Jayne Deely
they/them
UCP Membership
Bloomington, IN
[contact]
Website
Biography

Jayne Deely (they/them) is a Queens born and bred queer Puerto Rican writer who just completed their MFA in Playwriting at IU Bloomington, with a BA from the Honors College at Fordham University in Lincoln Center. Plays include Stay (semi-finalist, Detroit New Works Festival), Passing (semi-finalist, top 40 UCF Pegasus Playlab), 30 Seconds (semi-finalist Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center National Playwrights Conference and the Bay Area Playwrights Festival; honorable mention PLAY/write: The Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition; winner Coe College Playwriting Award and BriNK Residency Award at Renaissance Theatreworks), Outraged (winner, John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play, Kennedy Center), Waycross (Kennedy Center Latinx Playwriting Award, Distinguished Achievement), this won’t drag on (Bay Area Playwrights Festival Semi-Finalist; Jane Chambers Award Finalist), and most recently It's a Wonderful ... queer Puerto Rican Christmxs Carol, with Walter Mercado (American Stage Lift Every Voice New Play Festival). Jayne is also a performer, having worked with companies such as Theatreworks in Palo Alto, the Aurora, and Berkeley Rep; recent roles include Garnet McClit in Holly Hughes’ The Well of Horniness and Niece inthis won’t drag on, both at IUB. They are a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the Dramatist’s Guild. 

Plays

30 Seconds
by Jayne Deely

Max is a precocious kid, overachieving and a little anxious, sure, but mostly well adjusted. She’s got a lot going on, but she’s on top of it. Adult supervision not required. Besides, it’s 1999, what could go wrong?

Dr. C is a child psychologist recently dubbed the ‘child whisperer;’ her professional life is on a steady upward trajectory. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for her personal life.  Enter Max.

When Max starts receiving threatening notes at school, she embarks on a hunt for the culprit in this pre-Y2K whodunit that what asks us what it means to be a kid in a chaotic world, and leaves us wondering if we’ve been looking in the wrong place all along. Just let your eyes adjust, and you’ll see what you’ve been missing take shape.

Cast:
Max - 13, female, smart, over-achieving, anxious, tells stories, often acts like an adult, non-white Obie - 13, male, an artist, sensitive, non-white Jackie - 13, female, a pawn of the mean girls Nick - 13, male, an overcompensating bully Luke - 17, Max's brother, non-white Christine - 30's, female, actress Principal Canuto - 50's, nun Mom - 40's, Max's mom, non-white Dad - 40's, Max's dad Dr. C - 30's, a child psychologist, non-white Summer - Dr. C's ex Coach McGlynn - 40's, Max's basketball coach Director - 30's, director of a film Max is cast in Obie's Mom - 40's, Obie's mom, trying to make ends meet Obie's Stepdad - 40's, angry Bill - Bartender Race is open unless otherwise specified. All roles except that of Max, Dr. C, and Obie will be doubled as follows: Actor 1: Nick/Luke/Director Actor 2: Dad/Obie's Stepdad/Bill/Coach Actor 3: Jackie/Principal Canuto/Obie's Mom Actor 4: Mom/Christine/Summer

Successes

Semi-Finalist, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference – 2021 – 30 Seconds

Semi-Finalist, Bay Area Playwrights Festival – 2021 – 30 Seconds

Winner, BriNK Residency Award at Renaissance Theatreworks – 2021 – 30 Seconds

Winner, Coe College Bi-Annual Playwriting Award – 2021 – 30 Seconds

Regional Finalist, Gary Garrison Ten Minute Play Award, KCACTF 2021 – A Home Bar Means You’re Fine

Winner, John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play, KCACTF 2021 - Outraged

Top 40 Finalist, UCF Pegasus Playlab 2020  - Passing

Semi-Finalist (Top 10) – Detroit New Works Festival – 2018 – Stay

Semi-Finalist – Mission to (dit)Mars Propulsion Lab – 2018 - Stay