Biography

j.chavez (they/them) is a Seattle based playwright, puppeteer, and all around theatre maker. Through the power of Red Bulls they earned a BA in Theatre from Western Washington University, concentrating in Directing, Dramatic Writing, and Education. They were crowned the unofficial title of Lil’ Miss Kennedy Center and Miss Kennedy Center Continental for their play “how to clean your room (and remember all your trauma)” which was awarded The KCACTF National Undergraduate Playwriting Award 2020 and the David Mark Cohen National Award in 2021. “how to clean” is featured in the Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays, a first of it’s kind anthology of Trans plays written by Trans playwrights for Trans people. They are a featured playwright in “The Playwrights Toolbox” by Justin Maxwell. Jay is a Marine Science Puppeteer at the Seattle Aquarium, where they perform every weekend telling stories that engage audiences of all ages. They aim to bridge the gap between science and art. When they aren’t working, they are sewing outfits, walking green lake, and pretending to know what fantasy football is.

Artistic Statment

I want to laugh, I want to cry, I want to feel emotions. My art is not for everyone, but it is accessible to everyone. Not everyone shares my exact same identity, but anyone who connects with even a sliver of my intersections will discover hope. Hope is what fuels my work as a playwright and teaching artist. My work utilizes the farthest reaches of our imagination to show everyone what is possible in a society. There are things that require imagination to enact. A world with out cops is possible. A society that has moved on from white supremacy can happen. We can coexist with the natural world around us. I create theatre to show people what we can do if we work together and imagine a better future.