Three Women Left At A Bus Stop - Winner, Writer's Digest Competition

Play takes place at a bus stop on top of a hill, at the edge of a dangeous neighborhood in New York. Three women gather here to wait for the bus, upsate to Bloomington. Pia, is homeless and lives at the bus stop, Tamara arrives in a fake mink early in the afternoon after being dropped off by Luigi. Louanne, a suburban housewife, comes carrying neatly wrapped packages, on her way to see her mother in law. Due to trouble in the city the buses have been re-routed and she has to come up here. Initially the three of them can't stand each other, but as time passes they are stranded there with each other. A storm arrives, a crash takes place at the hottm of the hill and state troopers investigating the trouble swarm everywhere. Forced to interct intensely, the three women discover who they really are, how to care for one another and where they are truly headed on their journey.

Looking for Parcifal                                                                          

Wild, comedic, semi- surrealistic, play is set in a hospice where we explore the passageway from life to death and beyond. The play is a journey to come to grips with love, family, healing, and where we are ultimately headed.
      
A distraught  brother and sister finally find their missing brother Parcifal in a strange hospice with  no numbers on the doors. When they arrive, they meet the other worldly Dr Decroy, who is constantly being paged and will not answer. He also will not take them easily to their brother’s room. Desperate to know what’s going on, the family finally gets there and then receives a huge surprise. Once there, they also meet the lonely nurse Mia, who has fallen madly in love with the dying patient, and now has shocking news for them all. The surprise ending  takes a look at who we are and what’s truly important. It also gives us a peek  through the veils that seem to separate this world from the next.

Knock The Door Down

This play is a comedy of errors about how misunderstandings, fantasy and paranoia spread uncontrollably, terrifying everyone, when nothing at all is wrong. Set in a therapist’s office in Manhattan, the play explores the ways in which our fears and feverish imagination take on a life of their own, trapping us in a world of memory and imagination. 

A therapist, whose practice is dedicated to peace of mind, is working with an extremely nervous patient who was the victim of a home invasion. She has never been the same again. Positive that the intruder is still hovering, waiting to break in again, she lives in fear of everything. As the play opens she arrives for her weekly session earlier than usual as she’s been particular upset that day.  The therapist has a jittery son, who calls at the same every morning to check in on his mother. On this particular morning, she does not pick up the phone, as she’s in session with the patient. Uneasy, the son keeps calling, and when no one answers, both he and his girlfriend become more and more agitated, believing that something is terribly wrong. Finally, convinced that his mother is in danger, he frantically calls the doorman, demanding that he run upstairs and rescue her. If need be, knock the door down!

The doorman, Rodriguez, whose own mother died strangely, trapped in her apartment, arms himself with a crowbar and rushes to the therapist’s apartment. Agitated, he starts banging on the door. The patient, convinced it’s the same intruder, grows more alarmed by the minute and hides behind a huge palm plant. At her wits end, the patient barricades the door, trapping the therapist inside. The doorman, besides himself, hearing strange noises and commotion, calls 911.

Soon the whole building becomes involved. Police arrive, neighbors pour into the hallway, talking about the unsuspecting therapist. The downstairs neighbor, who always thinks the therapist is dropping packages on his head, arrives with police, to get his final revenge. The next patient arrives and can’t get in, the son and girlfriend appear, breathless, convinced the mother is dead. We see New York City living at its peak.

When the police realize that the therapist is trapped inside, hostage backup is called. Hostage backup then decides to jump off the roof, and propel  in through the window, to rescue the therapist. The patient, suddenly seeing a man crashing in, faints on the spot. Then, in a strange turn of events, and in the midst of her greatest nightmare, the patient is suddenly cured. We see what it finally takes to say goodbye to madness and live free of fear.

The Teacher Hasn't Come

This lively, comic drama takes place in a huge loft in Manhattan which functions as a Spiritual Center dedicated to peace. A group of fanatical students who have given their lives to the Teachings eagerly await the arrival of their Teacher, who is coming from afar. They are making perfect arrangements, where nothing can be out of place. Other students are lined up on the steps outside, waiting to catch just a glimpse of The Teacher, when he appears. Preparations have been going on for weeks.
 
