Jonathan O'Neill

Jonathan is a writer, lyricist and independent researcher based in Glasgow who forms half of the award-winning writing duo, O’Neill & Savage. 

Musical theatre writing credits include: JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: A NEW MOOOOSICAL (Dundee Rep); STAY (A Play, A Pie and A Pint/Traverse Theatre); BELONGINGS (The Minster School, Southwell); THE GREAT ELF ESCAPE: LIVE (The Ayr Gaiety/Fearless Players), TANYA, JENNY’S FINAL BOW and BON APPETIT (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).

Jonathan has a passion for creating innovative, socially engaged musicals and is particularly interested in exploring queer heritage. He was recently awarded two research and creative fellowships from The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas in Austin, and The Beinecke Rare Book Library at Yale University to undertake archival research informing a new historical audio-musical THE ORDER OF CHAERONEA.  Supported by the Scottish Football Museum, In 2025 he was commissioned to research and write an audio documentary series based on Glasgow’s first queer football team Saltire Thistles FC, THE SALTIRE THISTLE STORY.

In 2021, O’Neill & Savage were the recipients of the Bruce Millar Graduate Fellowship and more recently, their show, STAY, was shortlisted for both the MTI Stiles and Drewe Mentorship Award and The David MacLennan Award. They have been finalists for the Stiles and Drewe Best New Song Prize on three separate occasions, with their songs 'Bottle It', 'Stay', and 'Home', the latter of which was also chosen to be performed at the New York Musical Festival. In 2024 the pair were selected to be a part of an international musical theatre writing residency, presented by Cove Park and Dundee Rep and in 2026 will be the recipients of the inaugural Drama Club International Fellowship in NYC/Maine.

O’Neill and Savage are currently working on a commission from National Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep and Capital Theatres entitled BONNYBRIDGE. This witty new musical is a queer coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the titular Scottish UFO hotspot.

“A writing duo to watch.” – The Stage, 2025