VEILS OF JUSTICE

by Tita Anntares

Can Deena, a New York Jewish lawyer defend a young Saudi Muslim man, accused of raping and robbing an American man at knifepoint? Deena assumes he is guilty (why would any man make up those charges?!), but she believes the worst of the worst deserve counsel. When Mazen insists on his innocence and faces a prosecutor determined to convict the first Saudi of any crime in NYC since the attacks, Deena tries a Hail...

Can Deena, a New York Jewish lawyer defend a young Saudi Muslim man, accused of raping and robbing an American man at knifepoint? Deena assumes he is guilty (why would any man make up those charges?!), but she believes the worst of the worst deserve counsel. When Mazen insists on his innocence and faces a prosecutor determined to convict the first Saudi of any crime in NYC since the attacks, Deena tries a Hail Mary: she asks the accuser's wife to look at evidence that might show innocence. In this story, based on an actual trial, some of the people work through fear and prejudice into unexpected connections with our shared humanity - some cannot take that journey.

(Cast: 6 - 3 women, 3 men; unit set) Unproduced so far. Inspired by actual trial in NYC 2010. The defendant asked me to write his story.
***
Awards and placements (current and earlier drafts, some titled "Closets"):

Winner, Staged Zoom Reading September 2020 The Riant Theatre's Jocunda Festival, directed by Van Dirk Fisher.

Finalist, 2019 ScreenCraft Stage Play Contest.

Semifinalist; 2019 Diverse Voices (We Screenplay);

Honorable Mention, New Works of Merit 2019 Playwriting Contest;

Athena Reads (Athena Theatre, Feb 2019);

Selected by National New Plays Network as one of 10 plays for readings of excerpts at Dramatists Guild 2018 annual conference;

Earlier drafts:

2016 TRU Voices Reading Series;

Finalist, MT Works;

Semi-Finalist: Ashland New Plays; Beverly Hills Theatre Club; Bay Area Playwrights Foundation;

Honorable Mention, Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation’s contest for plays about actual events/people that position LGBT life positively.

Script analysis by writer-director-actor Kareem Fahmy through Maia Directors.

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VEILS OF JUSTICE

Recommended by

  • Lionelle Hamanaka: VEILS OF JUSTICE by Tita Anntares
    “

    This is a compelling play combining the interest against homophobia with anti Muslim prejudices, with interesting characters all set forth in a semi-legal format based on an actual case.

    This is a compelling play combining the interest against homophobia with anti Muslim prejudices, with interesting characters all set forth in a semi-legal format based on an actual case.

    ”
  • Bethany Barr: VEILS OF JUSTICE by Tita Anntares
    “

    This is a suspenseful, satisfyingly great story, told in a fresh, exciting way. As an actor, the words feel good to speak as well as placed to reveal character, as well as only telling the story as much as it needs to, to unfold each moment. I was hungry for a good script and story and this was it. Thank you!

    This is a suspenseful, satisfyingly great story, told in a fresh, exciting way. As an actor, the words feel good to speak as well as placed to reveal character, as well as only telling the story as much as it needs to, to unfold each moment. I was hungry for a good script and story and this was it. Thank you!

    ”
  • Emma Goldman-Sherman: VEILS OF JUSTICE by Tita Anntares
    “

    Stunning! Anntares has written an incredibly intense, edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama that everyone should read and produce - based on a true story, but there is so much structure and tension that Anntares employs to shape it, Veils of Justice feels more like a thriller. Seduction! LGBTQIA! It has won every award there is to win! Why is this still unproduced?

    Stunning! Anntares has written an incredibly intense, edge-of-your-seat courtroom drama that everyone should read and produce - based on a true story, but there is so much structure and tension that Anntares employs to shape it, Veils of Justice feels more like a thriller. Seduction! LGBTQIA! It has won every award there is to win! Why is this still unproduced?

    ”

Character Information

Cast (6 – 3 men, 3 women) in order of speaking

MAZEN TAMEDO (“ZEN”), 20s-30s. Very slight British/Arabic accent, upper class. Warm unless crossed. (“MAH-zen TahMEEdoh”) Playwright has list of talented Arab-American actors willing to play a gay Muslim.

