Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize “Jesus Plays Basketball on a Hot Night in Iraq” by Tyler Rivenbark as a Semi-Finalist for the 2023 Premiere Play Festival. “Jesus Plays Basketball on a Hot Night in Iraq” rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 40 Semi-Finalists out of 701 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by the poetry and subtext in the central relationship, as well as the non-linear timeline. It is a beautiful exploration of grief.

Dark and unflinching, this play really makes use of subtext to pull you along without stating everything up front. The characters are extremely well-drawn, with their pain surfacing at just the right moments. A great piece!