Suddenly, unexpected events begin to take place and the order of the Center is thrown into disarray. Fascinating non-members burst in, with ideas of their own. They refuse to listen to the leaders or stay where they belong. The intruders want to welcome the Teacher in their own way. A struggle ensues and soon after, more shocking news arrives which completely shatters the order of the day. We watch the students struggle for meaning, order and safety, as a possible threat of violence also appears.
 
Finally, in the midst of this chaos, we see who the Teacher truly is and where he/she has been all along.
 
The play explores the craving for power, absolute answers, ultimate authority and someone to idolize. The theme is particularly timely today as it opens a window into many kinds of beliefs and the individuals who are caught up in them.
 
A Marriage of Convenience

Play takes place in small, off beat restaurant in Victorian House at a a celebration dinner to follow the wedding of Tanya and Boom. Tanya is an illegal immigrant and Boom, who is gay is in love with Peter. He is marrying Tanya, so she can go home to visit her dying mother. The charismatic Waiter who runs the restaurant takes an immediate dislike to Boom. During the semi surrealistic evening, tensions grow as Tanya wants a real wedding night, problems intensify between Waiter and Boom,Tillie (who arranged the dinner) has to call Boom's father. Boom's lover arrives at the restaurant with Boom's father, and there is a shocking ending as the play explores the nature of friendship, love, loneliness and ravishing hunger that cannot be satisfied.


Where Prayers Come True - Winner: Streisand Festival for Best Jewish Play of Year

 Where Prayers Come True is a one-woman play, about a half mad psychologist who takes a journey to a distant era in her life as a Hasidic Jew, and suddenly finds sanity and healing. The play touches upon issues that so many are dealing with currently, including the hunger for meaning and struggle with authority and the ways of the past.   Rebecca, a divorced, psychologist living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, sits in her office all day listening to the torment of others, and has lost the meaning of her life. One day she is taken on a dangerous journey backwards in time, as she suddenly discovers B’nai Jakov, the strange, lost synagogue of the Upper East Side.  Before long, late every afternoon, she runs over, stands outside  in the shadows, and watches who comes in and who goes out.

Immediately, she tries to run away, but  B’nai Jakov won’t let her. It calls to her and forces her to return. Soon Rebecca is traveling backwards in time, confronting the people, Rabbi and teachings she struggled with so fiercely with, growing up. Finally, Rebecca must gather her courage, join the congregation for lunch, and publicly confront the intense, charismatic, Rabbi. She must speak her truth to him - and listen to him speak his!  In this profound encounter, Rebecca finally comes to terms with who she is, what she believes and with the people who threw her out of their hearts, many years ago. She  re-claims the beauty of her past, and is able to hallow the life she lives today.  


Let's Dance - Winner: First Stage La.

A lively poignant comedy that takes place at a party for singles in their thirties and forties. Sara, who is a regular at these parties, is in love with Tony the bartender. He is in love with Mother Mary. During the course of this strange evening with music and flashing lights she suddenly bumps into Harold Kapowsky, her first boyfriend, who gave her her first kiss. Harold has been looking for Sara. We see what the years have done to both of them as Harold tries to get close and dance with her. We see what it means to start again as the two of them discover who they truly are and what is needed to love.


Under The Shade of One Tree - Winner: The Chilcote Award, Cleveland Public Theatre

 Comic drama, which explores the nature of lies, secrets and false love. The play  takes place in a Midwestern God fearing town outside of Chicago in the 1940’s. A serial killer has arrived in this town, and has been killing lonely women and burying them under the shade of one tree. The play takes place in the family’s living room. An odd collection of visitors and family members gather, each bringing more frightening news. The terrified father finally decides not let anyone leave the home. All are forced to stay together until the serial killer is found.  As the situation intensifies, roadblocks are set up, and  the inner life of the family and community become  exposed. Before it becomes obvious that the killer is there, among them.

The Lottery of Love

Takes Place in a small cafe. Two couples arrive, first Devlin and April. He is a student of Diogenes and a lover of truth. She is a dreamer, filled with imagination and hope. The second couple, Damon and March, arrive and sit at a table close by. He is her ex lover, longing to be reunited. At another table, on the far side of the cafe sits a Silent Women, who does not speak or move, no matter how much others turn to her. In contrast, we see the couples struggling with one another until suddenly each couple becomes aware of one another. Before long, they change partners in the endless search for love, power and understanding.

