Writing
Since 2009, composer Aaron Alon has been active as an playwright and writer. His plays have been read, performed, and awarded prizes around the US, as well as in the UK. His feature film musical BULLY (2017) won over 20 awards at film festivals around the world. His YouTube Channel has had over 8 million views. He also writes for his professional development for musicians site, musiciandevelopment.com
Chamber Works
Carolyn Johnson as Lilly and Josh Estrada as Alex in “Positive”
To see Aaron’s catalogue of musicals, click here:
Right (2020)
90-minute One Act Play (2m/2w)
A group of liberal friends who gather to talk politics over monthly dinners find their beliefs and relationships tested as one of them starts drifting further and further to the political right.
Positive (2011, rev. 2013)
90-minute One Act Play (3m/2w)
An HIV-positive woman makes a discovery that threatens to destroy her community.
Reading (2015, Houston, Texas)
March 9, 2015: Thunderclap Productions
The Montrose Center, Houston, Texas
Carolyn Johnson (Lilly), Ron Jones (Peter), Josh Estrada (Alex), Haley Hussey (Susan), John Dunn (Doctor)Directed by Justin Doran
Short Plays & Sketches
Divine Justice (2011)
1-Minute Sketch (1m or 1w)
A person reaches the pearly gates to discover the true nature of divine justice.
Performance (2011, Houston, Texas)
October 6-31, 2011 (9 performances): Thunderclap Productions
Death, the Musical
Ovations, Houston, Texas
Directed by Jimmy Phillips
Performance (2011, West Yorkshire, UK)
June 12, 2011: Screaming Media Productions
Gi60 One Minute Play Festival
Gi60 ONE MINUTE PLAY Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough, Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (2011)
5-Minute Sketch (2m)
A satire of conservative fears of what may happen on the battlefield if gay men could serve openly in the military.
Performance (2012, Cypress, Texas)
September 14-15, 2012: Lone Star College-CyFair Performance Troupe
Black Box TheatreReggie Choyce (Greg), Joan Valladares (Steve)
Directed by Derrick Madison
Performance (2011, Houston, Texas)
October 6-31, 2011 (9 performances): Thunderclap Productions
Death, the Musical
Ovations, Houston, Texas
H. R. Bradford (Greg), Kregg Dailey (Steve)
Directed by Jimmy Phillips
Ridicinol (2011)
5-Minute Sketch (1m/1w)
A satire of pharmaceutical ads where the list of side effects seem to outweigh the benefits.
Performance (2012, Cypress, Texas)
September 14-15, 2012: Lone Star College-CyFair Performance Troupe
Black Box TheatreReggie Choyce, Lauren Salazar (Steve)
Directed by Aaron Alon
Performance (2011, Houston, Texas)
October 6-31, 2011 (9 performances): Thunderclap Productions
Death, the Musical
Ovations, Houston, Texas
Kregg Dailey, Erin Roche
Directed by Jimmy Phillips
A Good Time to Die (2011)
5-Minute Sketch (2m/2w)
A family seeks to avoid the inconvenience of an unexpected death.
Performance (2012, Cypress, Texas)
September 14-15, 2012: Lone Star College-CyFair Performance Troupe
Black Box TheatreArnold Araoz (father), Ashley Pendola (mother), Ruth Barlass (Amy), Herschel Levin (Justin)
Directed by Hana Soltero
Performance (2011, Houston, Texas)
October 6-31, 2011 (9 performances): Thunderclap Productions
Death, the Musical
Ovations, Houston, Texas
Kregg Dailey (father), Erin Roche (mother), Ashley Maack (Amy), H.R. Bradford (Justin)
Directed by Jimmy Phillips
Cleanin’ Out My Closet (2010)
7-Minute Play
A black woman uses the moment when she and her white son are trapped in a closet during a hurricane to tell him he was adopted.
Performance (2015, San Diego, California)
October 16-18, 2015: North Park Playwright Festival
Shondavette Timms (mother), Pierre Charzell Grant (son)
Directed by Maridian Broadus
Performance (2012, Cypress, Texas)
September 14-15, 2012: Lone Star College-CyFair Performance Troupe
Black Box TheatreMonica Cummings (mother), Brooks Burford (son)
Directed by Aaron Alon
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
November 4, 2010: Houston Community College
Tamara Siler (mother), Julian Brashears (son)
Directed by Justin Doran
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
September 9-11 and 16-18, 2010: Thunderclap Productions
The Great Storm
Obsidian Art Space, Houston, Texas
Tamara Siler (mother), Julian Brashears (son)
Directed by Justin Doran
Tamara Siler and Julian Brashears in
“Cleanin’ Out My Closet”
(Photo Credit: Lee Ray Photography)
Vertex (2010)
10-Minute Play (1m/1w)
A couple sits on the floor after Hurricane Ike, waiting for the power to come on and thinking about when the busy world resumes.
