Catatonic (Part 1)

by Izzy Salant

To condense the plot of this play, which is just part 1, to a short synopsis is asking to condense its topic, October 7, into a short synopsis. So… it’s a play about October 7, and how the world was never the same.

To condense the plot of this play, which is just part 1, to a short synopsis is asking to condense its topic, October 7, into a short synopsis. So… it’s a play about October 7, and how the world was never the same.

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Catatonic (Part 1)

Recommended by

  • Jewish Plays Project: Catatonic (Part 1) by Izzy Salant
    “

    Jewish Plays Project congratulates CATATONIC for receiving our COMMENDED status for the 15th National Jewish Playwriting Contest in 2025. Commended plays received strong advocacy for consideration through our signature Jewish Artistic Democracy community reading process out of the 315+ plays we received. Our readers appreciated the depth and nuance granted to each character's perspective as well as the empathetic approach to such difficult conversations.

    Jewish Plays Project congratulates CATATONIC for receiving our COMMENDED status for the 15th National Jewish Playwriting Contest in 2025. Commended plays received strong advocacy for consideration through our signature Jewish Artistic Democracy community reading process out of the 315+ plays we received. Our readers appreciated the depth and nuance granted to each character's perspective as well as the empathetic approach to such difficult conversations.

    ”

Character Information

  • Joseph Avram
    Jewish American, labor Zionist, leftist working for a conservative media agency, pro-Palestinian liberation
    20s
    Jewish -- Ashkenazi
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Yuval Nir
    Former IDF soldier, now editorial reporter at the agency, scorched earth mentality, Mizrachi
    30s
    Jewish -- Mizrahi
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Elena Raqueli
    Mexican-Israeli, mother of 4, Joseph and Yuval’s boss
    40s
    Jewish / Hispanic
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Thomas Aaron
    Right wing EIC and pundit, mid-career republican, strict moral consistency even if others think his morals are anything but
    50s
    Jewish -- White,
    Jewish -- Ashkenazi
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Nicole Ramah
    Jewish American, Hillel college advisor, broken and takes it out on others, Joseph’s… like girlfriend but not girlfriend. It’s complicated. So incredibly complicated
    30s
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Jason Ifya
    Content creator, Yemeni, Joseph’s friend and roommate, grapples with Joseph’s Zionism, family in Gaza
    20s
    Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian -- Yemeni,
    Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Fatima Ahmed Kadri
    Palestinian Journalist, Pro-Palestinian activist, son killed in one if the previous Israel-Hamas wars
    50s
    Palestinian,
    Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian -- Palestinian
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary,
      Woman
  • Robert Kazem
    Palestinian-American, college professor
    30s
    Palestinian American
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Rachel Aaronson
    Jewish American, JVP activist and antizionist
    Early 20s
    Jewish -- Ashkenazi,
    Jewish
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary,
      Woman
  • Mikael Fitz
    White American, changed name from “Michael,” open Hamas supporter, far left progressive, Palestinian liberation by “any means necessary”
    20s
    White,
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Mahmoud Raz Sultran
    Palestinian, living in Area B, radicalized but educated
    30s
    Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian -- Palestinian
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Ensemble
    This includes roles such as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Harvard Students Association, Ghazi Hamad, Officer Melkonian, the Crowd and plenty of others. Feel free to cast as many or few people as you want, and feel free to double up.
    Any Age