PJ O'Neal

ABOUT

PJ O’Neal (he/they) is a multi-hyphenate artist, playwright, food writer, and educator. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and co-facilitator of The Tank NYC’s Lit Council 2023 - 2025 for male playwrights of color. Previous work include a one-person musical, CODE RED, which had its world premier at the Borderlight Theatre Festival in Cleveland, Ohio in 2023. A short play, DANTE’S 2 TRAIN, had its New York premier at the Secret Theatre Act One: One Act Festival in 2024, and his play STINGER recently had a public reading produced by Seadog Theatre and NewYorkRep and won the Curtain Rising Playwriting award. His artistic goal is to create stories that highlight those who are from marginalized communities. He aims to provide a mirror of society and not necessarily a vehicle for escapism. His published food writing can be found in national publications such as Allrecipes, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Spruce Eats, as well as literary magazines. He is currently in Hunter College’s MFA Playwriting program.

"A playwright has a responsibility in his society not to aid it, or comfort it, but to comment and criticize it." - Edward Albee

THEATRE

STINGER

A formerly incarcerated and renowned chef, is set out to mentor high school dropouts through culinary arts. He must face new fame, success, family, trauma, and the horrors of mass incarceration.

DRAMA, FULL-LENGTH, 3M / 2W

Workshop/Reading, Curtain Rising Reading Festival, Sea Dog Theatre/NewYorkRep, directed by Dominique Rider (April, 2025) Finalist, Curtain Rising Reading Festival Award

Staged Reading, New York, NY, The TANK, directed by Ashley Thomas (June 2024)

STILETTO

A beloved and queer restaurant in the Meatpacking District of New York City is on the brink of closing due to gentrification

COMEDY, FULL-LENGTH, 4M / 3F

Staged Reading, New York, NY, The Loewe Theater at Hunter College, directed by Emil Weinstein (May, 2025)

CODE RED

Inspired by and adapted from Willa Cather's "Paul's Case," the New York City drag queen, LaRouge, puts on a one-woman show about her journey from the mundane Midwest to the invigorating New York City.

Music available for streaming!

COMEDY, SOLO SHOW, 1M (NB)

Production, New York, NY, The TANK, directed by Alexander Scelso (September, 2025)

Borderlight Theatre Festival, Cleveland, OH, Cleveland Playhouse, directed by Alexander Scelso (August, 2023)

I WAS RAISED BY A TELEVISION

A coming-of-age story of a young Black boy defined in three stages of his life; childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This family drama chronicles the complexities of single parenting, and the influence of television has on young minds who often have nowhere else to rely on but the black box in their living room.

DRAMEDY, FULL-LENGTH, 2M / 3W

PJ O'Neal

ABOUT

ARTIST RESUME

THEATRE

STINGER

STILETTO

CODE RED

I WAS RAISED BY A TELEVISION

FOOD WRITING

GALLERY

Contact

PJ O'Neal

PJ O'Neal

ABOUT

ARTIST RESUME

THEATRE

STINGER

STILETTO

CODE RED

I WAS RAISED BY A TELEVISION

FOOD WRITING

GALLERY

Contact

PJ O'Neal

This website uses cookies.