JENI MAHONEY
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MERCY FALLS
Marcy Wuggelson is a jinx, she’s always known it, so when she decides to visit her favorite self-help author, Wanda Moore, in the hospital on Christmas Eve, the scene is ripe for disaster. But Wanda discovers something priceless in Marcy – the subject for her new book. With the help of Santa’s Reindeer, the Ghost of Christmas Future, a Nun, and phenomenologist Martin Heidegger, Marcy performs a true Christmas miracle. ​

Comedy 
75 minutes

3 Women, 1 Man, 1 offstage voice (any gender)
​PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • World Premiere: Key City Public Theater, Port Townsend, WA (recipient of a 2019 Washington State Commission n the Arts/NEA grant)
  • Workshop: PT PlayFest, Port Townsend, WA
  • Showcase Production: Aegean Theatre Company, 30th St Theatre, NYC
  • Notable Readings: Playwrights Horizons Theater School, Expanded Arts, Chicago Womens Theater Alliance
FATA MORGANA
​
2015 KILROY LIST - HONORABLE MENTION,  NAMED AN INDIETHEATER.COM 2016 PLAY OF THE YEAR 
For Tori and Jack, life off the grid offers a welcome alternative to the turmoil of life back home… until Morgan shows up seeking sanctuary and offering the promise of long lost hopes for happiness. Having already walked away once, can Jack and Tori hold on to their separate peace, or will they risk it all for a shot at their dreams?

American Magic Realism
Approx. 120 minutes
3 Women, 1 Man, 1 Talking Crow
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • ​World Premiere: Boise Contemporary Theater (recipient of 2015 NEA ArtWorks grant)
  • Workshop: PT PlayFest, Port Townsend, WA
  • Workshop: Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, ID
  • Reading: And Toto Too at The Mercury, Denver, CO​
​​THE FEAST OF THE FLYING COW... AND OTHER STORIES OF WAR
​
2014 KILROY LIST - HONORABLE MENTION
Audrey, a socialite turned relief worker, finds herself in a war-torn nation awarding a free feast and celebrity-style photo shoot to the besieged family of Anya Andonov. Trapped in a world that is as absurd and laughable, as it is brutal, Anya and Audrey struggle to salvage their feast as the world around them spirals into collapse. ​

Dark, political/social comedy,
Approx. 120 minutes
3 Women, 2 Men
Production History
  • World Premiere: InterAct Theater (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Rocky Mountain Premiere: And Toto Too Theater Company  (Denver, CO)
  • Workshop: National Playwrights Conference, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (CT)
  • Workshop Production: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre -ExposureNY Festival (NYC)
  • Notable Reading: Grey Light Productions American Voices Series (London), The Lark's Playwrights Week  (NYC),  Midwestern New Play Festival (IL)​
​KANDAHAR
Against a suburban backdrop of suicide, lawn darts and affairs of heart, Ginger and Freddie Hofsteadler discover that the most dangerous game is indeed life, and the most lethal opponent… one’s own heart.  Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s 1910 masterpiece Das weite Land, Kandahar traverses the unknowable peaks and the chaotic depth of the human heart.

Dramedy, approx. 130 minutes
4 Women, 4 Men, 1 Non-binary actor 
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • Workshop: PT PlayFest/ Key City Public Theater (Port Townsend, WA)
  • Workshop: Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
  • Reading: National Winter Playwrights Retreat (Creede, CO)
  • Semi-finalist, O'Neill Playwrights Conference
​THE MARTYRDOM OF WASHINGTON BOOTH
Virgilia’s plan to impress a local militia hero is thrown into jeopardy when the lethal virus they’ve arranged to purchase from a mysterious African nationalist is accidentally unleashed… on her own father. As she struggles to find a way out of her dilemma she is forced to ask herself: who hears the voice of God? And who is qualified to decipher it?

Dark, political/social comedy
Approx. 120 minutes
3 Women, 2 Men
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • Workshop: PT PlayFest (Port Townsend, WA)
  • New York University's hotINK Festival (NYC)
  • Notable Readings: NYC Sit In! (NYC), Rattlestick, Two on Tuesday Series (New York, NYC) , Echo Writers Lab (LA)
  • Two-time Finalist, National Playwrights Conference
​BAD WATER JUJU
The Bad Water Juju Circus has hit hard times. Luckily, the clowns have a plan... but watch out because the jokers are willing to do whatever it takes to push their extreme, and very final, solution all the way to it's dramatic, and not so funny, end.

