Shakespeare & Company Will Host Inaugural Celebration Of Jewish Plays

This October, Shakespeare & Company will present Celebrating Jewish Plays, an immersive weekend of staged readings held over the holiday weekend from Friday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 12.

The weekend will feature four enhanced, staged readings of acclaimed plays, plus a special literary event. Barry R. Shapiro, co-chair of the weekend's core planning committee, said the events have been planned to honor the tradition and impact of storytelling.

“This festival celebrates the depth, humor, and resilience of Jewish storytelling – past and present – through the vibrant voices of playwrights who explore identity, history, and the human spirit,” he said.”In a time when connection matters more than ever, the Jewish plays remind us that humor heals, memory matters, and every story is a kind of survival.”

Shakespeare & Company's Artistic Director Allyn Burrows added that the heart of Celebrating Jewish Plays is a belief in the power of art to foster understanding, unity, and belonging.

“We selected these extraordinary plays because each, in its own way, reflects our mission to explore what we share in our humanity – even in the face of difference,” he said. “This is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and community.”

Celebrating Jewish Plays will take place during the October holiday weekend, including

The Price by Arthur Miller – Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.

Roz & Ray by Karen Hartman, featuring Tony-nominated actor John Douglas Thompson (The Gilded Age, HBO) – Saturday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m.

Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich – Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.

The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein – Sunday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m.

In addition to these staged readings, the weekend will include an event on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 4:30 p.m., open to all A+ ticket holders to any of the four plays; those who've purchased tickets at any price to all four plays, and those making a donation of $100 or more to the weekend. Select scenes will be presented from a new theatrical adaptation of the National Jewish Book Award-winning novel The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish, currently in development by Kate Kohler Amory and Tamara Hickey. These excerpts will be followed by a talk and Q&A session with Kadish, as well as a reception at 6 pm. All of Sunday's events are presented in partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires.

To donate, visit shakespeare.org/donate and write “Weight of Ink” in the notes section, or email development@shakespeare.org.