Janae: A Modern Take on Jane Eyre

Janae is a contemporary coming-of-age modern retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre–set in the working-class town of Darbyville, Ohio, where a group of teens—including 17-year-old Janae—navigate identity, loyalty, and loss in a place that often feels too small for their dreams. As tensions simmer between lifelong locals and outsiders, friendships are tested, secrets surface, and the teens confront painful truths about family, community, and what it means to belong. With settings like the Darbyville Animal Shelter, a local school, and Aunt Sara’s home, the play captures the raw, tender, and often funny moments of adolescence on the edge of adulthood. At the heart of the story is Janae, whose journey reflects the emotional weight of growing up in a town where the past clings tightly and the future feels just out of reach.

Duration: 100 Min
Roles: 10F, 9M (Can be expanded to 25 +Optional Ensemble)
Performance Group: High School
Setting: Animal Shelter. School. Living Room. Hospital Bed.