Jenny Stafford

Jenny Stafford

Jenny Stafford is an award-winning bookwriter, lyricist, playwright, and essayist whose works have been heard on Broadway, regionally, and internationally.

Broadway: Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour.

Regional: Secret Hour (Capital Repertory Theatre world premiere), The Homefront (with Sam Salmond, Village Festival of New Musicals, Village BETA series, NAMT and Kleban finalist), The...
Jenny Stafford is an award-winning bookwriter, lyricist, playwright, and essayist whose works have been heard on Broadway, regionally, and internationally.

Broadway: Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour.

Regional: Secret Hour (Capital Repertory Theatre world premiere), The Homefront (with Sam Salmond, Village Festival of New Musicals, Village BETA series, NAMT and Kleban finalist), The Artist and the Scientist (with Brandon Anderson, CAP21), Extended Stay (with Scotty Arnold, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Florida Festival of New Musicals, Colorado Festival of New Musicals (Winner), WOW’s Now Festival (Winner)), Prodigy (CCU, Collaborative Development Project, Two Rivers Theatre Company, and Indiana University), To Have and to Hold (Prospect Theatre Company, Barrington Stage), Cinderella (commissioned/produced by the Spotlight Youth Theatre), Two Bugs are Better Than One (commissioned/produced Off-Broadway by the New York City Children’s Theatre, all with Willem Oosthuysen), The Star Child (with Sarah Underwood and Josh Freilich, produced at French Woods), Awakening (with Joel B. New and J. Oconer Navarro), Beating a Dead Horse (winner of the 2017 Reva Shiner Comedy Award, produced through the Bloomington Playwrights Project and the Athena Project), ) Color Inside the Lines (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Denver Fringe Festival—winner of the “Best Solo Show” award), Eleanor and Dolly (Temple University), The Goree All-Girl String Band (with Artie Sievers and Ashley Monroe, Broadway Shark Tank), and Skittles (Woolly Mammoth).

International: Some Kind of Weasel (2020 Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour (Hamburg, Germany), Alive (The Space UK, Edinburgh, nominated for the Spirit of the Online Fringe Award and the Fringe Review Hidden Gem Award, published through Pioneer Drama), Color Inside the Lines (2021/2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival).

Her work has been featured at the Lincoln Center Songbook Series (The Lyrics of Jennifer Stafford), Prospect Theatre Company, The National Alliance for Musical Theatre Songwriter Salon, the New York Musical Theatre Festival, 54 Below, Ars Nova, Joe’s Pub, and numerous other NYC venues, including multiple inclusions in William Finn’s Ridiculously Talented concert series.

Awards: Capital Rep New Works Award, 2017 Reva Shiner Comedy Award, 2021 and 2022 ASCAP Plus Award, Denver Fringe Best Solo Show (Color Inside the Lines), the Paulette Goddard Award.

Nominations for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Weston Playhouse Award, Spirit of the Fringe Award and the Fringe Review Hidden Gem Award in Edinburgh.

Finalist status for the PEN Writing for Justice Fellowship, the McKnight Fellowship, the Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre (2018 and 2021), the Yale Institute for Music Theatre, the Eugene O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre Conference, and the Ronald M. Ruble New Play Competition.

Artist in Residence: Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Village Theatre, Johnny Mercer Writers Colony, Catwalk Institute, Hypatia in the Woods, Goodspeed Musicals, CAP 21, the Ross Ragland Theatre, the Berkshire Playwrights Theatre, St. Nell’s. She is also an essayist, with essays published in the Colorado Sun, the Santa Ana Review, and the Ponder Review. Dramatists Guild member. MFA, Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Jenny is the head of playwriting and musical theatre bookwriting at Temple University. www.jennystafford.net


