These and Those

by Ruth Geye

October 27, 2018

Six college students pile into a small basement apartment for Shabbat lunch, but they can’t keep the outside world from showing up uninvited.

October 27, 2018

Six college students pile into a small basement apartment for Shabbat lunch, but they can’t keep the outside world from showing up uninvited.

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These and Those

Recommended by

  • Playwrights Foundation: These and Those

    The community of National Committee readers for the 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival advanced THESE AND THOSE as a Semi-Finalist at Playwrights Foundation. We were compelled by the play's interrogations of how observing traditions shapes one's worldview, as well as friendships and relationships. We were deeply moved by the impact of an outside traumatic event on the characters, and variety of responses generated from within a community's safe space and traditions. We hope this play is considered for further development and investigation, and finds dedicated collaborators in this play’s...

    The community of National Committee readers for the 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival advanced THESE AND THOSE as a Semi-Finalist at Playwrights Foundation. We were compelled by the play's interrogations of how observing traditions shapes one's worldview, as well as friendships and relationships. We were deeply moved by the impact of an outside traumatic event on the characters, and variety of responses generated from within a community's safe space and traditions. We hope this play is considered for further development and investigation, and finds dedicated collaborators in this play’s journey towards production. #BAPF46

  • Ruby Lee Lowenstein: These and Those

    This play is so thoughtfully and boldly written. The characters are sincere and fully human, each with their own set of razor sharp insights and perceptual shortcomings. The searching, grasping, self-examining, urgent dialogue is truly a force to be reckoned with on the page. I'm really glad I read this play!!

    This play is so thoughtfully and boldly written. The characters are sincere and fully human, each with their own set of razor sharp insights and perceptual shortcomings. The searching, grasping, self-examining, urgent dialogue is truly a force to be reckoned with on the page. I'm really glad I read this play!!

  • Jewish Plays Project: These and Those

    The Jewish Plays Project recommends THESE AND THOSE as a Semi-Finalist for the 11th annual Jewish Playwriting Contest. Our community of readers found this piece compelling as it dramatizes debates facing the modern Orthodox community today, and how beliefs change when violence becomes closer and more real. The play questions if it's more important to be right or safe---with characters that are highly recognizable and specific. THESE AND THOSE rose to the top 20 out of 250 plays and we hope this play swiftly finds opportunities to reach new audiences.

    The Jewish Plays Project recommends THESE AND THOSE as a Semi-Finalist for the 11th annual Jewish Playwriting Contest. Our community of readers found this piece compelling as it dramatizes debates facing the modern Orthodox community today, and how beliefs change when violence becomes closer and more real. The play questions if it's more important to be right or safe---with characters that are highly recognizable and specific. THESE AND THOSE rose to the top 20 out of 250 plays and we hope this play swiftly finds opportunities to reach new audiences.

View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

  • Katie Miller
    became religious on her own as a teen; occasionally overcompensates, but always earnestly.
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Elisheva Birnbaum
    effortlessly frum, unintentionally cold.
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Ashkenazi
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Bension Zargari
    tall, quiet, and 2-3 years too old to be a freshman in college.
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Persian
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Jake Attias
    regional secretary of the College Republicans.
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Russian+Moroccan
    Character Gender Identity
    Man
  • Ayala Melamed
    Lots of opinions, zero self-awareness.
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Moroccan+Ashkenazi
    Character Gender Identity
    woman
  • Josh Landsman
    drifting away from the Orthodoxy he was raised with but unable to commit to new convictions
    Character Age
    early 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Ashkenazi
    Character Gender Identity
    Man

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Theater Between Addresses, Year 2021
  • Type Workshop, Organization NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Undergrad Thesis, Year 2020
  • Type Workshop, Organization Theater Between Addresses, Year 2020

Production History

  • Type Fringe, Organization New York Theater Festival - Summerfest, Year 2022

Awards