Dan Giles

​Dan Giles (he/him) is a playwright from Massachusetts. He is a second-year fellow in The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program.

His plays have been produced and developed at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Next Door at New York Theatre Workshop, New Light Theater Project, First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre, The Great Plains Theatre Commons, and others.

He is a recipient of the Clifford Odets Ensemble Commission from Lee Strasberg/NYU, the New Light New Voices Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Award, and the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwrighting.

He’s an alum of Harvard College (AB in English), Carnegie Mellon (MFA), and Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theatre.

​Dan Giles (he/him) is a playwright from Massachusetts. He is a second-year fellow in The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program.

His plays have been produced and developed at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Next Door at New York Theatre Workshop, New Light Theater Project, First Floor Theater, Haven Theatre, The Great Plains Theatre Commons, and others.

He is a recipient of the Clifford Odets Ensemble Commission from Lee Strasberg/NYU, the New Light New Voices Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Award, and the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwrighting.

He’s an alum of Harvard College (AB in English), Carnegie Mellon (MFA), and Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Scripts

The Charioteer

by Dan Giles

Cast Size
2
Genre
drama,
political

Shortly after Charly visits her estranged brother at college, he vanishes off the grid to live in a radical environmentalist commune. Ten years later, he needs her help. But first, she needs answers. The Charioteer is two-hander about the inevitability and difficulty of change.

Shortly after Charly visits her estranged brother at college, he vanishes off the grid to live in a radical environmentalist commune. Ten years later, he needs her help. But first, she needs answers. The Charioteer is two-hander about the inevitability and difficulty of change.

The Dog Walker

by Dan Giles

Cast Size
6
Genre
comedy,
drama

After his friend’s suicide, a dog walker goes looking for comfort and finds himself entangled in an older couple’s marriage. As their intimacy increases, new hungers disturb old wounds. The Dog Walker is a love story, a coming-of-age story, and a ghost story.

After his friend’s suicide, a dog walker goes looking for comfort and finds himself entangled in an older couple’s marriage. As their intimacy increases, new hungers disturb old wounds. The Dog Walker is a love story, a coming-of-age story, and a ghost story.

Polar Bear in a Fish Tank in a Mall in China

by Dan Giles

5
Cast Size
8
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
drama,
experimental,
fantasy,
farce,
horror,
mystery/thriller,
political,
satire

On the set of a reality TV show deep in the snowy mountains, seven gays compete for the love of one bachelor. But when one of them vanishes, they discover that game isn't what it seems, and that the house is full of secrets: a curse, a conspiracy, a monster. Stalked by an implacable terror, each must decide for himself: did he come here to make friends? Or to win?

On the set of a reality TV show deep in the snowy mountains, seven gays compete for the love of one bachelor. But when one of them vanishes, they discover that game isn't what it seems, and that the house is full of secrets: a curse, a conspiracy, a monster. Stalked by an implacable terror, each must decide for himself: did he come here to make friends? Or to win?

Mike Pence Sex Dream

by Dan Giles

7
Cast Size
3
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
drama,
experimental,
fantasy,
horror,
political

In the aftermath of the 2016 election, newlyweds Gary and Ben find their marriage put to the test. Ben wants to fight the power. Gary wants to climb the corporate ladder to comfort and safety. When an unscrupulous client makes him an irresistible offer, Gary sets down a path of violent delights that will lead to violent ends. Mike Pence Sex Dream is a romantic travesty about bringing home the bacon and fucking a...

In the aftermath of the 2016 election, newlyweds Gary and Ben find their marriage put to the test. Ben wants to fight the power. Gary wants to climb the corporate ladder to comfort and safety. When an unscrupulous client makes him an irresistible offer, Gary sets down a path of violent delights that will lead to violent ends. Mike Pence Sex Dream is a romantic travesty about bringing home the bacon and fucking a pig.

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Breeders

by Dan Giles

12
Cast Size
4
Genre
comedy,
dark comedy,
drama,
farce,
political,
romantic comedy

Two men, Dean and Mikey, prepared for ages to have a baby, but now Dean’s doubts gnaw at him. Two hamsters, Tyson and Jason, are abruptly pregnant with nine babies, and now Tyson’s fears nibble at her. Nobody was planning to eat anyone. Things just got out of hand.

Two men, Dean and Mikey, prepared for ages to have a baby, but now Dean’s doubts gnaw at him. Two hamsters, Tyson and Jason, are abruptly pregnant with nine babies, and now Tyson’s fears nibble at her. Nobody was planning to eat anyone. Things just got out of hand.

How You Kiss Me Is Not How I Like To Be Kissed

by Dan Giles

5
Cast Size
2—60
Genre
comedy,
drama,
experimental,
political,
romantic comedy

Kiss her, poorly. Decide to take him home anyway. Define the relationship. Set sensible boundaries. Confess secrets. Meet her dad, blow it. Fall in love casually, strangely, effortlessly. Negotiate monogamy. Take him to IKEA, regret it, survive it. Fight about work. Fight about family. Fight about marriage. Make a life together. Fall out of love as easily as you fell in. Now what? How You Kiss Me...

Kiss her, poorly. Decide to take him home anyway. Define the relationship. Set sensible boundaries. Confess secrets. Meet her dad, blow it. Fall in love casually, strangely, effortlessly. Negotiate monogamy. Take him to IKEA, regret it, survive it. Fight about work. Fight about family. Fight about marriage. Make a life together. Fall out of love as easily as you fell in. Now what? How You Kiss Me Is Not How I Like To Be Kissed explores the pursuit of romantic love in the lives of two people who want desperately to believe in it.

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