

In ancient, Connacht Ireland, where the supernatural lingers in every shadow, a family battles to escape a haunting cycle of generational abuse. "The House Devours" unearths secrets buried deep within the O’Halloran home, where each echo and vision threatens to reveal a dark past that is eating them alive. As the family struggles against the malevolent forces entwined with their bloodline, the O’Halloran women...

In ancient, Connacht Ireland, where the supernatural lingers in every shadow, a family battles to escape a haunting cycle of generational abuse. "The House Devours" unearths secrets buried deep within the O’Halloran home, where each echo and vision threatens to reveal a dark past that is eating them alive. As the family struggles against the malevolent forces entwined with their bloodline, the O’Halloran women must choose between satiating the house’s desires or intercepting the family’s fate. This gut-twisting play weaves a tale of horror and resilience, where the ultimate battle is not just for survival, but for the soul.

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DROOSE IS LOOSE! The Musical

by Riley Gene

Cast Size
4
Genre
comedy,
fantasy,
immersive,
musical,
young audiences

When a mischievous, mythical, mellifluous dragon-goose crosses paths with a stupid, dumb, not-very-good photographer, you can bet your bottom dollar that the result is an uproarious explosion of musical madness.

"Droose is Loose!" is a whimsical musical comedy set in various locations throughout a school, centering on the riotous clash between Droose, a mischievous dragon goose, and Terry, an aspiring but...

When a mischievous, mythical, mellifluous dragon-goose crosses paths with a stupid, dumb, not-very-good photographer, you can bet your bottom dollar that the result is an uproarious explosion of musical madness.

"Droose is Loose!" is a whimsical musical comedy set in various locations throughout a school, centering on the riotous clash between Droose, a mischievous dragon goose, and Terry, an aspiring but hapless rare animal photographer. Terry's relentless pursuit of Droose, driven by his desire for fame, aided by his apathetic intern, Jerry, collides head-on with Droose's misadventures, aided by his "just happy to be there" cousin, Bloose. Amid the chaos and laughter, the play teaches valuable post-pandemic lessons on consent, boundaries, and making friends all while bringing Droose and Bloose, delightful puppet characters, to life. This immersive theatrical experience delivers humor, music, and essential life lessons, showcasing that even the most unlikely friendships can blossom when respect and understanding prevail.

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Headlights

by Riley Gene

Cast Size
4
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
experimental

Three family members find themselves in a delivery truck to nowhere.

This absurdist comedy explores the humor in grief as we see this family grapple with different coping mechanisms to try to connect with one another.

Three family members find themselves in a delivery truck to nowhere.

This absurdist comedy explores the humor in grief as we see this family grapple with different coping mechanisms to try to connect with one another.