Plays

  • The Homefront (Book by Jenny Stafford, Music and Lyrics by Sam Salmond) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    11–20
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    Genre: docudrama/historic, musical
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    Keyword: World War II, factory + 6 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, musical
    Keyword: World War II, factory, Race, women, revolution, History, rock, female rockstars
    When World War II comes to a close and the men return home, the women are immediately fired from their jobs at the factory. Ruth and Leslie, two best friends—one black and one white--lead a movement to fight for the jobs of their fellow female workers. But when their progressive ideals fall short and it becomes clear that the black women and the white women will no longer have the same opportunities in this...
    When World War II comes to a close and the men return home, the women are immediately fired from their jobs at the factory. Ruth and Leslie, two best friends—one black and one white--lead a movement to fight for the jobs of their fellow female workers. But when their progressive ideals fall short and it becomes clear that the black women and the white women will no longer have the same opportunities in this post-war world, they have to decide what – and who – they are willing to give up in the fight, and what happens when loved ones get caught in the crossfire. American history, pop rock, and revolution collide in this rousing true story of strength and resilience.
  • Beating a Dead Horse by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
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    Keyword: comedy, dark comedy + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy
    Keyword: comedy, dark comedy, horses, funeral, pet cemetery, pet funeral home
    Steve and Marty Martin are two brothers on the brink of closing their failing pet funeral home, “A Nice Farm Upstate With Plenty of Room to Run Around.” That is, until an eccentric, rich old lady offers them a fortune for the funeral of her nearly dead racehorse, Sir Trots-A-Lot. There's only one problem: the horse won't die.
  • Secret Hour by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 5
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    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: ethics, comedy + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: ethics, comedy, fertility, womanhood, right and wrong
    Thirty-five year old Kate is a professor of Ethics, with only one rule for her students--do not lie to her. However, as Kate and her husband struggle to have a baby, she finds herself in an ethical dilemma of her own. A new play exploring womanhood, motherhood, and the space between right and wrong.
  • Prodigy (Book and Lyrics by Jenny Stafford, Music by Willem Oosthuysen) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–10
    ·
    Genre: movement/physical, musical
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    Keyword: prodigy, cello + 6 more
    Genre: movement/physical, musical
    Keyword: prodigy, cello, music, musical, Mozart, suicide, mental illness, love
    Emily, at age 14, is convinced that she's a prodigy, just like her two heroes -- her dad, a cellist, and Mozart. She just doesn't know at what. However, when Emily is told that her father is killed in a car crash right before his biggest competition, she is determined to find out what makes her special and to make him proud. With the help of her imaginary friend, Mozart, she sets off on a quest to...
    Emily, at age 14, is convinced that she's a prodigy, just like her two heroes -- her dad, a cellist, and Mozart. She just doesn't know at what. However, when Emily is told that her father is killed in a car crash right before his biggest competition, she is determined to find out what makes her special and to make him proud. With the help of her imaginary friend, Mozart, she sets off on a quest to find her skill.
    Through non-linear storytelling, we also follow Emily at age 34. Having found her skill as a cellist like her father (though not prodigious), she has buried herself in the obsessive world of the cello, and Cello (portrayed by an actor throughout the piece) becomes the only real relationship in her life. However, as she starts to discover the limitations of her isolation, she is challenged to re-examine who her father was, who she is, and how music and art define her and the world she has created for herself.
  • Extended Stay (Book and Lyrics by Jenny Stafford, Music and Lyrics by Scotty Arnold) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: drama, musical
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    Keyword: musical, Indiana + 3 more
    Genre: drama, musical
    Keyword: musical, Indiana, extended stay, hotel, stuck
    Owen checked into an extended stay hotel in Mishawaka, Indiana, five years ago—and has not been able to convince himself to leave his room since. Plagued by both fear and ennui, Owen finds himself stuck in every sense of the word. When the new front desk clerk, Emma, arrives, she is desperate to pull herself out of her own “stuckness” after a massive life failure--and she finds herself befriending both Owen...
    Owen checked into an extended stay hotel in Mishawaka, Indiana, five years ago—and has not been able to convince himself to leave his room since. Plagued by both fear and ennui, Owen finds himself stuck in every sense of the word. When the new front desk clerk, Emma, arrives, she is desperate to pull herself out of her own “stuckness” after a massive life failure--and she finds herself befriending both Owen and his adventurous but troubled friend, Ethan. As these three broken people come together, will they help each other or harm each other?

