Hannah Rittner is an award-winning playwright that has received commendations, commissions, and awards across Canada and the UK. Her work has been developed by leading Canadian and American institutions including: NYU’s Musical Theatre Department, The Old Globe Theatre, and the Stratford Festival.
FULL-LENGTH PLAYS
SYNOPSIS: Leora, a medical student based in Toronto, spends the days of awe (the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) in Halifax, NS with her queer-sister Shira and her non-binary Israeli partner Ariel. Shira is four-months pregnant and excited to build a family with Ariel that goes against every tradition the sisters were raised with. As Shira and Ariel dream about their queer family together tensions rise between the sisters. Elijah explores the transformative power of forgiveness and its ability to heal the traumas of the past.
AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS: 2022 SUREFIRE LIST (PLAYWRIGHTS GUILD OF CANADA), 2019 WINNER OF THE JEWISH CANADIAN PLAYWRITING PRIZE.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY: Elijah received two indepedent workshop readings in 2015 directed seperately by Lauren Zeftel Adleman and Marina McClure. Later on she received Dramaturgical feedback and guidance from Noah Himmelstein. In 2021 she received a digital workshop reading as part of the Canadian Jewish Playwriting Prize. It was co-led by the MnJCC and the Harold Geen Jewish Theatre. The workshop was led and directed by Marie Farsi. In 2022 she received Dramaturgical guidance from Hannah Wolf.
Purchase a digital copy of Elijah through the Canadian Play Outlet.
ELIJAH
ONE-ACT PLAYS
SYNOPSIS: 2014, Sinjar, Iraq. The Unbelievers follows Sanaa (a Yazidi teenager) and Orli (a Canadian Journalist) as they try to survive amidst ISIS Captivity.
PRODUCTION HISTORY: Produced by LACE Productions and presented by the 2016 SummerWorks Performance Festival in Toronto, ON. Dir. Marina McClure
PARTNERS: The production of the Unbelievers was made possible by the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council in addition to partnerships with Yazda, Nadia Murad (Winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize), York University’s Human Rights Department & the Koffler Centre for the Arts.
COMMENDATION: 2016 NOMINEE FOR THE SUSAN SMITH BLACKBURN PRIZE
PRESS: Read some nice things people said about it here.
Purchase a digital copy of The Unbelievers through the Canadian Play Outlet.
THE UNBELIEVERS
SYNOPSIS: A dystopian thriller that follows partners Melina and Samantha as they resist corporate brain-washing in an authoritarian world.
PRODUCTION HISTORY: Produced by Old Norman Productions in 2015 and presented at the Theatre Centre in Toronto, ON. Dir. Marina McClure
PRESS: Read some nice things people said about it here.
COMMENDATION: FINALIST FOR THE 2018 SAFEWORD NEW CANADIAN PLAY PRIZE..
Purchase a digital copy of The Unbelievers through the Canadian Play Outlet.
THREE WOMEN MOURN THE APOCALYPSE
10 MINUTE PLAYS
SYNOPSIS: Marie (a black opera prodigy) and Leah (a Jewish socialite) fall in love as Paris edges towards Nazi occupation.
PRODUCTION HISTORY: Produced by Driftwood Theatre’s 2019 Trafalgar 24 Hour Play Festival. Directed by Leighton Alexander Williams. Dramaturgy Myekah Payne.
AWARDS: Trafalgar24 BEST PLAY PRIZE & COMMISSION, Trafalgar24 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD.
Purchase a digital copy of I am amazed and know not what to say through the Canadian Play Outlet.
I AM AMAZED AND KNOW NOT WHAT TO SAY
SYNOPSIS: Upper West Side, New York. David (a passive art therapist) and Agnes (a controlling lawyer) have a fraught marriage — and most importantly, they are having an argument about whether their daughter Mara has been overly indulged by their life. When Mara overhears this argument all hell breaks loose and family secrets upend their lives.
COMMENDATION: NYU’s Finalist recommendations for the Aspen Graduate Playwriting Contest.
A PRETENTIOUS FAMILY
MONOLOGUES
SYNOPSIS: Ava, a neurotic and deeply poetic Rabbi has a secret that she must tell her ex-husband Tom. To avoid the painful and beautiful truth, she goes on a tirade about all things Torah—it involves Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, the concept of sacrifice, and a baby.
PRODUCTION HISTORY: “THE NEWS” was commissioned by JW3 the largest Jewish cultural center in London, England UK. It was written in collaboration with and inspired by Roxy Sternberg. It was performed online by Michal Ish-Horowicz as part of their “OY-CANADA” event celebrating the connection between Canadian Jewish identity and British Jewish identity. Directed by Adam Lenson. Dramaturgy by Deborah Vogt.
