Donald Loftus
BIOGRAPHY
Donald Loftus is an American playwright, librettist, and lyricist whose work has been presented on stages across The United States, The United Kingdom, Surathkal, India, Queensland, Australia, and Uppsala, Sweden. He was selected to participate in the William Inge Theatre Festival, won the W. Keith Hedrick National Playwriting Award and The Southeast Texas Festival of New Plays, and was named a finalist for the Robert J. Pickering / J.R. Colbeck Award for Playwriting Excellence.
Most recently, his full-length drama, "THE SPRINGVALE ARMADILLO," was chosen for The Cincinnati L.A.B. Theatre's 2023 New Works Festival, and his musical, "ILLUSION," was selected for the Colorado New Musical Festival and The Emerging Artist Spark Theatre Festival held in N.Y.C. in November 2023. His full-length psycho-drama, "PER," was produced by the Theatre Lab Theater Project in Tampa, Florida, in the fall of 2024. His many one-acts have been presented at over one hundred festivals nationwide.
Before focusing on playwriting full-time, Donald had a distinguished career in the luxury beauty industry. He served as the U.S. President of several companies, including Versace Profumi, Y.S.L. Beauté, Procter & Gamble Prestige, Wella's Cosmopolitan Cosmetics, and Sanofi Beauté. In these roles, he managed the fragrance and cosmetic brands of Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Christian Lacroix, and many more.
Donald served as the chairman of the boards of both The Fashion Group International and The Fragrance Foundation and was a member of the board of directors of The Women's Project Theatre. He has been honored by The American Cancer Society, The March of Dimes, B.R.A.G., The Fragrance Foundation, Fashion Group Int’l, and The Dramatist's Guild Foundation with a Patron of the Arts Award for his work in helping keep live theatre thriving.
He is proud to serve on the Board of Directors of The Dramatists Guild Foundation.
Donald lives in New York City with his loving wife, Holly.
THE PLAYS
"ILLUSION"
by
Donald Loftus & Steve Zackim
Decades before Ru Paul or Dame Edna, there was Julian Eltinge. He was not a "drag queen." At the turn of the 20th century, he was a highly respected stage and screen actor specializing in female roles. Before moving on to Hollywood, he conquered vaudeville, burlesque, Broadway, and legitimate theatres worldwide. He became one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world, at the level of Charlie Chaplin, Mae West, and Fanny Brice. He even had a Broadway theatre named after him. Yet today, nobody knows his name.
"ILLUSION" explores the life of Julian Eltinge, beginning as a young gay boy in Boston in 1890. The son of a drunken, homophobic, Irish immigrant father and an abused mother, he worked hard and eventually achieved the fame and fortune described above. Then, it all came crashing down in the 1920s when numerous notorious scandals rocked Hollywood. These scandals brought widespread condemnation from religious, civic, and political organizations and resulted in new restrictions for the film industry. It became illegal for a man to dress as a woman, which Mr. Eltinge had built his entire career on. His life had touched and enriched the lives of many, although he never fully realized the impact he had made. In the end, he died nearly penniless after achieving so much. Through it all, he just wanted someone to notice him. Cast: 7 Men & 6 Women
THE ARCHWAY
A Drama in Two Acts
by Donald Loftus
Jeffrey Morrison is a highly successful senior partner at a prominent and conservative Boston law firm. He is close to achieving his lifelong dream of being elected as the firm’s board chairman. Suddenly, this dream is threatened when, in the middle of the night, Jeffrey’s degenerate brother, Phillip, breaks into his Beacon Hill townhouse covered in blood. Phillip explains to his highly successful brother that he and his underage, illegal immigrant girlfriend have just murdered a man. He goes on to describe how he slit his throat and then carried the victim’s bloody, lifeless body into an alleyway, under an archway, and deposited it into a garbage dumpster. Jeffrey’s first concern is not for his brother’s welfare but that this crime may jeopardize his chances for the chairmanship. He cannot risk his chances of getting an appointment for anything, so he takes control of the situation. As the story untangles, we learn that nothing is how it first appeared to be. Jeffrey’s determination to win the Chairmanship… regardless of what may be required, is the one thing that remains unchanged.
The play has a cast of three (2M/1F) and runs approximately 90 minutes.
"DRIFTWOOD"
A Drama in Two Acts
by Donald Loftus
A DYING FATHER ASKS HIS SON TO PHOTOGRAPH HIS DEATH
Daniel Wood, a moderately successful photographer living in New York City, is forced to face the painful memories of his broken childhood when he returns to his Midwest childhood home at the request of his dying father…whom he never loved. After decades of relentless anger and largely unexpressed contempt, Daniel may finally find the courage to ask the questions that have plagued him since his boyhood. His father may finally be able to do something to help his son. They both may be able to mend some of the fences that were all but destroyed decades before.
