←Recommendations of Ghost of Shabbos Past

I'm happy to recommend this clever play, where a tentative Benjamin contends with the ghost of his incisive and slightly invasive grandpa, Nachman. Even if you don't understand the Yiddish words, you'll understand the heart of the play, which to me, is that it's okay to be who you are, not who you were expected to be by others (i.e., your Jewish mother). The sweet ending enhances what has transpired in the preceding pages. Well done!

Ghost of Shabbos Past gives us Benjamin, who's long carried the worry that he hasn't lived up to his deceased grandfather's expectations. Fortunately, Benjamin gets a second chance when his grandfather appears in the form of the Shabbos ghost. Do they kibbitz or schmooze? Either way, this is a play everyone will relate to, because who hasn't had the same worries? Two strong roles for actors make this an easy and wise addition to any program of short plays.

10/26/2025: I saw an excellent staged reading of this brilliant play at the Midwest Dramatists Conference 2025. The events in 'Ghost of Shabbos Past" take place during a Shabbos evening, when the Ghost of Nachman, Benjamin's deceased grandfather, visits Benjamin. The next ten minutes offered an exquisite portrayal of reconciliation with one's own self, with grief, longing, regrets- the themes are so universal that every single person in the audience related to this short play. Bravo!

An extraordinary portrait of loss, regret, guilt and sadness--all in 10 minutes. Caught this at the 2025 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and I was far from alone in feeling moved and awed, as was obvious in the extensive praise the audience offered to Sam in the talk-back. This piece also speaks to those of us who aren't Jewish, because the tale it ultimately tells is human. So simple to produce, and roles that actors would love to play. Produce it!

A deconstruction of the standard Christmas ghost story that brought tears to this Gentile's eyes. An examination of not just what we wish we could've told our ghosts but what those ghosts wished they could've told us. Saw a laugh-filled and emotional reading at the 2025 Midwest Dramatists Conference.

Sweetly heartbreaking, strangely uplifting, Sam Heyman's GHOST OF SHABBOS PAST reminds us that the ghosts that truly haunt us are usually built out of our frustration and misplaced guilt. Of course, this reminder comes courtesy of an actual ghost, bestowing rabbinical wisdom and zingers and kvetching about the budget he has to work with. Lovely.

As the Ghost of Shabbos Past says, this is not a Christmas story and Benjamin is not Scrooge, this is a Jewish story. Benjamin is a young man who doesn't know he needs a ghostly intervention, but we are all better because he does. You will be moved, as was one of the actors at the reading at the Midwest Dramatist Center.

In just ten minutes, Heyman has packed the richness and catharsis of a full-length (and then some.) With a beautifully painted relationship, abundant with culture, I (like many others who had the pleasure of seeing this play) was moved to tears and will be meditating on this play for awhile. A must-read. Just brilliant.

I saw this performed as a reading at the Midwest Dramatists Conference. What a beautiful examination of a young man's relationship with his past (no spoilers) in the form of ghosts. But to be fair, the ghost who visits him is also very witty and a little sarcastic and very Jewish. Heyman creates a gorgeous setting for the audience to feel so much in a short period of time.

[2025-06-27]
I am a sucker for plays about ancestors, and Sam Heyman's "Ghost of Shabbos Past" is a gem. This 10-minute play is a warm, funny piece that explores what it means to really understand what we owe our ancestors, and what they can teach us. Heartwarming and witty, "Ghost of Shabbos Past" is a great addition to any short-play festival, regardless of the holiday season.