Dark, political/social comedy, Circus
Approx. 120 minutes
10-16 diverse performers, puppets
PRODUCTION HISTORY​
  • Workshop: Playwrights Horizons Theater School/NYU Tisch (New York, NY)
  • Workshop: Juggernaut Company (NYC)
RUNNING IN CIRCLES SCREAMING
Louise and Heather watch their kids on the playground sharing stories of mommy-hood joys but when Heather shares her disappointment, Louise turns out not to be the soul-sister she was looking for.  Heather doesn't know how right she is. ​
Available in Best Short American Plays 2006-2007 (Applause)
Dramedy 
2 Women, 1 Man

PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • 2018 Boston Theater Marathon 
  • World Premiere Source Theater Festival, 2007 (Washington, DC)
  • Greenhouse Ensemble Ten Minute Play Soiree (NYC)
  • Lion's Paw Theatre Plays On The Menu, lunchtime playreading series (St. Louis) 
  • Circus Theatricals One-Act Play Festival (Los Angeles)
  • Theater Company of Saugus, Festival of One-Acts (NY)​

COME RAIN OR COME SHINE

Mom doesn't know why it's taken Luke so long to break the news, she's liberal after all, but she's thrilled that after years away Luke finally coming home to tell her he's gay. He's even bringing his new boyfriend Chris! Chris is his boyfriend… right? ​
Available in Best Short American Plays 2005-2006 (Applause)
Comedy
1 Women, 2 Men
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • ​Production History
  • University of Puget Sound​
  • Available in Cengage Learning's Textbook Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing
  • Readings: Playwrights Horizons Theater School (NY), NYC Sit In! (NY), Drama Book Shop (New York)

LIGHT

A spiritual rebirth, under the guidance of a mysterious, self-proclaimed guru, is Helena’s motivation for re-connecting with her childhood friend, and recent divorcee, Abby. But the joyous reunion is short-lived when Abby discovers out that Helena’s new path requires her to forget her past… including Abby. ​
Available in: Best Short American Plays 2007-2008 (Applause)
Available in Great Short Plays, Volume 6  (Playscripts)
Drama
2 Women
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • ​World Premiere: Moving Arts Festival (LA)
  • Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, One-Act Fest (WA)
  • Keyano Theatre: One Act Wonders (Alberta, CA)​

SORRY ASS BLOCK PARTY ​(written with Cynthia Arsenault)

Was it the potato salad, the kielbasa or is someone out to get them? The accusations – and stomach contents - fly when a block party turns into a trip to the emergency room for three very woozy friends and one very busy trash can.    ​
Comedy
3 Women
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • 2019 Boston Theater Marathon
  • 2017 Fresh Ink Mad Dash at the Lyric

SCATTER

​Randi's plan to bring her shrinking family together to scatter the ashes of her grandmother are thrown into jeopardy  when, much to her surprise, her family actually shows up. ​
*Named one of the top 13 plays in the 2015 Boston Theater Marathon. 
Drama
1 Woman, 2 Men
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • 2015 Boston Theater Marathon
  • Named one of the top 13 plays in Boston Theater Marathon by Brooks Reeves​

CHUCK ROAST TOAST

Ro and Tuck stand by the waters edge, toasting – and roasting – their friend Chuck as he is killed and devoured by a ravenous alligator. Is his death tragic? An opportunity for reflection? Or just a reminder that there is always someone else having a far worse day than you are.​
Dark comedy
2-3 actors, any gender/any age
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • Boston Theater Marathon

THROW OF THE MOON

Midge knows her mechanic husband Tony is stepping out on her, and with the begrudging help of her couch-potato brother Bobby, she manages to catch him red-handed, only to discover that Tony’s not in love with another woman, he’s in love with Shakespeare! ​
Available in Plays & Playwrights 2001 (NY Experience)
Romantic Comedy
2 Women, 1 Man
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • ​Commissioned & performed by GorillaRep, Washington Square Dreams (New York, NY)
  • All the World's a Stage (Civic Theatre -Wagga-Wagga, Australia)​​

