Festival Of New Jewish Plays Comes to JCC Manhattan This Month

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director) is proud to announce its return to New York City after a three year hiatus, on November 30 and December 1, 2022. The Festival of New Jewish Plays, in partnership with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, will feature the winners of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 National Jewish Playwriting Contests in the JPP's signature Reading+ format (script-in hand readings with targeted design support), created by the city's best actors, directors, and designers.

The three plays, chosen by the combined efforts of more than 100 artists and 2,500 audience members in New York, Israel and six U.S. cities - as well as through online video and podcasting competitions - represent a diverse range of important contemporary Jewish voices and issues. The Festival is presented for public and industry audiences, with a goal of finding World Premiere productions for these plays.

"I cannot overstate how amazing it is to be bringing the JPP back to New York with these three brilliant playwrights," says Artistic Director David Winitsky. "And partnering again with the JCC Manhattan - one of the city's brightest spots for new Jewish culture - and Kendell Pinkney and artists of The Workshop makes this the perfect way to relaunch the JPP's mission to develop and advocate for new Jewish plays in New York."

The three plays are:

• OKLAHOMA SAMOVAR by Alice Eve Cohen, directed by Eric Nightengale: In 1887, two Latvian teenagers flee the Russian army and become the only Jews in the Oklahoma Land Run. A century later, their daughter reinvents their story, aided by ghosts, blintzes and strong Russian tea.
  • Wednesday, November 30 at 7 pm. Tickets here.
  • Winner of the 10th Jewish Playwriting Contest (2021)
    
• MADELEINES by Bess Welden, directed by Annette Jolles: Spiced with poetry, Yiddish, and Spanish, Madeleines is about a family of Jewish women grappling with how to love each other through shared grief and the solace of baking.
  • Thursday, December 1 at 1 pm. Tickets here.
  • Winner of the 11th Jewish Playwriting Contest (2022)
    
• A MOVING PICTURE by Jennie Berman Eng, directed by Rebecca S'Manga Frank: An NYU student screenplay about a WWII Mercedes Benz labor camp collides with a legendary professor and the dark secret of his Hollywood success.
  • Thursday, December 1 at 7 pm. Tickets here.
  • Winner of the 9th Jewish Playwriting Contest (2020)

The reading of Berman Eng's A Moving Picture on December 1st will be followed by a talkback co-presented by The Workshop, North America's first arts fellowship centering the work of JOCISM (Jews of Color, Jewish-Indigenous, Sephardi & Mizrahi) artists & culture-makers, that will focus on the dynamic between the Holocaust, Jewish identity, and race. The talkback will be moderated by theater artist and rabbi Kendell Pinkney. Learn more about The Workshop at theworkshopny.com.

Full casting for all readings will be announced before Thanksgiving.

All three readings are Pay What You Wish. Reservations are required. For full information and to reserve a ticket, visit jewishplaysproject.org/festival.

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