Baltimore Playwrights Festival Reading of Merryborough a Success!

Merryborough, my 90-minute absurdist comedy, was recently as part of the Baltimore Playwrights Festival’s staged reading series. Under the thoughtful direction of Miriam Bazensky, the cast brought the humor, tension, and heart of the piece to life in front of an engaged audience.

The post-show Talk Back was lively and insightful, with meaningful conversation around the play’s exploration of bureaucracy and public policy, and the absurdity of modern governance – exactly the kind of dialogue I hoped this piece would spark. If you’re curious to dive deeper into Merryborough, you can read the full draft on the National New Play Exchange.

Thank you to the Baltimore Playwrights Festival for supporting new work and to everyone who joined the reading – more updates as this play continues its journey!

Jacob’s play Two on the Patio was selected as a finalist by Town Square Productions for the Uncovered Scenes from Ukraine Festival!

Jacob is interviewing Ukrainians about their experience during the conflict, using his conversations as a prompt to write an original 15-minute play. The festival is a collaboration between Town Square Productions, Vinnytsia Mykola Sadovsky Music and Drama Theater, and New York City’s Ukranian Institute of America.

Jacob’s latest full-length play, For the Love of God, advanced to the second round of the Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition (2024) and the semifinalist round of the annual Risk Theatre Competition (2024)!

Here’s a synopsis of the play: A scientific breakthrough echoes through the halls of power. The playing field tilts and suddenly, we’re uncomfortably alone at the top of the food chain. Our glorious bureaucracy identifies a new target and it’s…a doozy. It falls to the common folk to pick up the pieces. Things wrap up as they usually do: with a return to the beginning.

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