David Haddad

This is a re-enactment of the final speech given by William Jennings Bryan, the most famous orator of the twentieth century. The speech took place in Winchester, TN, four days after The Scopes trial in nearby Dayton. WJB died the next day. The play portrays WJB as an American prophet, railing against the rise of the Plutocrats, Imperialism, Colonialism, corporate media, and the "gunpowder gospel". WJB is the most overlooked politician in American history. This play seeks to rehabilitate his reputation. A unique feature of this play is that images of the topics discussed are projected on a screen behind WJB as he gives his speech. For example, if WJB is discussing Darwin or H L Mencken or Woodrow Wilson, corresponding pictures are shown on the screen. These visuals bring the speech to life and have received much praise from audience members. This play is now available on Amazon! The book is a virtual "how-to" manual for theater producers and directors.

This is a comedy/satire, A 30 minute version of this play won 2nd place in the 2024 New York ITC International Script Competition. It has now been expanded into a full length three-act play. This play tells what 'really' happened when Moses talked to Yahweh on Mount Sinai. In Act One, Miriam tells Moses that his people are worshipping a golden calf. Moses feels compelled to go talk to God. In Act Two, Moses meets Yahweh. Yahweh is not the god Moses expected. He is an alcoholic security guard. Yahweh tells Moses that he is just a twisted product of Moses' self-serving imagination. Moses seeks guidance so that the Israelites do not worship the Golden Calf. What he gets are some of the more humorous do's and don'ts found in Leviticus. Moses seeks permission to slaughter the Canaanites. Yahweh refuses. He scolds Moses for his delusional belief that a real god would give one group of people permission to slaughter another group of people. Act Two ends with Yahweh throwing Moses "in the box." Act Three has Joshua ascending Mount Sinai looking for Moses and expecting praise for his genocidal conquest of Canaan. Both Moses and Yahweh find Joshua's acts revolting. The parallels with the Zionist destruction of Gaza are obvious. The play contrasts two competing versions of Judaism: the religious Judaism of Abraham vs the Zionist Judaism of Joshua.

As you probably can guess, this play is loosely based on A Streetcar Named Desire.

"Blanche" (in the play, her name is Davida) is a survivor of a mass shooting at a church in Michigan. She lost her mother, husband and son in the shooting. She presents as a sympathetic character, having been traumatized. Blanche's plight is analogous to a Holocaust survivor.

Davida shows up at the house of "Stanley" and "Stella" (in the play, Gabe and Ellie) with a piece of paper stating that she and Davida's mother were gifted Stanley's house 50 years ago. Gabe is obviously skeptical and very rude to Blanche. As in "Streetcar," Gabe gradually uncovers the truth about Davida, her late mother and the truth behind the claim of ownership. Gabe taunts Davida until she is driven to a final act of madness.

The play wants to give modern audiences an understanding of what it was like for Palestinians to have droves of Zionists show up with a piece of paper (The Balfour Declaration) and claim that they, the Zionists, are the new rulers of Palestine. Lord Balfour in 1917 signed the Balfour declaration which promised a "homeland" for the Jews in Palestine. The problem is that Lord Balfour had no right to "give" Palestine to a third party. Palestine was not England's to give. Moreover, two years earlier, England had promised Palestine to the Arabs for their help in driving out the Ottomans.

This play is important because it explains Palestinian anger. Palestinians are not "terrorists." They are defenders of their land against foreign occupation.

This play is based on Antigone. A young woman, Teresa, is a member of a fundamentalist Christian church in a conservative midwestern town. Her spouse, Fred, is indolent and a heavy drinker. Teresa is in love with David, the son of the church Elder. Nancy, Teresa's lifelong friend, has kept the secret of Teresa's affair, but when Teresa tells Nancy she is carrying David's child, Nancy believes that she has no choice but to expose Teresa's affair. Ironically, the Elder and Nancy have been having their own affair for quite some time. The Elder confronts Teresa and banishes her from the congregation, costing Teresa her livelihood, her friends, and family. By the time the Elder's mother convinces the Elder of the error of his ways, it is too late. Teresa has overdosed on sedatives and alcohol.

This is a political satire based on Oedipus Rex. Donipus sees the citizens of Thebes coming toward the palace. He thinks they are illegal immigrants. Jocasta tells him they are his own citizens who are ill with plague. Jocasta calls Tiresius, who informs Donipus that he himself is the cause of the plague. Donipus fires Tiresius for tellling "fake news". Tiresius tells Donipus he will soon lose his "spheres of power". Upon questioning from Jocasta, Donipus reveals that he operated a wet market in Corinth where they sold bat soup. He was kicked out of Corinth after the customers started dying. Donipus came to Thebes, where he sold the soup at a discount. A servant girl tells Jocasta that many of the young women of Thebes have been groped by Donipus. Jocasta is furious and gives Donipus an option: he can lose his "spheres of power" by his own hand, as Tiresius prophesied, or she will turn him over to the young ladies who will do it for him. Donipus castrates himself and announces that he is a hero because the plague is now over.

A man is walking through a shopping mall on his way to a sports bar. He is accosted by a young lady in a booth selling "Devout" essential oils. She has a "glossy brochure" in which all the "truth" about the powers of "Devout" essential oils are written. She has oils for digestion, peace of mind, and even skepticism. The man is remains doubtful. She is persistent. Ultimately, by preying on his insecurities, she succeeds in selling him the oils. He kneels. She baptizes him into the family of "Devout" essential oils.

A middle aged man is trying to conquer his fear of heights. He is walking in a large canyon when he becomes paralyzed with fear. He is frozen against the canyon wall. Along comes from the opposite direction a carefree young lady. He cannot understand why she does not see the danger she is in. She cannot understand why he cannot see the beauty of the surroundings. When she stumbles as she turns abruptly, the man leaps to save her, wetting himself in the process.