AMERICAN EYES

Soso thinks he understands English and he hopes to impress Maka on their first date to Washington Square Park. When they stumble across an outdoor production of “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream,” Soso finds himself seriously challenged – as does the interpreter trying to translate their date (and the play) for the audience – in this meta-play about love, language and the plight to be understood. ​
Available in Plays & Playwrights 2001 (NY Experience)
Romantic Comedy
2 Women, 2 Men
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • ​Commissioned & performed by GorillaRep, Washington Square Dreams (New York, NY)
  • All the World's a Stage (Civic Theatre -Wagga-Wagga, Australia)​​

SALTY

To celebrate his birthday, Chase takes her friend Franklin on his first trip to see the ocean. Facing the wide expanse, Franklin musters the courage to finally free himself from a truth he’s still learning to come to terms with, and embrace the newfound optimism that comes with self-acceptance. ​
Dramedy
1 Woman, 1 Man
PRODUCTION HISTORY
  • Finalist, 2009 Heideman Award, Actors Theatre of Louisville
  • NYC Sit In! (NY)
THIRD AVENUE - IndieTheatre One-Minute Play Fest at the New Ohio, NY, NY
CHICKEN WORLD - Boston One-Minute Play Fest/Boston Playwrights Theatre, MA
SHIMMY ​– 3rd Annual Indie Theater One-Minute Play Festival "America Is..." at the New Ohio, NY, NY
​
NEOPHILIA - The 2nd Annual New York Indie Theatre One-Minute Play Festival
​
THE YA'KNOW - New York's One Minute Play Festival: Our Response/Our Country
​
CHUCKROASTTOAST (abridged!) - ​IndieTheaterNow.com's 1st One-Minute Play Festival
GOGLI MOGLI - Twenty! FGP’s Festival of Two-Minute Plays, The Brick, NY, NY

Family Belongings / Produced by Stella Productions / Director: Susan diRende

All Molly wants to do is spend a few hours in her childhood home contemplating the death of her mother, and leave. But Peter and Ellen are having none of it. Caught in the crossfire between battling siblings, Molly plans her escape, and plans her escape and plans her escape until it finally becomes clear that leaving just isn't an option.
         Feature Length Drama

No Place Like Home

Dot, a young, wannabe novelist from Kansas and Alek, a cynical scientist from a far-flung corner of the former Soviet Empire who find each other, and themselves, slinging hash and chasing dreams in Greenwich Village. Cultures clash when Alek’s sister arrives unexpectedly; as it turns out “coming to America” isn’t quite what any of them expected.
        Feature Length Coming to America/Coming of Age
        Available

Top Dogs

Two young attorneys magically switch bodies with their own dogs when they take the wrong side of an animal cruelty case. While the lawyer’s dogs struggle to manage their lives and careers in their newfound bodies, the canine lawyers chase their only hope: put things right before the case goes to trial. (co-written with Ben Sahl)
      Feature Length Comedy
      Available

In Print

  • Light in Reading, Reacting, Writing (Cengage Learning Inc., 2011)
  • Happy Birthday Abby in Award Winning Comic Scenes Ages 13-18(Smith & Kraus)
  • Running in Circles Screaming in Best Short American Plays 2006-2007 (Applause)
  • Come Rain or Come Shine in Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing (Cengage)
  • Light in Best Short American Plays 2007-2008 (Applause)
  • Come Rain or Come Shine in Best Short American Plays 2005-2006 (Applause)
  • Light in Great Short Plays: Volume 6 (Playscripts.com)
  • American Eyes Plays & Playwrights 1999 (NYTheatre Experience)
  • Throw of the Moon Plays & Playwrights 1999 (NYTheatre Experience)
  • Mercy Falls - two monologues in Audition Arsenal (Smith & Kraus)
  • The Martyrdom of Washington Booth in Best Monologues for Men, 1999 –(Smith & Kraus)
  • The Feast of the Flying Cow… and Other Stories of War in Best Monologues for Men, 1999 (Smith & Kraus)
  • Mercy Falls in Best Monologues for Women, 1999 (Smith & Kraus)
  • Mercy Falls in Best Stage Scenes, 1999 (Smith & Kraus)

Jeni Mahoney
Playwright, Director, Teacher
New Play Development Geek
​jenidog@gmail.com

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