Rite of Passage

by Izzy Salant

WORLD PREMIERE JULY 2023

FULL LENGTH: A tragic secret haunts Harold while he is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Why did his mother suddenly die and what are others not telling him? His father, David, finds himself in the throws of moral battle over whether or not to reveal the truth to his autistic son. Written with a mixture of love and humor, ‘Rite of Passage’ is a story of a young man and his father coping...

WORLD PREMIERE JULY 2023

FULL LENGTH: A tragic secret haunts Harold while he is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Why did his mother suddenly die and what are others not telling him? His father, David, finds himself in the throws of moral battle over whether or not to reveal the truth to his autistic son. Written with a mixture of love and humor, ‘Rite of Passage’ is a story of a young man and his father coping with loss as they rebuild their family and hope for the future.

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Rite of Passage

Recommended by

  • Emma Goldman-Sherman: Rite of Passage by Izzy Salant
    “

    Wonderful and heart-warming, how to manage very hard things with grace and humor. The characters are in turmoil and the stakes are high. I appreciate the autism depicted in a way that really felt true to my own autistic experience and resonates for me along with the loss and the grief and confusion for a young person to deal with loss... what a beautiful play!

    Wonderful and heart-warming, how to manage very hard things with grace and humor. The characters are in turmoil and the stakes are high. I appreciate the autism depicted in a way that really felt true to my own autistic experience and resonates for me along with the loss and the grief and confusion for a young person to deal with loss... what a beautiful play!

    ”
  • Megan Ann Jacobs: Rite of Passage by Izzy Salant
    “

    Excuse me while I wipe away my tears. Salant truly crafts come complex and incredibly human characters in this piece that deals with heavy material with a tender hand. You feel for all of the characters and even cry with them. I am incredibly impressed by this piece and think that after reading it once, I want to read it again, as my director's mind is going wild with possibilities. A great choice for any theatre who really wants to create an intimate piece and focus on character work. Great job!

    Excuse me while I wipe away my tears. Salant truly crafts come complex and incredibly human characters in this piece that deals with heavy material with a tender hand. You feel for all of the characters and even cry with them. I am incredibly impressed by this piece and think that after reading it once, I want to read it again, as my director's mind is going wild with possibilities. A great choice for any theatre who really wants to create an intimate piece and focus on character work. Great job!

    ”
  • Ryan Michael Dunn: Rite of Passage by Izzy Salant
    “

    Rite of Passage is my favorite thing Izzy Salant has ever written, and I've been reading his work for years. Its heard-rending story will leave you emotional yet hopeful. Its dialogue can feel like a punch in the gut in one moment and remind you of your best friend's funniest joke the next. "Rite of Passage" pierces right through the page, hitting every note on the emotional scale. Anyone with even the mildest interest in theater needs to read this play.

    Rite of Passage is my favorite thing Izzy Salant has ever written, and I've been reading his work for years. Its heard-rending story will leave you emotional yet hopeful. Its dialogue can feel like a punch in the gut in one moment and remind you of your best friend's funniest joke the next. "Rite of Passage" pierces right through the page, hitting every note on the emotional scale. Anyone with even the mildest interest in theater needs to read this play.

    ”
View all 7 recommendations

Character Information

3m, 2f.

Please see playwright's note about Jewish characters.

In addition, Harold does not need to be played by a child, but a young looking actor. The whole point is it needs to show that he is mature in some ways and in others still delayed.
  • David Greenbaum
    Father to Harold, widowed
    Late 50s
    Jewish
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Harold Greenbaum
    David’s son, charismatic, has autism
    12
    Jewish
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Maura Greenbaum
    David’s late wife and Harold’s late mother
    Early 50s
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Loraine Weinstock
    David’s sister in law and Harold’s aunt, blunt about sister’s death
    Early 60s
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Rabbi Jacob Lebowitz
    Head Rabbi of David’s, Harold’s and Maura’s synagogue, very well versed in Jewish law, stubborn but fair (at times), married
    Any Age
    Jewish
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • Sue Goldberg
    Old friend of David’s, reconnected after a while
    Late 40s
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Development History

  • Reading, Punctuate 4, 2022
  • Workshop, Punctuate 4, 2021
  • Reading, Punctuate 4, 2021
  • Reading, UMass Amerst Department of Theater, 2018
  • Workshop, UMass Amherst Department of Theater, 2018
  • Reading, UMass Amherst Department of Theater, 2016

Production History

  • Professional, Punctuate4 Productions, 2023
  • University, UMass Amherst Department of Theater, 2018

Awards