  • The Artist and the Scientist (Book and Lyrics by Jenny Stafford, Music by Brandon Anderson, Story by Jenny Stafford and Brandon Anderson) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: experimental, movement/physical + 1 more
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    Keyword: science, art + 6 more
    Genre: experimental, movement/physical, musical
    Keyword: science, art, experimental, Folk-rock, creativity, logic, space, time
    The Artist and the Scientist is a musical that takes place over the span of
    five minutes, in the moment between a Scientist’s proposalto his girlfriend, an Artist, and her decision.An out-of-space, out-of-time folk rock musical that explores the
    creative and scientific forces that make us who we are, and the people who challenge us to open ourselves to something more.
  • Awakening (Book by Jenny Stafford, Music by J. Oconer Navarro, Lyrics by Joel B. New) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    8–20
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, musical + 1 more
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    Keyword: Awakening, Kate Chopin + 3 more
    Genre: adaptation, musical, period
    Keyword: Awakening, Kate Chopin, motherhood, womanhood, feminist
    Set in 1899 Louisiana, Awakening tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young mother of two and the wife of a successful New Orleans businessman. While the family is vacationing at a seaside resort, Edna becomes acquainted with Robert Lebrun, a younger man who sparks feelings and confidence that Edna had forgotten. When she returns to the city, Edna throws off the trappings of her old life--devotion to family,...
    Set in 1899 Louisiana, Awakening tells the story of Edna Pontellier, a young mother of two and the wife of a successful New Orleans businessman. While the family is vacationing at a seaside resort, Edna becomes acquainted with Robert Lebrun, a younger man who sparks feelings and confidence that Edna had forgotten. When she returns to the city, Edna throws off the trappings of her old life--devotion to family, attention to societal expectations, and adherence to tradition--to explore her
    own wants, interests, and desires. But her independence comes with a price.
  • Cinderella (Book and Lyrics by Jenny Stafford, Music by Willem Oosthuysen) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    10–40
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, musical
    ·
    Keyword: fairy tale
    Genre: adaptation, musical
    Keyword: fairy tale
    This classic fairytale comes alive in a fresh, new way in this reinvented adaptation.
    Cinderella dreams of attending the ball thrown by Prince Andrew, a young prince who is nowhere near ready to be King. Through her kind heart and the help of dear friends (Fairy Godmother and Sir Mikhail), the two embark on a journey to find out what truly makes a King or Queen.
  • Two Bugs are Better Than One (Book and Lyrics by Jenny Stafford, Music by Willem Oosthuysen) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    3–6
    ·
    Genre: adventure, musical + 1 more
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    Keyword: musical, bugs + 3 more
    Genre: adventure, musical, young audiences
    Keyword: musical, bugs, teamwork, friendship, differences
    Students at the Peachtree School for Insects are up to their usual antics, but today there is a buzz in the air because Fiona the Firefly, the leader of their community, has disappeared! Marvin and Anna, a scatter-brained moth and a studious worker bee, are assigned the duty of finding Fiona and bringing her back to safety. During this 45-minute original musical, children will travel with Marvin and Anna on an...
    Students at the Peachtree School for Insects are up to their usual antics, but today there is a buzz in the air because Fiona the Firefly, the leader of their community, has disappeared! Marvin and Anna, a scatter-brained moth and a studious worker bee, are assigned the duty of finding Fiona and bringing her back to safety. During this 45-minute original musical, children will travel with Marvin and Anna on an epic journey of self-discovery. Along the way, they’ll meet a sassy spider, a dramatic mosquito and a sly fly, all of whom teach an important lesson about how collaboration, cooperation and self-confidence can help save the day!
  • Eleanor and Dolly by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    5–8
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
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    Keyword: Eleanor Roosevelt, dolly parton + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: Eleanor Roosevelt, dolly parton, feminism, comedy, mother/daughter

    Ellie is an ambitious high school senior who is determined to fulfil one of her life goals: to marry her high school sweetheart. The only problem is, she doesn’t have one. However, when a new foreign-exchange student arrives in the last few months of school, Ellie channels the advice of her hero, Eleanor Roosevelt, to try to make her plan come to fruition.

  • The Star Child (Book by Jenny Stafford, Music by Josh Freilich, Lyrics by Sarah Underwood) by Jenny Stafford
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    7–15
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: comedy, fairy tale
    Genre: adaptation, comedy, musical
    Keyword: comedy, fairy tale
    Based on Oscar Wilde’s short stories, this fun-filled musical follows Mattan, the self-proclaimed "most beautiful boy in the world.” When a suave Marketing Man comes to town to send Mattan on tour, his fame goes to his head. However, when he becomes so self-centered and cruel that a witch takes his beauty, he must go on a journey and learn to see beauty through the eyes of others.