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Jeffry Alan Key (born October 15, 1965) is an American actor, playwright, veterans advocate, and activist. He is known for his one-man performance piece, The Eyes of Babylon, based on journal entries from his time as a Marine in Iraq. Key is the founder of The Mehadi Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting veterans in the arts and philanthropy in Iraq. He also works closely with Warrior Writers, aiding veterans in creative expression. Key's life and work were featured in the Showtime Network documentary Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey. He was a nominee for a Drama Desk Award for his performance of The Eyes of Babylon and the play premiered at the NY theater company, 59E59 Theater, as part of Americas Off-Broadway festival.

Theatre and Film

Eyes of Babylon

Jeff Key wrote and performed a one-man play, The Eyes of Babylon, about his experiences in Iraq as a gay Marine in the era of "don't ask, don't tell." It was critically acclaimed, played successfully across the US and in Ireland, and Key was nominated for a Drama Desk Outstanding Solo Performance Award in 2012. In 2011, The play was selected to premiere with the NY theater company, 59E59 Theater in Americas Off-Broadway Festival, featuring the best of American regional theater.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450741/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

The piece was developed from journals Key kept after he deployed to Iraq in March 2003. Once he returned to the US, Key would read from the journals to people who asked about the war, receiving consistent feedback that he should do something with them. He considered publishing the journals, however he hesitated due to suffering from deep depression. Eventually, his frustrations led him to the realization that he had to speak out or self-destruct completely.

Key met New York director Yuval Hadadi, and together they adapted them into a one-man play with Key performing and Hadadi directing. The play had a workshop version that opened at the Tamarind Theatre in Hollywood, California, where it ran for eight months to full houses and rave reviews.

"The Eyes of Babylon" had successful performances in various cities, including San Francisco, CA; Lexington, KY; Birmingham, AL; Salt Lake City, UT; and Dublin, Ireland. Jeff Key's story, encompassing the creation and performance of the play, is the subject of the Showtime documentary, "Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey," which first aired in June 2007.

Semper Fi

Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey is an award-winning documentary depicting Key's experiences being a gay Marine who had joined the military shortly before 9/11. Despite the opportunity to avoid deployment by revealing his sexual orientation, Key stayed in the military and served in the Iraq war after 9/11. The film showcases his journey through interviews, voiceovers, personal footage from Iraq, and scenes from his one-man play, Eyes of Babylon.</ref></ref> The film was popular with fans and critics alike; the Hollywood Reporter called it a "gem of a documentary" and it won the Audience Choice Award at the Frameline Film Festival, the United States’ oldest LGBTQ+ film festival.

Activism and advocacy

Jeff Key was on the Board of Directors of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He was also the founding board member of The Mehadi Foundation, which provided support for returning veterans and developed philanthropic projects in Iraq and Afghanistan to deliver clean water and other necessities. Additionally, Key works closely with Warrior Writers, a national organization that helps veterans heal through storytelling and other creative expression.