Basil Parnell is a playwright, dramaturg, deviser, and theatre artist based in Arkansas and NYC whose work often explores the southern queer and trans experience, seismic life changes, and the things that make us human.

Basil’s work has been developed and produced at the Arkansas New Play Festival at TheatreSquared (2023, 2025), the Arktype New Works Festival, Inverse Performance Art Festival at the Momentary, Medusa Collective NYC, and the Tectonic Theatre Project. They are a recipient of a 2024 Artist 360 Award from the Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Basil is a founding member of The Margins Theatre, an organization focused on developing and producing new and devised work, including Bookends, the group’s debut piece.

Basil received their MFA in playwriting from the University of Arkansas, studying under John Walch.

After completing three levels of training with Leigh Fondakowski and Moisés Kaufmann of the Tectonic Theatre Project, Basil holds certification in Moment Work— A devising technique that begins with utilizing the elements of the stage.

They also hold a BA in Writing for the Stage and Theatre History and Performance Texts from Marymount Manhattan College and they are a member of the Dramatist Guild.

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