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
September 9-11 and 16-18, 2010: Thunderclap Productions
The Great Storm
Obsidian Art Space, Houston, TexasLeighza Walker (Lisa), Scott Holmes (Tony)
Directed by Ricky Welch
Leighza Walker and Scott Holmes in “Vertex”
(Photo Credit: Christine Weems)
Coming Home (2010)
10-Minute Play (2m)
A man returns with his partner to the shabby motel room where he has learned he was conceived, in hopes of coming to grips with his origins.
Performance (2011, Houston, Texas)
August 25-28, 2011: Scriptwriters/Houston
10×10 Festival of Short Plays
Country Playhouse , Houston, Texas
Russell Prince (Greg), Robert Meza (Ed)
Directed by Steve Carpentier
Inquietude (2009)
10-Minute Play (3m/2w)
After two men make love, one of them struggles to stay in the moment, as his thoughts refuse to quiet.
Reading (2010, Houston, Texas)
April 19, 2010: Scriptwriters/Houston
The Museum of Printing History, Houston, TX
Brad Goertz (Him), Chris Keller (Me), Louis Crespo (Thoughts), Eva LaPorte (Backup 1), Kathy Drum (Backup 2)
Directed by Leighza Walker
The Talk (2009)
10-15 Minute Play (3m/1w)
When Jack comes to pick up Lisa for their first date, Lisa’s Father has some surprising questions about Jack’s sexual history.
Reading (2010, Houston, Texas)
April 19, 2010: Scriptwriters/Houston
The Museum of Printing History, Houston, TX
Louis Crespo (Jack), Tom Stell (Mr. Johannson), Eva LaPorte (Mrs. Johannson), Norm Dillon (Bobby)
Directed by Leighza Walker
Trapped (2009)
10-Minute Play (1m/1w)
When a mother and son take shelter from a storm in a closet, the son discovers that the biggest threat lies within the walls of his home.
The Great Storm (2009)
10-15 Minute Play (3m/2w or 2m/3w)
In what Outsmart Magazine calls a “fast moving and electric” play (Donalevan Maines, Oct. 2010), five people reflect on their experiences of Hurricane Ike through “a powerful chain of interlinking monologues” (Lee Williams, The Houston Press).
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
September 9-11 and 16-18, 2010: Thunderclap Productions
The Great Storm
Obsidian Art Space, Houston, TexasLisa Schofield (NY Woman), Chris Pool (Galveston Man), Keenan Hurley (Teen), Tamara Siler (Galveston Woman), Star Hinson (Katrina Survivor)
Directed by Aaron Alon
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
August 26-29, 2010: Scriptwriters/Houston
10×10 Festival of Short Plays
Country Playhouse , Houston, Texas
Lisa Schofield (NY Woman), Mike McDermott (Galveston Man), Aaron Tallman (Teen), Rebecca Seabrook (Galveston Woman), Michelle James (Katrina Survivor)
Directed by Debra Schultz
Reading (2010, New York City)
February 28, 2010
Words & Wine Reading Series
Joria Mainstages, New York, New York
Reading (2009, Galveston, Texas)
September 26, 2009
The Ike Plays
Island Etc. at the Strand Theatre, Galveston, Texas
Zona Jane Meyer (NY Woman), Nelson Heggen (Galveston Man), Tristan Emig (Teen), Joyce Anastasia Murray (Galveston Woman), Nicholas Burks (Katrina Survivor)
Directed by MJ Wilson Emig
Family Portrait (2009)
10-Minute Play (3m/2w)
A dysfunctional family gathers for its annual family portrait
Performance (2016, Cypress, Texas)
April 14-16, 2016: Lone Star College-CyFair
Thumbnail Theatre Festival
Black Box TheatreElizabeth Barry (Mrs. Redding), Sara Gollogly (Debbie), Martell Wallace (Alex), Kirthdale Griffith (Peter), Edward Henrickson (John Harrington)
Directed by Robert Hurlburt
Performance (2016, Cypress, Texas)
January 15-25, 2016
SHOWOFF! Festival of Short Plays
Camino Real Playhouse, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Kathryn Fischer (Mrs. Redding), Jack Aldridge (Alex), Ian Rattray (Peter), Sabrina Paris (John Harrington)
Directed by Rick Kerrigan
Performance (2010, New York City)
December 8-12, 2010: NativeAliens Theatre Collective
The Drilling CompaNY Theatre, New York, NY
Elizabeth Ann (Mrs. Redding), Lauren Kampf (Debbie), Andy Costen (Alex), Robert A. K. Gonyo (Peter), Brendan Rothman-Hicks (John Harrington)
Directed by Danny Meza
Performance (2010, Houston, Texas)
April 16-17 and 23-24, 2010: Scriptwriters/Houston
A Thousand Words: the Museum Plays
The Museum of Printing History, Houston, TX
Zona Jane Myer (Mrs. Redding), Rebecca Cansler (Debbie), Brad Goertz (Alex), Tom Stell (Peter), Michael Bowen (John Harrington)
Directed by Leighza Walker
Performance (2009, Houston, Texas)
August 14-16, 2009: Scripters/Houston
The 10×10 Short Play Festival
Country Playhouse, Houston, Texas
Tess Wells (Mrs. Redding), Stacy Spaeth (Debbie), Robert Sayre (Alex), John Boran (Peter), Joe Floyd (John Harrington)
Directed by Jack Dunlop
Reading (2009, Houston, Texas)
March 15, 2009: Theatre Southwest
Readers Theatre
Theatre Southwest, Houston, Texas
Sue Mortenson (Mrs. Redding), Suzanne King (Debbie), Chris Keller (Alex), Sam Martinez (Peter), Garrett Schumann (John Harrington)
Honors
2009 Audience Choice Award
Readers’ Theatre, Theatre Southwest (March 2009)
2009 Judges’ Choice Award (2nd place)
10×10 Festival of Short Plays, Scriptwriters/Houston (August 2009)
Screenplays
The City (In Progress)
Feature Length Drama
A professional conman is arrested for a crime he claims he didn’t commit. As the trial unfolds, the details of his mysterious life are brought to light.
