I'm primarily a playwright, with some scattered prose published here and there. In my plays, I love to explore the fine line between reality and a secret other place, especially through the lens of complicated and imperfect queer characters. No play of mine exists without either a strong Spotify playlist or a pilgrimage to the wilderness, and the best ones were born from a combination of both.
Here you can read about my plays, most of which can be found on my New Play Exchange.
dogboy supreme
A punk-rock adaptation of the myth of Caeneus. It's the mid-90s, it's in the basement, and there's a house show that can't be missed. Caenis is Thessaly's hottest rocker. Poseidon is new in town, and he's set his sights on her. A play with music exploring transformation, control, and what it means to be protected.
Developed in residency with Queer Theatre Collective Boston, Summer 2025
Internal reading, QTC Boston (July 2025)
untitled hamlet play
As Casey tries to write their thesis play about Hamlet, they find themselves unable to find the right language to express themself -- it's a good thing their best friend Hadley has such a way with words. And a great personality. And such an interesting life. The deeper they get into Hadley's story, the more Casey adopts it as their own part to play, attempting to be the Great Person their classmates are hearing them be. And then Casey gets visited by a ghost of a certain paternal figure, and all Shakespearean hell breaks loose.
Meeting Notes
Every week, six animals on a small family farm gather to share stories, settle disputes, and chat about changes they’d like to see in their daily lives. With the arrival of new, mysterious, buzzing boxes in the trees, alliances shift, life on the farm is thrown into question, and these once casual weekly meetings quickly become serious. As the shadowy underbelly of the Johnson Family Farm comes to light, will this motley crew be of animals willing to face it?
Fork & Shoe Theatre Co-op, Boston, MA August 2025
coolwater
Spanning from the 1930s to today, four generations of women come together at pivotal moments in their young adulthood to give each other the love, wisdom, and (sometimes unwanted) advice that only a mother can give. Winona mourns a loss of family while struggling through a loss of culture, Ann must balance what is best for her family with what’s best for herself, Jeanie is trying to keep her head above water as everyone around her is trying to push her under, and Maeve just has to live in the aftermath.
Staged reading, Full Circle Players, Riverside, CA (May 2025)
Finalist, Subtext Studio Theatre's New Works Festival, Chicago, IL (2025)
Hot & Heavy
Over the course of about a decade, Margot and Sal experience the highs and lows of their first queer love. It's never been as simple as being best friends and doesn't end as complicated as being enemies -- this reverse chronology examines the recurring cycles and structures in a relationship full of love and doomed to fail, from their final reconciliation to their first explorations of queerness.
Four Genres In Search of a Plot
Four characters (who are they?) walk into a room (what room?) and don't know what to do with themselves. A one-man show devolves into madness. A private eye confronts a criminal. A love triangle becomes all tangled up. A mime is there too.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Deadword Theatre Company (2025)
The Rockwell, Deadword Theatre Company, Boston, MA (2025)
University of Northern Iowa (2024)
Silver Masque Theatre Company, Boston, MA (2023)
Garlic Sounds
(one act) College student Charlie is finding themself impossibly distracted from their midterms, namely by the fact that the host of their college radio station is completely, 100% a vampire. No question about it. As Charlie gets more and more wrapped up in this notion, their friends Mona and Kit begin to worry about the behavior they're exhibiting, causing past conflicts to bubble to the surface as this undead threat begins to feel more and more real. And by the way, has anyone else noticed how the guy on the radio has been getting really… ominous recently?
Silver Masque Theatre Company, Boston, MA (2023)
Art Imitates
A first date at the museum is getting so awkward that two paintings have no choice but to step in.
Third Place Judge's Award, Edmonds Driftwood Players Festival of Shorts (2025)
Silver Masque Theatre Company (2024)
You Should Talk To Someone
When Ellie goes in for a psychic reading, she’s surprised to meet Dean, a teenage psychic who draws on the spirits of his ancestors to deliver some brutal truths. Over the course of the reading, the two are each able to provide the other with some surprising wisdom as they form an unexpected and fleeting connection.
Western Connecticut State University (2025)
Boston Theatre Marathon (2024)
Natick Dinner Theatre (2024)
Silver Masque Theatre Company (2023)
For inquiries of any kind, please email me! My email is roryoneill24@gmail.com and I would love to hear from you!
I am currently available for freelance or contracted work.