Ground Zero (Ten Minute Play)

 A middle aged woman who is a psychotherapist, living in Manhattan, cannot stop going down to Ground Zero, where she talks to the spirits of those who have been killed there, trying to find and give both comfort and understanding. An old man who sweeps at the site, becomes a wise teacher

One Candle (Short Play) - Illusion Theater

Takes place on border of Israel and Lebanon where two Israeli soldiers are guarding the area. A woman, wounded and in pain drags herself onto the stage.She is a suicide bomber. One of the soldiers, a doctor, rushes to her, to help. They interact intensely, feel a deep connection and he convinces her that it is better to love than to die. At end he helps her remove her vest which is set to detonate and carries her to safety.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino takes place in a small, beautiful, all glass café on the Rue De Les Champs, which is run by the Waiter who only makes Capuccino for those he accepts into his café. Once a place for the rich and famous, the café is now a gathering place for the has-beens who seek consolation. At four every afetrnoon, lines of people form outside, peering in, waiting to be accepted.  Among those accepted into the café are The Woman, a newcomer and an ex-whore. She is now a woman of letters. She comes to the café, enticed by the Waiter and the incredible Cappuccinos.

He makes. The Woman calls out for the Waiter regularly, but he can only respond occasionally. There is also the Man, once a financial wizard, who is now completely dependent upon the Waiter and soon longs to be loved by the Woman as well. Despite the Woman's better judgment, the Man lures her with his talk and at a peak moment the two of them dance the tango as she surrenders her fears. Soon after that Belle arrives. She is a former actress who has been gone for awhile. As soon as Belle appears, the Man dashes to her, leaving the Woman behind. The Woman cries out for the Waiter who returns to teach all of them the secrets of grandeur, dignity and how to once again become all they are.

The play is humorous and surrealistic. We watch the characters struggle with themselves, each other and what they are doing in the café. We see their incredible hunger for the peace and consolation the incredible Cappuccino's bring.

Primal Therapy

Play takes place in the office of Gregor, a famous Primal Therapist. His patient Herman has hanged himself in the therapist's office. Phones are ringing, news reporters coming, to find out what happened. We enter the Center for Primal Therapy, meet the odd staff of ex-dancers and ex-Priests who Gregor trained, we meet Mrs. Tiehl, Herman's mother who accompanied him to sessions for three years. Finally we go to the Despair workshop to discover the inner workings of the Center and explore the question of who or what really killed Herman, and what it means to heal.

Jakey's Incredible Family Reunion

This play, a semi comic burlesque with high drama, takes place on the Lower East Side in the 1940's, during the depression, in the insurance offices of Manny and Jakey. They are two older men, business partners for years who start receiving crank phone calls, demanding that Jakey write an oper and put it on. As the calls become more and more frequent, Jakey faces the loss of both his business and sanity. His secretary Vivien and Manny beg him to take the calls, do what the caller wants. As pressure intensifies and time shortens, we see what Jakey's life has really been made of and what is needed of him now. His world turns topsy turvy as he tries to respond to the calls that are coming and he discovers more than he ever imagined when the men who are calling actually arrive on the scene.

Messiah

MESSIAH takes place in the home of a Hasidic Rabbi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn., where homeless people and beggars surround the neighborhood and there is a sense of danger and unpredictability.. At the time the play opens not only the Rabbi’s family, but the entire community eagerly await and expect the coming of Messiah any day now. The Mother, is just recovering from a high fever, the brother Yankel, stays home all day praying,  Hy, the renegade brother who comes for Shabbos meals,and Shayna the lively daughter who studies Talmud, worries about the homeless in the neighborhood and desperately tries to understand what God truly wants from them all.

  Suddenly, in the midst of a Sabbath meal, Fendelson, the vegetable store owner, bursts in bringing news from Israel that top Rabbis believe the Messiah has arrived. The rest of the play deals with the way the family and community greet the news of Messiah, how it effects their relationships with themselves, one another and a homeless man who, at the end, comes  knocking  on their door.  All are horrified when Shanya opens the door and lets the beggar in. This play deals with the issue of where Messiah truly is and how we bring him/her.