Blood Orange

COMING IN 2024

The Elif Collective presents

By Abigail Duclos

Directed by Alexandra Haddad

A 6-person dark comedy that explores lesbian desire, the aftermath of grief, and teenage mental illness. On her way home from school in rural North Carolina, Faye discovers the maimed body of a strange creature: half-bird, half-lamb. Together with Eden—a peculiar newcomer to the small town—Faye creates a new religion centered around this creature. It is a religion of queer desire, overwhelming grief, and feminine rage. Through their faith, the girls reckon with familial deaths, parental neglect, and the impacts of abuse.

The History of Blood Orange

Blood Orange was written by Abigail Duclos under the mentorship of Professor Jhumpa Lahiri, with further mentorship by Professor Ken Chen.

May 2023 Reading

The play had its first reading on May 1, 2023, in the Minor Latham Playhouse at Barnard College. Skylar Hudson directed the reading with performances by Miranda Paiz, Pimprenelle Behaeghel, Isabel Tongson, Alex Prezeau, John Howley, and Lilly Gasterland-Gustafsson. Alexis Buncich and Sophie Craig acted as dramaturgs.

FireWorks Workshop Production

In September 2023, Blood Orange underwent another four weeks of development as part of The Elif's FireWorks development lab. Read more about that production here.

Full Production - Upcoming in 2024

In 2024, The Elif Collective will produce a full-scale, 4-week run of Blood Orange. Stay tuned for more information.

Meet the Playwright

Abigail Duclos is a theater artist currently based in New York City. After growing up in both South Carolina and Pennsylvania, Abigail studied English, Theatre, and German at Barnard College. Some of her past playwriting credits include Possession (The Tank), Camp Cattywampus (Columbia University Performing Arts League), Teeth (WKCR 89.9 FM NY & NOMADS), and Anointed With Gasoline (NOMADS). Outside of writing, Abigail enjoys learning about the art of puppetry, watching soccer games, and making matcha. She wants to thank Narns–for everything. IG: @abigailduclos.