The Jewish Heritage Play Festival is a fund-raising celebration of Jewish History & Heritage through the Performing Arts for The Joseph Skakun Project, a New York based Non-Profit (501c3) organization. It is a series of 7 short plays both drama and comedy performed by an outstanding cast of actors.

The Joseph Skakun Project is a 501 (c) (3) federal tax exempt charity, founded by Michael Skakun, an author and son of genocide survivors, to educate future generations about the enormity of the Holocaust, as well to convey the power of the resilient imagination in surmounting extremity. This cultural and memory initiative will convey the message of human solidarity and tolerance via innovative programs in the realms of education, the performing arts and interfaith dialogue.

TEAM BIOGRAPHIES:

MICHAEL SKAKUN (FOUNDER)
Michael Skakun, born in Jaffa, Israel, and raised in New York,  has served as a journalist, author, and translator. As a public affairs specialist, he has worked for National UJA and Israel Bonds, and the Congress for Jewish Culture, as well as a host of  non-profit organizations and Jewish institutions where he’s cultivated a wide network of contacts and associations. He has served at such publications as the Forward (both English and Yiddish), the Litchfield County Times and the New York Observer as cultural writer and book reviewer.

The son of Holocaust survivors, he is the author of “On Burning Ground: A Son’s Memoir” (St. Martin’s Press), the story of his father’s nerve-peeling, inspirational wartime survival. The recipient of a starred and lead review in Publisher’s Weekly, the book was described as “distinguished by outstanding writing and moral complexity.” The Washington Post labeled this tale of extreme masquerade the “The Story of a Holocaust Houdini.” In the “Oprah” reissue of his classic “Night,” Noble Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel chose “On Burning Ground” as one of five books for advanced reading about the Holocaust, in the company of “The Pianist” and “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” among others. A feature film based on this story is now in preparation.

JASON GRANT SHELA (CREATIVE DIRECTOR)

Jason was born and raised in London, England. He received his theatrical training at the Sir Michael Redgrave Theatre. He won an international scholarship and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baruch College, City University of New York. He then earned a Master’s Degree in International Relations from New York University. Jason received a Steven Spielberg Scholarship for international study at the Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland and a post graduate scholarship at Yale University. He became the first Englishman to be elected a Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington D.C. Jason is a member of Phi Eta Sigma, Golden Key and Beta Gamma Sigma, the National Academic Honor Society for Business Administration in the United States.

Jason is the Founder and Creative Director of My Generation Theater and has written, directed and produced many live shows in New York, Memphis & Mississippi. He has received multiple ASCAP awards for original music composition. He has produced and composed original music for Fox Sports Channel and has licensed music for shows on HBO, Sirius and independent projects. He collaborated on an NPR Radio documentary about the Favelas during the World Cup. Jason is currently developing entertainment projects for the stage and the new alternative digital media arena. His production credits include: ‘And a Child Shall Lead,’ ‘Out of My Comfort Zone,’ ‘Secrets of Columbine,’ ‘Rock N Roll Dance Party,’ and The John Lennon 75th Birthday Tribute. He also wrote, directed and acted in ‘The Blitz,’ an original play about life in East London during World War 2. He was creative director for the stage production of ‘Mirror Mirror, The Other Side of Marilyn.’(A Drama about Marilyn Monroe) He directed and produced the audio sitcoms of Bless this House & Never Mind the Quality, based on the Classic British TV comedies scripted by his mentor Vince Powell, a legend of British Comedy.

PAUL SLADKUS (PRODUCER)

Paul Sladkus has over 40 years of diversified experience in the television and media/communications industry. Paul was a senior executive with CBS & PBS Television for fourteen years working on over 150 television shows and series. While at CBS, Paul oversaw $60 million dollar corporate departments and $20 million dollar media projects. Paul’s TV credits include: Emmy’s for Love of Life on CBS and The Nature Series and The Brain Series on PBS/NHK/French. Other credits: All in the Family, The Emmy’s and Oscars, Sonny and Cher, Good Times, AFI Salute to James Cagney and Orson Wells, Captain Kangaroo, Maude, Matchgame, Carol Burnett, WCBS News, LA Lakers, Tony Orlando, The Young and the Restless, Cronkite, The Price Is Right, Rose Bowl Parade, Shirley MacLaine, Innovation, The Pacific Century, All Time Music Songbook, Big Band Music, World Earth Day (with NHK), Environmental Specials, China/America, first national American music radio program in China and numerous ethnic radio and television commercials, print ads and brochures and many events. He is the founder & senior producer of Good News Corporation.

ANDREW HERTZ (MUSICAL DIRECTOR)

Andrew is a composer, pianist and music director from New York. He has worked with Ben Vereen, Jack Black, Stephen Sondheim, Jason Alexander, and Kate Burton, among others, both locally and regionally.  He has garnered multiple awards for his writing and music directing, one in particular for his work with “The Apple Sisters” comedy group, performing with the likes of Chevy Chase, Seth Meyers, and the cast of “Saturday Night Live.”  He has served on the faculties of Brown University, Montclair State University, and Hunter College. He received his BA: Brown University and MFA: Tisch School at NYU, Musical Theatre Writing.

USE OF FUNDS:

We have already raised $10,000 in private donations for our Jewish Heritage Play Festival and are hoping to match that with our Jewcer campaign. Funds will be put towards the various direct expenses of putting on a play festival, including actors fees, location rental, liability insurance, costumes, rehearsal space rental, musical direction.