Jane the Plain

Read the 1st 10 Pages || Development/Production History Below

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Characters

JANE the Plain, a high school student at Plainview High
BETTY the Pretty, a cheerleader at Plainview
LEXI the Sexy, a cheerleader at Plainview
LEONARD the Awkward, Jane’s best friend
LEESON the Decent, QB2 for the Plainview Jaguars
SCOTTY the Hotty, QB1 for the Plainview Jaguars

Plainview High School, 2011.
The play moves quickly through various locations, and scenic elements should be minimal and fluid. While ethnicity is not specified for the characters, a racially diverse cast is strongly preferred.

Synopsis:
After a chemistry project brings them together,Plainview high quarterback SCOTTY the Hotty unexpectedly hooks up with JANE the Plain. JANE gets the idea to send a naked text of herself to SCOTTY afterwards, which the jealous BETTY the Pretty spreads everywhere. Her only defender is her best friend, LEONARD the Awkward, who sticks by her even after JANE become an object of ridicule.

After confronting an unrepentant SCOTTY, JANE saves a strange glowing girl from death. The glowing girl thanks her by giving JANE the gift of beauty, and when she returns to school, everyone starts to fall in love with her, including our primary narrator LEESON the Decent, and even LEXI the Sexy, the most popular girl in school.

This gift takes a dark turn after SCOTTY, now obsessed with JANE, tries to force himself on her. Increasingly haunted by a terrible childhood memory, SCOTTY’s self-destructive behavior grows as BETTY takes more steps to take down her rival JANE. Everything culminates in a battle at the Homecoming Game, with none of the students emerging unchanged.

 Development History

Produced by Walden Theatre as part of the Slant Culture Theatre Festival, November 15-22, 2014

Produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble at the 4th Street Theatre, NYC, May 9-24, 2014

Finalist for the Bloomington Playwrights Project’s 2013 Woodard/Newman Drama Award

Read as part of Stella Adler Studio of Acting’s 2013 First Breath Playwriting Festival, April 18, 2013. (Directed by Tom Oppenheim. Featuring: Alton Aluburo, Lauren Erwin, Graham Halstead, Jen Jacobs, Sarah Joyce, Lou Morales and Jordan Coffey).

Finalist for the 2013 Theatre Conspiracy New Play Contest

Workshop at the Brick Theatre’s Oven Series, February 11, 2013. (Directed by Jordana Williams. Featuring Ryan Andes, Diana Oh, Chester Poon, Marnie Schulenburg, Alisha Spielmann, Isaiah Tanenbaum)

Winner of the Full Length Play Category for The Chameleon Theatre Circle’s 13th Annual New Play Festival, Reading on 9/8/12 at Burnsville Performing Arts Festival, Burnsville, MN

Workshop at Flux Theatre Ensemble’s annual retreat, August 2012 (Featuring Ryan Andes, Becky Byers, Anna Lamadrid, Will Lowry, Alisha Spielmann, Isaiah Tanenbaum)

Workshop production of first two scenes as part of Purple Rep’s Dark Night Serials Series (12/5/11, 12/19/11) at the Money, NYC (Featuring Chinaza Uche, Michael Mraz, Alisha Spielmann, Jennifer Somers Kipley, Don Whitmore, Sol Marina Crespo, Becky Kelly, Matthew Murumba, Directed by Kelly O’Donnell)

Reading at the Playwrights Continuum
The Players Club, January 3rd, 2012
(Featuring Chinaza Uche, Alisha Spielmann, Don Whitmore, Becky Kelly, Matthew Murumba, Jennifer Somers Kipley)

Developed at Flux Sundays by Flux Theatre Ensemble, 2011