We are thrilled to announce the winners and finalists for the 2023 Goldberg Playwriting Award.
The winner is "Ajax" by Habib Yazdi.
This year's award was juried by the Goldberg Award Committee of Daniel Spector, Migdalia Cruz, Chisa Hutchinson, Jiehae Park and Joe Vinciguerra.
The finalists are "The Prodigies" by Brooke Bethel, "Veal" by Jojo Jones, and "Holocaust Lit!" by Reid Pope.
A reading of "Ajax" will be organized in the fall semester, so stay tuned for more information.
Please join us in congratulating these tremendous writers.
Habib Yazdi
Habib Yazdi is an Iranian-American writer and director. He is part of the Amazon and AMC-sponsored writing lab Mentorship Matters, and is completing a docuseries on comedians with ITVS and NYFA.
Ajax - Tehran, 1953. Kambiz, a local pool boy, gets mixed up in the affairs of a strange American, the Shah of Iran, and the country’s democratically-elected prime minister. It will not end well.
Brooke Bethel
Brooke Bethel holds a BFA in Acting and Directing from Lipscomb University and an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Tisch School of the Arts. She was an artist-in-residence at New Works 615 in Nashville, TN and the recipient of the Theatre Artist Award of Excellence from Lipscomb University. Brooke is originally from rural Idaho, but now calls New York City home.
The Prodigies - When a new talented competitor appears at an annual youth piano competition, Isla, Benji, Kinsleigh, and Eden question their own competency and ability to keep up with the growing demands of being a prodigy. After Isla gets her period while practicing, she takes it as a sign that she should quit playing piano forever, and attempts to rally the other prodigies to question their own devotion to Bach. The Prodigies is a play about labor, duty, and livinon th excruciating precipice of being a teenager.
Jojo Jones is a writer and comedian born and raised in New York City. She graduated from Hamilton College in 2020 with degrees in Literature and Theatre. One time Wallace Shawn held the door open for her at the Jewish Community Center on 76th and Amsterdam.
Veal - Following a violent coup, a young woman named Chelsea becomes Queen of North America. Into her new palace walk three friends from middle school with whom she hasn’t spoken in years. They’ve come to ask Chelsea for a big favor, but before she grants it, she’s going to make them revisit their shared friendship—and its terrible end.
Reid Pope
Reid Pope (they/them) is a comedian, playwright, and Jew (despite the ironic last name). They are a New Georges Affiliated Artist and have developed plays with Jewish Plays Project, Normal Ave, Primetime Theatre, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and at Edinburgh Fringe. They were recently named a 2022 New York Comedy Festival Content Creator To Watch and won Best Of Fest at Pine Comedy Festival. Their thirst traps have been featured in PAPER, Vulture, and Boys With Plants Magazine. Follow Reid on Instagram @rpopegram and on Twitter @rpopetweets. Newsletter: reidpope.substack.com B.A. Brown | M.F.A. NYU
Holocaust Lit! - Dr. Rosen has taught Holocaust Literature for over 30 years. This is the worst group of students he’s ever had.