Elizabeth Appell

Elizabeth Appell is a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and filmmaker. Her novel, Lessons from the Gypsy Camp received strong reviews (See .) and was awarded Honorable Mention in both the Paris Book Festival and the Beach Festival. Many of her short stories have been published and several won awards. She adapted her novel, Lessons from the Gypsy Camp, to a screenplay. The script won first place in the Nevada State Film Commission Competition as well as several other screenplay competitions including recently placing as a semi-finalist in the Santa Barbara Screenwriting Competition as well as landing as a semi-finalist or finalist in other national competitions.

Her script Trusted Friend has landed a semi-finalist in several competitions including the Page Awards, CWA Awards, Fresh Voices, and the International LA Script Competition.

Her full-length plays have been given directed readings in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Confessions of a Catholic Child was first produced in Los Angles and then went up at The EXIT Theatre, San Francisco. Two of Appell’s plays have placed as semifinalist in the prestigious Eugene O’Neil Playwriting Conference. Appell’s two short films Easy Made Hard and Warnings from the Bathtub, starring the late iconic Karen Black were official selections at over 30 festivals and both were awarded Gold in Houston. Easy Made Hard was screened at the Short Film Corner in Cannes. Sweet Juice, a short script about a prize fighter who refuses to fight due to his dream that he kills his opponent in the ring. This piece just landed a quarter-finalist in the Santa Barbara International Screenwriting Competition.

Plays:

Squawk! the Musical, a surreal romp of pursuit, seduction, and love. The piece was tapped by Apples and Oranges, New York for development sessions and had its first reading late in 2019. The play is in submission phase.
Chalk Lines, an intense exploration of how war affects the families who are forced to send their youngster into harm’s way. It was an O’Neill Semi-Finalist 2019.
Orgasms and Other Lies, an absurdist examination of art, love, and a little bit of death.
The Family Trick, a playwright slips into the Nether world in hopes of getting in touch with her father, Mother and brother to discover the reasons why each committed suicide. By brutally turning over stones from their past lives, the truth emerges, and the playwright must make a decision whether or not to join them in the family trick. The play was just shortlisted by the London Playwrights.
The Beast Beneath Your Bed, penned in the time of Covid-19. A lonely woman starving for affection sheltering in place becomes disoriented and mildly delusional. When a wickedly ugly creature inhabited by kindness enters, her reality changes. These two eccentric characters, together, prowl the unknown territory of what it is to be alive.
Lessons in the Gypsy Camp, finalist at the Nevada State Screenwriting Competition, recognized by several other awards including a recent semi-finalist at the Santa Barbara Screenwriting Competition.

Elizabeth is pleased to be a playwright in residence with Three Girls Theatre Company, San Francisco.