Actor's Express to Premiere Jayne Deely's "I NEVER ASKED FOR A GOFUNDME"

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The National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, written by Jayne Deely and directed by Lydia Fort, marks the Atlanta theater's season finale.

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Actor's Express will conclude its 38th season with the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere production of i never asked for a gofundme by Jayne Deely and directed by Lydia Fort . Other partner theatres are the Seattle Public Theatre in Seattle, WA and About Face Theatre in Chicago, IL.

Millie and her partner Avery have landed back in Millie's hometown of Mobile, Alabama, while Avery recovers from gender-affirming top surgery. Things spiral out of control when a nosy, evangelical family friend mistakes Avery's top surgery to be a battle with breast cancer and makes a GoFundMe for the couple (all in the name of the good Lord, of course). Suddenly, Avery and Millie find themselves at the center of small-town gossip, flooded with donations they never asked for. As they wrestle with the decision to accept this money, they must decide if being unapologetically themselves comes with a price tag.

When asked why i never asked for a gofundme was the right choice to conclude AE's 38th season, AE's Artistic Director Freddie Ashley stated, 'When we were first introduced to the script, Amanda Washington and I were immediately charmed by its unique blend of comedy and heart. It is a joyous play that celebrates those connection points between people who may not seem to have anything in common. Besides being funny and oh-so-moving, it intelligently explores themes of faith, devotion and human connection.'

This cast is led by former AE apprentice Erin North as Millie (AE's Oh, To Be Pure Again) and Janice Amaya as Avery (La Jolla Playhouse's Not-for-Profit; American Repertory Theatre's The Humm (Three Sisters) and Moving Through History). This cast also includes longtime Atlanta theatre vet Wendy Melkonian as Gail ( Alliance Theatre 's Sister Act, A Christmas Carol and Class of 3000; Aurora Theatre's Annie and Into the Woods), as well as Deadra Moore as Loretta (AE's A Doll's House Pt. 2; Theatrical Outfit's The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley) and Niko Carleo as The Coven (AE's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Urinetown and Heathers; Aurora Theatre's In the Heights).

Jayne Deely (they/them) is a Queens, NY born and bred boricua playwright and performer. Selected works: Legacy, When Pluto was a planet, i never asked for a gofundme, Walter Mercado Presents: A Queer Puerto Rican (Not Just) Christmas Spectacular, and unqle play. Their plays have been developed with Seattle Public Theatre, the New Harmony Project, Breaking the Binary, Fresh Ground Pepper, Theatre B, Moxie Theatre, American Stage, Renaissance Theaterworks, and others. Jayne is a 2026-27 Playwrights Realm Writing Fellow and is currently under commission with a Sloan grant from EST. The NNPN rolling world premiere of i never asked for a gofundme begins at Actor's Express, followed by productions at Seattle Public Theater (Seattle, WA) in January '26 and About Face Theatre (Chicago, IL) in March '26. Jayne Deely is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the Dramatists Guild and holds an MFA from IU Bloomington.

When asked what makes Jayne Deely such a standout playwright, AE's Artistic Director Freddie Ashley noted, 'Even if you never get to meet Jayne, you can see their beating heart resonating all through this special play. Jayne writes their characters with such wholeness, insight and compassion. And then to add a flair of audacious theatricality to the piece is just more icing on the cake. It is an honor to be part of their professional playwriting debut.'

Lydia Fort is an Atlanta-based stage director whose work has been seen at theatres across the country, including Alabama Shakespeare Festival , GableStage, 7 Stages, the Hangar Theatre, Actor's Express, Diversionary Theatre, freeFall Theatre, and Urban Stages. Selected directing credits include Nina Simone: Four Women, The White Card, Mlima's Tale, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Jump, Bright Half Life, and Marie and Rosetta. A Suzi Bass Award winner for Outstanding Direction, Fort is also a Drama League Directing Fellow and recipient of a TCG New Generations Future Leaders grant. She is an Associate Professor of Theatre Studies at Emory University and holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Washington.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/atlanta/article/I-NEVER-ASKED-FOR-A-GOFUNDME-Will-Open-at-Actors-Express-20260918)._