Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Authors

Jeff Payne is a tech industry executive by day, but started out his career in the arts.  He studied theatre at the University of St. Mary, comedy writing at The Second City, and worked as a touring stage lighting designer.  He interned under Obie Award winning lighting designer Jeffrey S.  Koger.  As a lighting designer and lighting programmer, Jeff has worked with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Stephen Sondheim Center for Performing Arts, and Mid-Columbia Music Theatre.  He’s also worked with major touring artists including Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Reba McIntire, and the late Gregory Hines.

He’s written three novels including Far From the War, one of the most critically acclaimed indie novels of 2011.  Produced plays include On the Floor, Cindy Squared, Blue Toxic, and The Bitterness.  His political thriller Transition Team was featured in the 2007 Kansas City Playwrights Festival.  More recently, Jeff co-wrote the book and lyrics for Guns of Ireland, an original musical about Ireland’s 1798 Wexford Rebellion and the 1916 Easter Rising.  During its sold out run in May of 2015, Guns of Ireland garnered national media attention with The National Review calling it “a vessel for creative and rooted healing.” 

These days Jeff collaborates with his wife and veteran drama teacher Kathryn Payne on new works for middle grade performers including The Day Skinny Jeans Saved the Universe (available from Pioneer), A Play About Bacon and Robots (Best Short Play, Great Hall Performing Arts Festival), Molly Steals an Airplane, Waiting for Gal Godot, Hank is Not Amused, and Princess Oblivion's Magical Tea Party.

In 2022, Jeff and his family relocated to Utah where they've resumed developing new work for middle grade performers, this time at Karl G.  Maeser Preparatory Academy where his wife Kathryn Payne runs the drama program.