about me:

As a playwright, Esmé seeks to embody the phenomenon of laughing at/through the pain. They look for joy in inappropriate moments, with often-understated-sometimes-surrealist aesthetics and complicated BIPOC characters. 

Their plays have gained them recognition as a Eugene O’Neill Finalist, a Lambda Literary Playwriting Fellow, and the 2024 June Bingham Playwriting Commission recipient. 

Esmé has held literary, artistic, and producing positions at Manhattan Theatre Club, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Little Island, and is currently working as the Company Management Fellow at Wicked Broadway. 

As a producer, they’ve brought new works to life at venues such as The Connelly Theater and Joe’s Pub, and have been honored as a Tank Producers Cohort Fellow, a CIPA Fellow, a Howard Gilman PARC Fellow, and a Theater Producers of Color Cohort Alumni. 

Esmé is additionally a freelance dramaturg/writer with bylines in American Theatre Magazine and 3 Views. 

Current producing projects include: Area D (Ars Nova ANT Fest 2025). Plays include: FISH MEAT (SheNYC Theater Festival, O’Neill Finalist), i know why iris chang died (June Bingham New Play Commission, 2025 Moxie Incubator), THE JADE RABBIT IS CRASHING OUT OVER EL*N M*SK (Cosmic Cherry Festival). A selection of Esmé’s plays are available to read on the New Play Exchange.

Esmé loves hearing about new projects and collaborations. Feel free to reach out at ngesmemaria@gmail.com.