But the clock is running out… (3F/5M)
"PER"
A Drama in Two Acts
by Donald Loftus
A psychological drama based on a true story. Sweden 1889. A young man named Per Nilsson (pronounced PEAR) collaborated with his domineering mother in the gruesome murder of his young wife. Per was declared insane and institutionalized at The Konradsberg Lunatic Asylum in Stockholm, Sweden; his mother was found guilty of the murder and beheaded. Now, he must fight the ghosts who torment him each night in his asylum cell as he attempts by day to convince his captors, the psychiatrist, and his staff that he is sane and should be released. After months of therapy, the psychiatrist is convinced of Per’s sanity. The night before Per is to be released, the ghosts visit him one last time, and we learn that not everything he has revealed in his psychiatric sessions is true. The real villain is not who we thought. With the final blackout, we are unsure whether Per will be released. The 90-minute play is told in eight scenes and can be performed with a cast of five actors.
https://pwcenter.org/plays/per/
“THE OFFICE COMPLEX”
A Sinister Drama Ninty Minutes
by Donald Loftus
Synopsis of The Office Complex
The Office Complex is a dark, suspenseful play exploring themes of power, greed, and moral accountability. Set in the lavish penthouse office of Mr. Wells, a senior executive embodying corporate arrogance, the story begins with a surprise visitor—Mr. Niles is an unassuming but enigmatic young man. Initially posing as a nervous subordinate, Mr. Niles gradually reveals his true intentions: confronting Wells about his unchecked ambition and the lives he’s destroyed in his relentless climb to the top. Through sharp, biting dialogue, the play delves into Wells’ life, exposing his betrayals, greed, and hollow justifications for his success. As the tension escalates, Niles forces Wells into a psychological game of reckoning, compelling him to confront his past and the cracks in his carefully curated image. The play’s claustrophobic setting mirrors Wells’ unraveling psyche, while Niles’ true identity and motives remain a tantalizing mystery until the climactic finale.
The Office Complex is a gripping examination of power dynamics and the moral cost of success, leaving audiences to ponder whether redemption is possible for those who have spent their lives stepping on others to climb higher.
“THE SPRINGVALE ARMADILLO”
A Drama Inspired by a True Story in Two Acts
THE PROLOGUE: It is 1917, in a small town near New Orleans. A beautiful 17-year-old debutante has been diagnosed with a disease that threatens her life and the reputation of her wealthy family name. The family she loves must send her away. Her name is changed, and she is forced to spend the rest of her life at Springvale, a secluded hospital built in 1894 as a leprosarium on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River.
THE PLAY: It’s now 1987. Ruby is now 87 years old. The disease has never materialized. Now, 70 years after Ruby arrived at Springvale, Matthew Coleman, a troubled, young reporter from The Boston Globe, who has recently lost the love of his life to AIDS, has arrived at Springvale to interview Ruby for a human-interest story he is writing on the subject of survival.
Although Matthew came to "get the story," he hopes to get answers from a woman who ought to have them. Even after years of hardships and heartbreak beyond imagination, Ruby still maintains the glow and charm of a young debutante; the beauty is still visible.
As she shares her tale of lost love, resilience, and survival, Matthew confronts his grief amid the AIDS crisis. During the interviews, a young Ruby appears almost ghost-like and assists in relaying the stories of Ruby's life. As the questions get closer to the bone, Ruby is forced to remember the tragic details of her life. In the end, Matthew gets what he came for.
“The Springvale Armadillo” explores isolation, identity, and the human spirit’s fight for dignity against the weight of societal judgment and forgotten history.
The play is told in two acts and has a cast of four (1M/3W)
"POLLYANNA"
A NEW MUSICAL
By Donald Loftus and Andrew Sussman
“POLLYANNA” is a heart-warming musical, with a book and lyrics by Donald Loftus and music by Andrew Sussman. It is based on the classic novel Eleanor H. Porter (now in the Public Domain), which tells the story of a young orphan girl sent to live with her miserable aunt in a town filled with miserable people. Before long, the energetic young girl had transformed the community with her indomitable will to see the good side of even the worst situations and bring it out for the betterment of all. In the end, when Pollyanna faces her own tragic crisis, the town she worked so hard to save comes to her rescue. Cast:10 (5 Women/5 Men) plus a chorus.
"“ABBeY VICTORIA”"
A NEW MUSICAL
BOOK & LYRICS
BY DONALD LOFTUS
MUSIC
BY ANDREW SUSSMAN
Abbey Victoria! is a high-energy, comedic musical about dreams, ambition, and the unpredictable road to stardom. Abby Victoria, a small-town waitress with Broadway aspirations, moves to New York City with her quirky friends—Ruben, a fry chef-turned-composer, and Wanda, a would-be Rockette. Their paths cross with Jesse, a charming cowboy roped into show business, and the ruthless Dee-Dee Bean, a Broadway powerhouse with an agenda of her own. As Abby navigates auditions, backstabbing, and unexpected romance, she must decide if fame is worth the cost. Packed with humor, heart, and show-stopping numbers, Abbey Victoria! is a love letter to the theatre—and those who dare to dream.
