12 Jul F30 Countdown – Jahna Ferron-Smith

The festival is twenty four days away, so let’s introduce Jahna Ferron-Smith! 

Jahna Ferron-Smith is a graduate of Boston University College of Fine Arts. She is a part of the Obie-winning playwriting collective, Youngblood, and her plays have been performed at Ensemble Studio Theatre, the The Flea and UglyRhino Presents: TinyRhino. They include, Hello, My Name Is, Tuesday, and Salt: A Rom Com. 

When did you start writing plays? If you had a moment where you realized you wanted to write, what was it?

I started writing plays my Junior year of college. The moment I realized I wanted to write was during the first read-through of the first play I’d ever written: the audience laughed at all of the right places and seeing that my writing actually affected them at all–let alone in the way that I had intended–made me feel absolutely euphoric. I felt like, “oh yea. This is it.”

How did you come to write your OOB play? Was there a particular inspiration behind its creation? How has it developed?

SIR. was partly influenced by experience as well as an interest in exploring a larger conversation surrounding how cultural differences influence intimacy and how couples might navigate them; where there are hard boundaries and where there may be room for compromise.

What are 5 words that describe who you are as a playwright?

Curious, playful, biting, structured, determined.

What/who are some of the major influences on your writing?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and everyone I come into contact with.

What’s one fact someone would never guess about you?

I studied as a classically trained pianist for 12 years.

What are some of your favorite plays?

Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; Bright Ideas Eric Coble

Any new projects you’re working on or shameless plugs?

I’m writing my first musical, Tuesday, which–right now–is about a school shooting…it’s also a comedy.

Her play SIR. will be performed on August 9th at 6:30pm. If follows Leila and Chris as they navigate the intricacies of BDSM in an interracial relationship.