Bully (2017)
Feature Length Drama/Musical
A 14-year-old’s suicide stuns his family, his town, and the bullies who tormented him in this award-winning film musical that has screened throughout the world.
Producer: Thunderclap Productions
Premiere: September 24, 2017 (Houston, TX)
A Fine Romance (2008)
Feature Length Comedy
Ben gets in for more than he expects after placing a personal ad reading, “Gay man sick of all the cock and bull seeks misogynistic lesbian for sexless life together.”
Award: Semi-finalist, 2008 Austin Film Festival screenplay competition
Kiefer Slaton and Edward Henrickson in Bully (2017)
Danica Johnston and Brad Goertz in Bully (2017)
Songwriting
Songwriting Outside of Musical Theatre and Classical Art Songs
Come to Me
(2020)
A song written for Craig Hella Johnson and the Conspirare’s “Songs of Connection,” with music by Aaron Alon and Alex Berko and text by Aaron Alon
The Weight of Gravity
(2014)
The theme song to the film Mixed Emulsions (2014), with music by Brett Bousley and lyrics by Aaron Alon
To see Aaron’s catalogue of musical theatre and classical art songs, click on the corresponding button below:
Nonfiction
Articles
- “4 Recommendations for the Improvement of Lone Star College.” The Advocate (Nov.-Dec. 2023): 12-18.
- “Finding Gustav Mahler.” The Triangle of Mu Phi Epsilon 101, no. 1 (2007): 5.
- “Richard Strauss & the Shopkeeper’s Mirror.” The Triangle of Mu Phi Epsilon 100, no. 2 (2006): 14.
- “When Success Spells Failure.” The Advocate (March-April 2019): 10-13.
Blog Posts
- “Album Distribution Starter Guide.” Professional Development for Musicians, 26 November 2023.
- “Applying for Undergraduate Transfer.” Professional Development for Musicians, 28 December 2023.
- “The Care and Feeding of Composers.” Professional Development for Musicians, 28 June 2016.
- “Contemporary Concert Music Listening Guide.” Professional Development for Musicians, 20 May 2016.
- “Coping with Failure.” Professional Development for Musicians, 27 May 2016.
- “Coping with Writer’s Block.” Professional Development for Musicians, 10 June 2016.
- “Genre Guide: Musical Theatre.” Professional Development for Musicians, 18 Feb. 2017.
- “Genre Guide: Opera.” Professional Development for Musicians, 15 Mar. 2017.
- “Graphic Designing for Music.” Professional Development for Musicians, 5 June 2018.
- “How to Give a Successful Teaching Demo.” Professional Development for Musicians, 22 June 2019.
- “How to Prepare a Professional Score.” Professional Development for Musicians, 16 May 2016.
- “How to Prepare for an Interview.” Professional Development for Musicians, 19 May 2016.
- “How to Set up a Basic WordPress Website.” Professional Development for Musicians, 4 October 2022.
- “How to Write a Bio.” Professional Development for Musicians, 20 May 2016.
- “Introduction to Score Reading.” Professional Development for Musicians, 4 July 2017.
- “Musicals vs. Operas.” Professional Development for Musicians, 24 Apr. 2017.
- “Need to Cancel a Gig?” Professional Development for Musicians, 15 May 2016.
- “A Primer for First-Time-In-College Students.” Professional Development for Musicians, 15 May 2016.
- “Understanding Performance Rights Organizations.” Professional Development for Musicians, 10 June 2019.