Gemini by Albert Innaurato

First performed - 1976; published - 1978/1989

Autistic Character: Herschel Weinberger (not specified by playwright, but coded with clearly stereotypical behaviors)

American

The Golden Age by Louis Nowra

First performed & published - 1985

Autistic Character: Stef (specified by playwright)

Australian

The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin

First performed - 1987; published - 1988

Potentially Autistic Characters: Arnold and Lucien (not specified by playwright, but many productions have chosen this interpretation)

American

Danti-Dan by Gina Moxley

First performed - 1995; published - 1996

Autistic Character: Dan (not specified by playwright in the text, but acknowledged)

Irish

Spoonface Steinberg by Lee Hall

First performed & published - 1997

Autistic Character: Spoonface (specified by playwright along with other disabilities)

British

Perfect Women by Emma Goldman-Sherman*

First performed - 1999; published - 2021

Autistic Character: Rosie (not specified in text, but playwright says this is how they see the character)

American

God's Middle Name by Jennifer Overton

First performed - 2006; published - 2010

Autistic Character: Nic (specified by playwright)

Canadian

Izzy Icarus Fell Off the World by Aliza Goldstein

First performed - 2007; published - 2009

Autistic Character: Izzy (specified by playwright)

American

Body Awareness by Annie Baker

First performed - 2007; published - 2009

Autistic Character: Jared (specified by playwright as someone "who may or may not have Asperger syndrome")

American

Lucy by Damien Atkins

First performed - 2007; published - 2010

Autistic Character: Lucy (specified by playwright)

Canadian

The Other Room by Ariadne Blayde

First performed - 2008; published - 2010

Autistic Character: Austin (specified by playwright)

American

Theory of Mind by Ken LaZebnik

First performed - 2008; published - 2013

Autistic Character: Bill Gates (specified by playwright -- not *that* Bill Gates)

American

IN A WORD by Lauren Yee

First performed - 2010; published 2016

Autistic Character: Tristan (described by playwright as "maybe has Asperger's")

American

On the Spectrum by Ken LaZebnik

First performed - 2011; not published

Autistic Character: Mac & Iris (specified by playwright)

American

Falling by Deanna Jent

First performed & published - 2011

Autistic Character: Josh (specified by playwright)

American

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens

First performed & published - 2012 (adapted from the novel by Mark Haddon)

Autistic Character: Christopher Boone (specified by playwright)

British

Dreaming in Autism by Christine Rodriguez

First performed & published - 2012

Autistic Character: Imtiyaz, aka Babbu (specified by playwright but not physically represented)

Canadian

Dancing Lessons by Mark St. Germain

First performed - 2014; published - 2015

Autistic Character: Ever (specified by playwright)

American

Napoleon in Exile by Daniel Reitz

First performed - 2014; published - 2017 (in Outstanding Short Plays: Vol. 3)

Autistic Character: Corey (specified by playwright but not physically represented)

American

The Misfit Analysis by Cian Binchy*

First performed - 2015; not published

Autistic Character: Cian as himself (specified by playwright)

British

Mockingbird by Julie Jensen

First performed - 2015; published - 2019 (adapted from the novel by Kathryn Erskine)

Autistic Characters: Caitlin & William H (specified by playwright)

American

Burning Bridges by Amy Shindler

First performed & published - 2016

Autistic Character: Sarah (specified by playwright)

British

Orange by Aditi Brennan Kapil

First performed - 2016; published 2018

Autistic Character: Leela (specified by playwright)

American

Uncommon Sense by Andy Paris & Anuskha Paris-Carter

First performed - 2017; not published

Autistic Characters: Moose, Lali, Dan, Jess, Jake, Amy (specified by playwrights)

American

Daughter of God by Roderick Ford*

First performed - 2017; not published

This play was originally titled Ob Gob, in early workshopped productions but has since evolved.

Autistic Character: Yobby (specified by playwright)

British

World of Wonder book & lyrics by Tonya Hays,
music & lyrics by Genesis Be

First performed - 2017; published 2019

Autistic Character: Noah (specified by playwrights)

American

The Autism Monologues by Christine Rodriguez

2018

Autistic Characters: 16 separate autistic characters (specified by playwright)

Canadian

We Live by the Sea by Patch of Blue (collective)

2018

Autistic Character: Katy (specified by playwrights)

British

AGNES by Catya McMullen

First performed - 2018; published 2022

Autistic Character: Charlie (specified by playwright)

American

All in a Row by Alex Oates

2019

Autistic Character: Laurence (specified by playwright but physically represented by a puppet)

British

A Therapy Session with Myself by Anthony J. Piccione*

2019

Autistic Characters: Alex, You, Me -- all are versions of Alex (specified by playwright)

American

Not Fit For Man Nor Beast by Michael L. Poirier

2019

Autistic Character: Blaise (specified by playwright)

Canadian

Fear of Missing Out by Michaela Di Cesare

2019

Autistic Character: Vincent (specified by playwright)

Canadian

Sorting It Out by Matteo Esposito*

2019 (not published)

Autistic Characters: Nick and Ed (specified by playwright)

Canadian

The Duck by Rhiannon Lloyd-Williams*

2019/2020 (unpublished)

Autistic Character: name unknown (specified by playwright -- a one-woman play based on a poem by the same title)

Welsh

What I (Don't) Know About Autism by Jody O'Neill*

2020

Autistic Characters: at least 14 distinct autistic characters + Actors 1-6 present a variety of autistic perspectives in the first-person narrative throughout the play (specified by playwright)

Irish

The Darkest Part of the Night by Zodwa Nyoni

first performed - 2021; published 2022

Autistic Character: Dwight (specified by playwright). Dwight is portrayed as both age 11 and early 50s by the same actor. The family is Jamaican in origin but well-established in Yorkshire; Set in both 1981 and the present-day.

British

Light Switch by Dave Osmundsen*

2022 (first performed & published)

Autistic Character: Henry (ages 8-28, same actor); Henry's autistic identity is explored with the intersectionality of his gay identity.

American

How to Dance in Ohio

Book & Lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik, Music by Jacob Yandura

2022 (first performed at Syracuse Stage), Dec. 10, 2023-Feb. 11, 2024 (official Broadway run)

Not yet published, but the soundtrack is available online.

Autistic Characters: Remy, Caroline, Marideth, Drew, Tommy, Jessica, Mel (all portrayed and understudied by openly autistic performers on Broadway)

American

This list is far from exhaustive. Many plays with autistic characters have yet to be published, and sadly I do not have the resources to travel the world to view them all. Although, I strive to keep up with the latest news on productions that deserve to be represented here, I am often reticent to add them to this public list without some first-hand knowledge, either from a trusted industry colleague or my own.

If you know of a play or a musical that you believe should be added to this list, please contact me, Jenna Lourenco, by emailing jennalourenco1@gmail.com with the title and playwright, and if possible, where to obtain the script.

* Indicates the playwright is openly autistic.