Jewish Plays Project Announces 2020 Top Seven Plays; Starts National Tour

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the Top 7 Finalists for the 9th National Jewish Playwriting Contest. Over 250 playwrights from 30 states and 5 countries submitted plays to the Contest.

"This is one of our strongest groups of plays," said Mr. Winitsky, "covering the most pressing stories in the Jewish world. Jews taking responsibility for refugees, Jews confronting racial injustice, American Jews and Israel, Jews in the face of anti-semitism, Jews facing off with each other. This is the reason the JPP exists - to find plays that matter, and to champion them as they move onto the best stages in the world."

The JPP will hold regional contests in Houston, Charlotte, Chicago, Fairfax, Hartford, Buffalo, Silicon Valley, and New York - as well as a national contest online. More than 1,000 people will contribute to choosing the ultimate winner - a unique process that provides one-of-kind feedback to playwrights and invaluable audience response to prospective producers. The full calendar of events can be found at www.jewishplaysproject.org/calendar

The finalists are:

A MOVING PICTURE by Jennie Berman Eng
An NYU student screenplay about a Mercedes Benz labor camp during WWII collides with a legendary director/teacher and the dark secret of his Hollywood success.

SOMETHING'S COMING by Ezra Brain and J. Andrew Norris
The creators of the greatest musical suffer through highs, lows, aggression, deadlines, cigarettes, whiskey - and Jerome Robbins.

MOTHERLAND by Lisa Kenner Grissom
Inherited trauma among four generations of Jewish women. Can you reclaim your life without knowing your roots?

SETTLEMENTS by Seth Rozin
A JCC's resident theater commissions a controversial play, and a battle for the institution's soul erupts. How can the center hold in a world of extremes?

ELIJAH by Sandy Rustin
Elijah the Prophet steps in to ward off the plagues when faith, family, science and mysticism collide at one Midwestern family's Seder.

UNITED NATHANS by Jason Sherman
A reunion in Israel for three longtime friends turns into a confrontation over the truth behind a tragic night from their past.

REFUGE • MALJA • i??i??i??i?? by Bess Welden
American photojournalist Jamie meets refugee kids everyday, but when shoeless Waleed steps in front of her lens, she's forced to grapple with her own family history.

The JPP selection process was led by Artistic Associate Joshua Benghiat and Literary Associates Ariane Barrie-Stern, Samantha Harris and Daniel Wallach, along with a team of more than 50 Artist Panelists

Full information about all the plays - including playwright and agent contact information - can be found at the JPP's website, www.jewishplaysproject.org. Interested producers, agents and literary managers can email plays@jewishplaysproject.org.

"The JPC offers something more powerful than exposure: it offers Jewish playwrights a spiritual community, where they can share work and exchange ideas," said Adi Eshman, 2019 Top 7 playwright and writer's assistant for HBO's Mosaic.