Upasna Barath is a queer Indian American writer and performer based in Brooklyn, NY.
Her debut book, Comedic Timing, is out now with 831 Stories.
You can subscribe to her Lifeline on Substack and read her plays.
Upasna was the 20/21 Steppenwolf Theatre Literary Apprentice and Fellow. Her self-help podcast, Don’t Butcher It, was selected as a 2021 Spotify Next Wave winner. She is a 2023 Youngblood/EST Finalist and a member of the 23/24 Art House INKubator New Play Program cohort.
Literary
Not Over Yet
A short love story written for No Ordinary Love, by Dazed x Hinge.
Comedic Timing
A romance novella about being bisexual, brown, and anxious, published by 831 Stories.
“Sexy, profound, and deliciously funny, Comedic Timing plunges us into the exhilaration and terror that comes along when you try something—or someone—new." —Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough, a NYT Editors' Choice
He Talks to Me Through Phoebe Bridgers' Music
A reflection on death and grief through the lens of Phoebe Bridgers’ music, Published in Waif Magazine for their 25th issue and their first physical copy of the magazine.
Rookie Mag
I started writing and recording videos for Rookie when I was a freshman in college. You can see my work in the archives.
Plays
NEPO (2f, 1nb, 1m)
In a near-future Los Angeles, a group of “nepo babies” gather under the guidance of an enigmatic leader. Through a series of bizarre rituals, they attempt to prove their worth beyond their inherited privilege.
couple goals (1f, 1m)
In this drama with a surrealist twist, two actors realize the complexities of their relationship are inextricably tied to their industry.
good friends (2f, 2m, 1 not specified)
In this horror comedy play, four friends are each confronted by a soul-eating demon.
Screenplays
Damage Control - One-Hour Pilot
A lesbian tradwife influencer, a spiritually unhinged high school guidance counselor, and a flailing congresswoman collide at a sex and love addiction meeting. Co-written with Cathy Bloom.
Little Slut - Short Film
Mira explores non-monogamy in her new apartment building community. Co-written with Nicolas Sessler.