Bethany Playwright Gets 'Free Pass' at Temple Beth Sholom

“The Free Pass,” written by Elizabeth Appel of Bethany, is the playwright’s second production to be performed by The Temple Players.

The comedy, about a nonpracticing Jewish couple whose daughter is marrying a Roman Catholic, is among the six short plays to be presented during “,” June 23 and June 26, at in Stratford.

“Tribal Humor 5” – a short play series – selected Appel’s play during a competition that invited playwrights to submit humorous entries that were 10 to 20 minutes in length and have a connection to the Jewish community.

“I wrote this play specifically for this competition,” notes Appel. “It’s a light, fun comedy. My first Temple Players production was about a bat mitzvah and an argument about seating arrangements.”

Appel became acquainted with The Temple Players as part of her involvement with Stratford-based SquareWrights, a group of playwrights who meet regularly to support each other’s talents and ideas.

“I was writing longer pieces of fiction but then decided to take bits and pieces from my novels and make them into short plays,” she says. “I joined SquareWrights about a year ago and as a result, I’ve gotten to meet a group of talented, wonderful people and write plays as well.”

A more serious work, titled “Drugs, War and Nine” placed first in a recent competition presented by Connecticut Heritage Productions. Her entry placed first in the short play portion of the annual "Connecticut Stories on Stage" playwriting competition.

The play is set in a facility in New Haven where a recovering addict flashes on his past life in the 1960s, the Vietnam War, the Black Panther trial, and the rally on the New Haven Green.

“It was inspired by the May Day Rally in New Haven during the 1970s,” she said. “I attended the event while I was in high school.”

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of features on the "Tribal 5 Humor" festival. A new installment will be published at 10 a.m. each weekday leading up the event.