DEENA JOSEPH, 20s-30s. Defense attorney – young, modern, levelheaded; devoted to the law. She believes in the right to legal counsel for anyone arrested but rarely believes claims of innocence. Jewish-American.

LYNN PAYNE WINGATE, 40s+. Blake’s estranged wife, a school psychologist. Casual, a little flakey. Caught between commitment to fairness and loyalty to family. Christian-American (white or black.)

BLAKE WINGATE, 40s+. financial advisor, father of two college students. Well-educated, formal but charming; legally separated from his wife but living in half their apartment. Ivy League-American (white or black.)

GERALDINE [GERRIE] WHITE, 40s +. Dedicated NYC Assistant District Attorney/ Prosecutor – willing to be aggressive to get criminals off the street. She wants to prevent the suffering of more victims. (Any ethnic group/religion; if Asian, change last name)

CHRIS PAYNE, Lynn’s brother. Under 40. Civil engineer for NYC government. Comfortable being gay and in a long-term partnership
… and AUDIENCE members as witnesses to the story, sometimes as jurors
  • Deena, NYC Defense Attorney
    Young, bright defense attorney committed to giving even the worst of the worst a fair trial with solid evidence an, if convicted, punishment that fits the crime, not revenge
    20-35
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Mazen, a Saudi Muslim student in the US
    Came to US on a student visa, but before that was a banker; Educated in England, elegant. Warm, social, passionate about his innocence of charges of violence; afraid his Jewish lawyer is prejudiced against him. Ideal casting: actor has Arab background and willing to play a gay Muslim
    20s-early30s
    Arab/Saudi
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Lynn
    Lynn is the wife of the accuser - a school psychologist/counselor, playful, creative, trusting
    40+
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Blake, the well-established business man - accuser of Mazen, husband of Lynn
    Well-established financial consultant hit badly by '08 financial crash, losing clients, estranged from his wife although living in separate part of the apartment, lonely... visits discrete gay clubs in NYC (he says, because his gay clients feel comfortable meeting him there)
    40+
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Gerrie
    One of the toughest Assistant District Attorneys in NYC. Single, trying to look young, still traumatized by 9/11 after 10 years and by Palestinian rocket attacks and suicide bombers in Israel, trying not to be prejudiced against Muslims/Arabs but...
    30+
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Chris, Lynn's kid brother
    Lynn's kid brother - she was their early first, he's their unexpected last. 15-20 years difference. He is gay, a conservative, been with same partner for years. A civil engineer with NYC - his sister asks him to check out the man in Rikers jail who has been arrested and charged with raping and robbing her husband Blake at knifepoint. Chris can move easily between the defendant in jail, his sister, her husband the accuser and the defense attorney. He's the only composite character - all others are inspired by people in the actual trial.
    30+ - about 15-20 years younger than Lynn
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, The Riant Theatre/Strawberry Festival's "Jocunda Festival", 2020
  • Reading, Kareem Fahmy, Maia Directors' Script Analysis, 2019
  • Reading, Theater Resources Unlimited's TRU VOICES contest for staged reading one night at Soho Playhouse, 2016
  • Workshop, Primary Stages ESPA Revision Workshop with playwright Rogelio Martinez, 2015

Awards

  • Jocunda Festival Staged Reading
    The Riant Theatre
    Selection
    2020
  • Stage Play Contest.
    ScreenCraft
    Finalist
    2019
  • Athena Read
    Athena Theatre
    2019
  • One of 10 plays selected for short readings at Dramatists Guild 2018 conference
    National New Play Network
    Selection
    2018
  • Bay Area Playwrights Foundation Festival - of the nearly 700 initial submissions, only a select group were nominated as semifinalists.
    Bay Area Playwrights Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2018
  • Drama Contest for Plays About Actual Events/People That Position LGBT Life Positively (early draft submitted)
    Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation
    Honorable Mention
    2015
  • Drama Contest (earlier draft submitted)
    Beverly Hills Theatre Club
    Semi-Finalist
    2015
  • Semi-Finalist
    Ashland New Plays Festival
    Semi-Finalist
    2019
  • Newborn (early draft submitted)
    MT Works
    Finalist
    2013
  • Drama Contest for recorded table reading (earlier draft)
    WILDSound
    Winner
    2015
  • TRU VOICES reading series
    Theater Resources Unlimited (www.TRUonline.org)
    Winner
    2016