The Long Arc for a Local Voice
How ‘Fangs’ is Finally Ready to Take Centerstage
By Avery Anderson
The journey from a writer’s laptop to a Mainstage production is rarely a straight line. It is a slow, iterative, and often vulnerable process of expansion. For Clearwater playwright Jenna Jane, that journey is reaching a critical milestone through a partnership with American Stage’s Fresh Ink series—a program that has become the vital springboard for some of the most compelling new work in the region.
The Evolution of ‘Organic’
To understand why next week’s reading of Fangs matters, one must look back to 2023. At the time, Jenna introduced a short, speculative piece titled Organic to the Fresh Ink stage (then titled First Mondays and hosted at Creative Pinellas). It was a tight, high-concept look at aging in a world of technological upgrades.
But the "short play" was only the beginning of the investigation.
Over the last four years, Organic has been meticulously developed into a full-length work called Bionic, undergoing four staged readings at various venues across Florida. Each reading acted as a stress test, allowing Jenna to expand the world-building and deepen the emotional stakes based on real-time audience resonance.
“Early development opportunities for Organic helped me see the hunger audience’s had for more: Not just for sci-fi onstage, but for this particular world where swapping out your body parts for the latest tech is the norm,” said Jenna.
Watch Jenna Jane in Our Interview for Julius Caesar
Avery Anderson
Feeding the Beast: The Journey of ‘Fangs’
Now, Jenna is turning that same developmental lens on her new vampire comedy Fangs. Two years ago I got to read an early draft of this script when it was still a 15-minute spark—a punchy comedy about a Midwesterner and her vampire fiancé. Even then, the "bones" of the story were strong, but the world was still waiting to be fleshed out.
In the years since, Fangs has grown from a high-concept "monster-at-dinner" sketch into a 90-minute allegory for interfaith relationships. This meet-the-family comedy explores the challenges and the beauty that come with marrying someone from outside your tribe.
Without programs like Fresh Ink, these scripts often stay stuck in that "short" phase. Fresh Ink provides the essential infrastructure—professional actors, a director, and most importantly, an audience—that allows a local artist to take a "tip" and turn it into an "investigative feature."
“Especially with comedy, you’ve got to hear it out loud to tell if the pacing is working. This Fresh Ink reading will add an additional crucial element: Hearing how the audience responds to the jokes. What’s landing and what’s not? I can’t wait to hear feedback from both the actors and the audience before launching into another draft,” said Jenna.
By attending, you aren't just watching a play; you are participating in the "Fresh Ink" that helps the story dry on the page. You are the community that makes the vacuum of a writer’s laptop disappear.
If You Go:
- WHAT: Staged Reading of Fangs by Jenna Jane
- WHERE: Green Light Lounge, American Stage
- WHEN: Tuesday, Feb 24, 7:00 PM
- TICKETS: https://www.americanstage.org/shows/fangs
The Cast and team of Fangs
Jenna Jane - Playwright
Dylan Barlowe - Director
MacKenzie Aaryn - Nora
Lance Felton - Steve
Andresia Moseley - Malka
Jim Wicker - Drake
Joseph Condon - Hank/Uncle Louis/Bruce/Jeff/Roland Rigsby
Alaina Rahaim - Maureen/Esther/Shirley