Elana Gartner
SHE, HER, HERS
Brooklyn, NY
Internationally produced playwright, advocate for women in theater, MFA student.
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Biography

Internationally produced and recognized playwright Elana Gartner has written Before Lesbians (2nd Place Recipient of the 2018 Henley Rose Playwriting Competition for Women (Readings: Oberlin College, Henley Rose), Because of Beth (Productions: Howick Little Theatre; The Workshop Theater), Daughter (Reading: UpTheater Company; PlayLab Selection, 2013 Great Plains Theatre Conference), , Pilar’s Brother (Reading: Repertorio Español), Cortex Kin (Reading: Dixon Place), Spinning (Production:Fabrefaction Theater Company), and Ernie Evan (Productions: Genesis Repertory Theater; Heights Players, 6x10 Festival). Two monologues from Elana’s plays Daughter and Because of Beth were published in “Audition Monologues for Young Women #2: More Contemporary Auditions for Aspiring Actresses “(Meriwether Publishing, Ltd., 2013). Elana founded the EMG Playwriting Workshop and is also a member of the Manhattan Oracles playwriting group. Elana founded the International Centre for Women Playwrights 50/50 Applause Awards and served on the ICWP board for five years. Elana is a member of the Dramatists Guild and writes freelance articles for HowlRound. She is currently an MFA candidate at Spalding University.

Plays

Before Lesbians
by Elana Gartner

When Charlotte and Vivian meet, they are about to marry their fiancés who are leaving to fight for President Lincoln. Through letters and visits, Charlotte and Vivian nurture their friendship, sharing books and projects to support the troops and their husbands. In an era where women were not recognized as sexual beings and when words did not exist for women falling in love, Charlotte and Vivian struggle to understand the confusing feelings they are developing for each other while the Civil War rages on.

Cast:
JAMES: Male, Caucasian, early 20’s. Upper middle class. Works for the government. CHARLOTTE: Female, Caucasian, early 20’s. Upper middle class. HENRY: Male, Caucasian, mid-20’s. Middle class. Interest in personal accounting business. VIVIAN: Female, Caucasian, mid-20’s. Middle class. Bookworm.
Daughter
by Elana Gartner

When sixteen year old Robyn’s biological mother contacts her on Facebook, Robyn tries to ignore her. She has been happy with her adoptive family and hasn’t wanted to search for her biological parents. But her biological mother, Millie, is persistent and finally tells her why: she needs a bone marrow transplant within a week or she will have to go into an experimental trial program. While still trying to protect herself and the family she grew up with, Robyn struggles to decide if she wants to fight to try to save Millie.

Cast:
ROBYN: Female, 16 years old. Adopted. Intelligent. Suburban, upper middle class. ALEXIS: Female, 16 years old. ROBYN’s best friend. Smart. Suburban, upper middle class. BEVERLY: Female, mid-40’s. Math professor. Adoptive mother to ROBYN. Upper middle class. JUSTIN: Male, 12 years old. ROBYN’s younger brother and the biological son of ELI and BEVERLY. Well-intentioned but often misses the mark. Upper middle class. ELI: Male, mid-40’s. Works in the pharmaceutical industry. Adoptive father to ROBYN. Upper middle class. MILLIE: Female, 32 years old. ROBYN’s long-lost biological mother. A biker chick. She is from Arkansas. Lower class.
Because of Beth
by Elana Gartner

When teenage Penny’s long-missing father doesn’t recognize her at her mother’s funeral, she risks her relationship with her irresponsible older sister to learn about him and possibly overturn the guardianship her mother chose. But, in her haste, Penny discovers how post-death experiences for the living can be treacherous when secrets are fresh, powerful and dangerous.

Cast:
CARA: Female, 23 years old. Angry, self-involved, irresponsible, soft spot for her sister that she rarely shows, emotionally volatile. PENNY: Female, 15 years old. Cara’s younger sister. Ambitious, loves music, lost, confused by recent events, craves a better relationship with her sister, wants to be independent. STANLEY: Male. 40’s/50’s. Beth’s fiancé and the would be step-father of Cara and Penny. Caring, distraught, deeply sorrowful which clouds his usual clear and grounded judgment. ROBERT: Male. 40’s/50’s. Long-lost father of Penny and Cara. Emotionally volatile, manipulative, selfish, unable to heal old wounds. WAITRESS: Written as female, this can also be played by a male, any age.
Pilar's Brother
by Elana Gartner

Julian’s mother has returned to Chile to care for his dying grandmother, leaving obedient Julian to juggle his temporary responsibility for his mentally-ill sister, his studies, his job and his American lifestyle: the one that his family knows about and the closeted gay and aspiring actor lifestyle that they don’t. Set in 1968 Brooklyn and in a strong Chilean immigrant and Catholic family, this story explores the choices that Julian has to make when a big opportunity arises and the volatile sister that complicates them. Inspired by a true story.

Cast:
JULIAN: 21 years old, male. Older brother of PILAR. Attends college and works at a mundane job. Private, keeps worlds separate and his personal needs and ambitions secret. Very protective of his sister. Immigrated to the United States from Chile when he was 10 years old. Is a US citizen. PILAR: 17 years old, female. Has a mental illness that is controlled by medicine, when it is taken. When it is not taken, PILAR is wild and uncontrollable, saying things that are unrelated to one another. Loves her brother more than anyone. Is mischievous and harbors anger. Immigrated to the United States from Chile when she was 5 years old. Is a US citizen. RAMONA: 41 years old, female. Aunt to JULIAN and PILAR. She sews for a living. Religious, favors JULIAN over PILAR, angry at her sister, maternal. Her English is frequently not grammatically correct or broken. She immigrated to the United States from Chile ahead of the family when she was 25 years old. Is a US citizen. ADAM: Early 20’s, male. Boyfriend of JULIAN. A model. He has an affected way of speaking and acting. Flamboyant in attitude but not dress, outgoing, excitable, sexual, adventurous, high school level education, social, ambitious, generally unemployed and poor. Likes to do things for JULIAN.

Successes

Before Lesbians (2nd Place, 2018 Henley Rose Playwriting Competition for Women)

Daughter (2013 Great Plains Theatre Conference PlayLab Selection)

Pilar's Brother (2010 Met Life Nuestras Voces Playwriting Competition Finalist)

Because of Beth (Productions: Auckland, NZ and NY, NY)