The 10th Annual Hartford Jewish Playwriting Contest at Playhouse on Park

An evening of new theater, audience participation, and contemporary storytelling will take place on May 17, 2026 at 7 pm at the Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford, CT 06119. A dessert reception begins at 6 pm.

The 10th Annual Hartford Jewish Playwriting Contest combines the energy of a live play reading with the audience-driven excitement of a competition, giving attendees the opportunity to vote for Hartford’s best new Jewish play of 2026. Directed and hosted by Illana Stein, the event features staged readings performed by a professional cast and highlights emerging voices in contemporary playwriting.

This year’s finalists include Flatbush Lysistrata by Lila Rachel Becker, a story about three Hasidic women gathering at an axe-throwing parlor to plan a sex strike; Havurah by Margot Connolly, which follows Jewish and Christian college students navigating the aftermath of a synagogue shooting; and Shura: The Mission of Identifying Life by Roee Joseph, a powerful work examining grief, survival, and identity in the wake of October 7th.

Admission is $10 plus a service charge. The event is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tix.com or playhouseonpark.org.