Jaden Alvaro Gines

Jaden Alvaro Gines's DELIVERY BOY is a unique seriocomedy that focuses heavily on the lower middle class of America, giving perspective on the families who are stuck in a never ending struggle of spending every last bit of money to stay exactly where they are. The play deals with the slow, clawing nature of depression, mental illness, and generational trauma, with a heavy emphasis on the hefty burden of the college admissions economics—all seen through the eyes of a teenager on the cusp of securing a college experience, with the help of his psychology teacher. With two hours to midnight on New Years Eve, Delivery Boy is stuck delivering pizzas on his old, rusty bicycle in the center of working class suburbia. After years of economic strife, a raging dependency to Marijuana, and physically and emotionally unavailable parents, Delivery Boy has accepted that his dreams of college have been long extinguished. But when an opportunity for a better life is presented to him by his high school psychology professor, Mrs. Gonzales, Delivery Boy must come to terms with those he's lost, who he wants to be, and what lies ahead of him in the new year, all while the clock ticks down to midnight.

Following a financial emergency back at home, Ash; A genderqueer 18 year old with an affinity for makeup, is sleeping in their car and starting work at some Zumiez in some mall in some middle-class middle of nowhere. Here they meet Ez; The assistant manager of the Zumiez and an aspiring rave musician, who also knows a thing or two about makeup. As they grow closer, and learn that their store is under threat of closing in a month, Ez and Ash hatch a scheme to throw a rave in the store overnight playing Ez’s music to secretly pay off their debt, and save both of their jobs. But, as the two grow closer and tensions rise, they must grapple with their dreams, living versus survival, and how much one is willing to give in order to see their dreams come true, even at the expense of themselves and the ones they love. Jaden Alvaro Gines's THE Z.U.M explores queer identity in a world where it pays to assimilate, asking the question; How can we truly survive if we aren't really living?

The Butterfly spends their days in darkness, high above the ground, singing alone in their cage with nobody to hear them except themself. That is, until The Scientist brings home a panel of potential investors to seek further funding for her research. Forced to play the part of “Caterpillar”, The Butterfly puts on blue jeans, a collared shirt, wipes off their makeup and prepares to be prodded at. But is this lie worth the reward, or will it only make things worse? “THE BUTTERFLY” explores trans identity and self expression in a world where assimilation gets you further ahead than authenticity, and examines just how much one needs to prove their existence in order to be recognized, both by themself and others.