named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Panels
Geographically distributed groups of readers and community members who participate in the vetting and selection of new plays, fostering democratic engagement in the artistic process.
Jewish Playwriting Contest
A competitive development program that identifies and advances new plays exploring contemporary Jewish identity through community-based reader panels and artist evaluations.
National Artist Panel
Panel of theater professionals who evaluate and provide feedback on shortlisted plays, contributing artistic expertise to the selection and development process.
New Play Development Labs
Workshops and staged readings that support playwrights in refining their scripts with input from artists, dramaturgs, and audiences.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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New Play Development Programs 3 activities
- Commissioning of original short playsCommissions original short plays in response to cultural and political moments, such as four plays commissioned in response to the 2017 political climate.
- Development and production of new Jewish playsDevelops and advances new Jewish plays to production, with 55–60 plays developed and 36–41 produced in cities including New York, London, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, Berlin, and across the U.S. and Canada, reaching over 100,000 audience members.
- Production of festivals and public programsHosts festivals and public programs including the 2022 showcase of winning plays from the 2020–2022 National Jewish Playwriting Contests, podcast recordings of winning plays, and new play workshops as part of the 2018 OPEN Festival.
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Post-Performance Audience Engagement 1 activity
- Community engagement around new Jewish playsOrganizes community gatherings for participants to read and discuss new Jewish plays, supporting audience engagement and democratic selection of contest winners through community panel voting.
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Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Engagement of prominent theater artistsFeatures prominent theater artists from New York and beyond in its productions and development programs, enhancing artistic quality and visibility.
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Theatre Awards and Honors Administration 1 activity
- Operation of the National Jewish Playwriting ContestAdministers an annual contest since 2011 that receives and vets hundreds of plays from writers across the U.S. and internationally; transitioned to an online format in April 2020 during the pandemic.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$178K
Contributions & grants$156K87%
Program service revenue$18K10%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$152K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$79K
Grants paid out$659
balance sheet
Total assets$95K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$67K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +132.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Winitsky | Executive Artistic Director | 30 | $25K |
board members · 2
- Judah Skoff — Board Member
- Judy Bowman — Board Member
relationships · 32
Who they work with
- 14th Street Y Partner — Collaborated on the production of "The Mah Nishtanah Plays."
- American Repertory Theatre Partner — Heather Helinsky's dramaturgical work has been seen at the American Repertory Theatre.
- Amphibian Stage Partner — Illana Stein directed the world premiere of Hans & Sophie at Amphibian Stage in Fort Worth, Texas.
- Center City Kehillah Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Center Stage Israel Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Ra’anana, Israel on March 11, 2026.
- Center Stage Israel Ra’anana Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Charter Oak Center Hartford Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Charter Oak Cultural Center Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Hartford, CT on May 17, 2026.
- Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Houston, TX on April 27, 2026.
- Evelyn Rubenstein JCC - Houston Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston Partner — Collaborates with JPP on theater programming and play selection.
- Hartford Stage Partner — Will Steinberger has developed new plays at Hartford Stage.
- Highbrow! Partner — Co-presented "Imagining Heschel" as part of the 2016 OPEN Festival.
- Holocaust Museum LA Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Los Angeles on May 13, 2026.
- Holocaust Museum LA Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Partner — Illana Stein directed the 2019 educational tour of Julius Caesar for Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.
- JCC arts departments Partner — Host JPP Community Reader Panels in collaboration with the Jewish Plays Project.
- LABA Partner — Co-presented "The Mar Vista" at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
- Lincoln Center Theater Partner — Will Steinberger is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab.
- Manhattan Theatre Club Partner — Will Steinberger is a past Directing Fellow at Manhattan Theatre Club.
- Miles Nadal JCC Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Toronto, ON on May 3, 2026.
- Miles Nadal JCC - Toronto Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- New Yiddish Rep Partner — Collaborated on the presentation of "Di Froyen" and "God of Vengeance" in Yiddish.
- Oshman JCC Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event in Silicon Valley, CA on March 29, 2026.
- Oshman JCC - Silicon Valley Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia Partner — Engages with JPP's New Play Writing Contest as part of cultural arts programming.
- Submittable Partner — Platform used for managing play submissions.
- Temple Israel (Boston) Partner — Hosted a JPP play reading event on May 14, 2026.
- Temple Israel (Boston) Partner — Hosted readings of finalist plays in the Jewish Playwriting Contest.
- The Flea Partner — Will Steinberger is a Resident Director at The Flea.
+ 2 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Engaged Play Developmentmethodology: community-engaged_artistic_developmentBy involving Jewish communities in the selection and development of new plays, we strengthen contemporary Jewish identity and ensure cultural relevance, because shared decision-making fosters ownership, resonance, and broader engagement with the work.
- Digital Accessibility and Distributionmethodology: digital_continuityBy using digital formats and audio distribution, we extend access to new Jewish plays beyond geographic and temporal constraints, because remote and recorded formats increase reach and inclusivity, especially during disruptions.
- Dual Dramaturgical Mentorship Modelmethodology: dual_dramaturgy_modelBy pairing Jewish and theatrical dramaturgs in the development of new plays, we ensure works are both artistically rigorous and deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, because dual expertise bridges cultural authenticity with theatrical excellence.
- Global Script Collection for Diverse Voice Discoverymethodology: global_script_collectionBy collecting approximately 300 new Jewish plays annually from around the world, we surface a broad spectrum of contemporary Jewish voices and perspectives, because scale and geographic diversity increase the likelihood of identifying innovative and representative works.
- Multi-Criteria Artistic Evaluationmethodology: multi-criteria_artistic_evaluationBy evaluating plays on artistic quality, relevance to contemporary Jewish life, and potential for broad impact, we advance works that are both culturally significant and theatrically viable, because a structured, multi-dimensional framework ensures diverse value considerations shape selection.