The Ten-Minute Plays
"DARK MATTER"
by Donald Loftus
Marion & Palmer have been married a long time—maybe too long. They have recently been uprooted, and the marriage has gone sour. Marion is not happy. Palmer seems better adjusted, but he, too, wishes it all could be the way it was once. Of course, it can’t. “THEY” would never allow it. (1M/1F) https://pwcenter.org/plays/dark-matter/
“MAID TO MEASURE”
by Donald Loftus
When successful scientist/businessman DORIAN agrees to meet with his long-lost schoolmate, JAMISON, he has no idea what his old chum has on his mind. DORIAN soon learns that his former buddy, whose marriage has apparently soured, is looking for a new wife—but this time, he wants her to be “made to order.” He’s hoping his nerdy former science class buddy can help. (2M)
"AMUSING WILLIE"
by Donald Loftus
William Shakespeare is at odds with his trio of eccentric Muses: the bossy Calliope, the kind Thalia, and the wild Erato. Tasked with critiquing his latest script, the Muses challenge Willie’s storytelling choices, ridiculing his penchant for tragic melodrama and questionable character names. As the play unfolds, the Muses dissect Shakespeare’s previous works while sparking creative tension over his current project, “Romeo and Jezebel.” Ultimately, they remind him of his genius, leaving the audience to hopefully laugh at but also reflect on the struggles of creative inspiration. The play is meant to be an ode to the creative process…and both a satire and a celebration of artistic perseverance. (1M/3F) https://pwcenter.org/plays/amusing-willie-2/
"DRESS BLUES"
by Donald Loftus
Dress Blues is set in a high-end boutique on Boston’s Newbury Street. Christopher, the charming owner, and Nicholas, his flamboyantly witty partner, navigate the quirks of their wealthy clientele. The story centers around Mrs. Simmons, a high-society woman grappling with insecurities and a disinterested husband. Through what is meant to be a humorous yet poignant exchange about fashion, self-worth, and identity, the trio explores themes of acceptance, resilience, and self-empowerment. As Mrs. Simmons receives life-changing advice from the unlikeliest of sources, the boutique becomes a space of transformation and connection. The play celebrates individuality and the courage to embrace one’s true self with sharp dialogue and tender moments. (Cast: 2M/1F) Cast of 3 (2M/1F)
https://pwcenter.org/plays/dress-blues-2/
"EDDY & EDNA"
by Donald Loftus
Set in a modest Midwestern kitchen, “Eddy & Edna” explores love, memory, and the quiet heartbreak of aging. Eddy, frail and battling memory loss, shares a summer morning with his caring yet exasperated wife, Edna. Their humorous and tender exchanges reveal Eddy’s struggles with confusion and Edna’s unwavering concern. Eddy mentions their son, Danny, only for Edna to remind him he no longer exists—a painful reality Eddy cannot accept. When Danny unexpectedly appears, he reveals Edna passed away years ago, deepening Eddy’s disorientation. As reality blurs, Eddy becomes trapped in a fog of memories, unable to separate the past from the present. “Eddy & Edna” is a ten-minute play meant to capture the bittersweet complexities of life, loss, and the bonds that sustain us in our most vulnerable moments. Cast:3 (1F/2M)
https://pwcenter.org/plays/eddy-edna-2/
"THE BROTHER'S GRIN"
by Donald Loftus
In the early morning hours, Billy, a middle-class suburbanite facing a job interview in just a few hours, is startled by an unexpected visit from his disheveled, estranged older brother, Jimmy. It has been six years since their last encounter, and Jimmy, looking worse for wear, arrives with a desperate request. As tensions rise, old wounds resurface, revealing a history of abandonment, resentment, and sibling rivalry. Jimmy once left his children in Billy’s care, promising to return in a few days—but never did. In his absence, their mother, Sylvia, reclaimed them, cutting off all contact with Jimmy. Now, after years of silence, Jimmy needs Billy’s help again. The circumstances are suspicious, and the danger is palpable. As Jimmy departs, making a vague promise to return in three days, Billy does something unexpected. He retrieves a packed suitcase, confirming that Sylvia and the children—who were hidden in the house the entire time—are ready to flee. As they escape into the night, Billy grins, leaving behind the ringing phone unanswered. “The Brother’s Grin” explores the bonds of family, betrayal, and survival, culminating in a final twist that leaves one brother on the run—and the other to face the consequences. Cast:2M
https://pwcenter.org/plays/the-brothers-grin-2/