Basil Parnell (They/He) writes plays about the southern queer and trans experience, seismic life changes, and the things that make us human.

Their plays include SIDE BY SIDE, RUST, HOW TO OVERTHROW YOUR MOTHER’S FUNERAL IN JUST A FEW EASY STEPS, YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO BEV AND DARYL’S ALL HALLOWS EVE SOIREE, THE JUGFUL, and their one person show, CORNBREAD.

His work has been developed with the Arkansas New Play Festival at TheatreSquared (2023 Apprentice Playwright), Arktype New Works Festival, Inverse Performance Art Festival, and Medusa Collective NYC. They are also a recipient of a 2024 Artist 360 Award.

Basil received his BA in Theatre Arts— Writing for the Stage from Marymount Manhattan College, and they are currently pursuing their MFA in playwriting at the University of Arkansas.

Outside of the theatre, Basil loves to hike, read, and they also run their own cottage micro-bakery, @basil.bakes