Ten-Minute Play Project

On April 1st, 2023, distinguished playwrights and directors joined the YPU family to teach and guide the young writers. The mentorship project culminated in a reading of 9 ten-minute plays on Zoom on August 20th, 2023.

The mentors of the plays were Will Arbery, Peter Hedges, Billy Finnegan, Jessica Goldberg, Daniel Goldfarb, Jacquelyn Reingold, Kate Robin, Alexis Scheer.

The plays were directed by Mark Brokaw, Maggie Burrows, Sammi Cannold, Suzanne Heathcote, Peter Hedges, Jodie Markell, Paul McCrane, Tyne Rafaeli, Lars Rudolfsson, and Danya Taymor.

With the following cast: Becky Ann Baker, Reed Birney, Scott Cohen, Maddie Corman, Sharlene Cruz, Catherine Curtin, Alex Feldman, Midori Francis, David Harbour, Cherry Jones, Ulliana Klimchuk, Oona Laurence, Alessandra Mesa, Ani Mesa, Petro Ninovskyi, Mary Beth Peil, Isabel Renner, Thomas Sadoski, Ivanna Sakhno, Liev Schreiber, Michael Shannon, Joe Tippett, Harriet Walter, Merritt Wever, and Emily Young. 

“In this increasingly fragile time for Ukraine, Nastya’s intimate play Dnipro is a moving
portrait of a young woman and her grandmother as they struggle to hold on to the life they knew. The ticking of the ever present clock in the grandmother’s home makes us aware of the surreal nature of time when one’s world is upended. ”
— Cherry Jones

  • Playwright: Taya Fedorenko

    Mentor: Will Arbery

    Director: Peter Hedges

    Cast: Uliana Klimchuk, Liev Screiber

  • Playwright: Uliana Klimchuk

    Mentor: Daniel Goldfarb

    Director: Paul McCrane

    Cast: David Harbour, Maddie Corman, Ivanna Sakhno, Isabel Renner

  • Playwright: Sasha Sereda

    Mentor: Kate Robin

    Director: Sammi Cannold

    Cast: Ale Messa, Ani Messa

  • Playwright: Anastasia Chala

    Mentor: Billy Finnegan

    Director: Margaret Burrows

    Cast: Cherry Jones and Oona Laurence

  • Playwright: Tanya Kostyniuk

    Mentor: Peter Hedges

    Director: Mark Brokaw

    Cast: Mary Beth Peil, Merritt Wever, Tommy Sadoski, Emily Young

  • Playwright: Asia Pshenychna

    Mentor: Suzanne Heathcote

    Director: Tyne Rafaeli

    Cast: Harriet Walter, Joe Tippett, Modori Francis

  • Playwright: Luka Ivanov

    Mentor: Jessica Goldberg

    Director: Lars Rudolfsson

    Cast: Becky Baker, Reed Birney

  • Playwright: Karina Syrota

    Mentor: Jackie Reingold

    Director: Jodie Markell

    Cast: Cathy Curtin, Scott Cohen, Alex Feldman

  • Playwright: Anna Brovarna

    Mentor: Alexis Scheer

    Director: Danya Taymor

    Cast: Michael Shannon, Sharlene Cruz, Petro Ninovskyi

    The director was Danya Taymor; the playwright’s mentor was Alexis Scheer.

Perfect Material with Liev Schreiber and Uliana Klimchuk. Playwright Taya Fedorenko, Mentor Will Arbery, Director Peter Hedges

Perfect Material with Liev Schreiber and Uliana Klimchuk. Playwright Taya Fedorenko, Mentor Will Arbery, Director Peter Hedges

Superhero with David Harbour, Isabel Renner, Maddie Corman, and Ivanna Sakhno. Playwright Uliana Klimchuk, Mentor Daniel Goldfarb, Director Paul McCrane

Superhero with David Harbour, Isabel Renner, Maddie Corman, and Ivanna Sakhno. Playwright Uliana Klimchuk, Mentor Daniel Goldfarb, Director Paul McCrane

Dnipro with Cherry Jones and Oona Laurence. Playwright Anastasia Chala, Mentor Billy Finnegan, Director Margaret Burrows.

Dnipro with Cherry Jones and Oona Laurence. Playwright Anastasia Chala, Mentor Billy Finnegan, Director Margaret Burrows.

Candies Weddings Bones with Harriet Walter, Midori Francis and Joe Tippet. Playwright Asia Pshenychna, Mentor Suzanne Heathcote, Director Tyne Rafaeli.

Candies Weddings Bones with Harriet Walter, Midori Francis and Joe Tippet. Playwright Asia Pshenychna, Mentor Suzanne Heathcote, Director Tyne Rafaeli.

The Sea with Mary Beth Peil, Merritt Wever, Thomas Sadoski and Emily Young. Playwright Tanya Kostyniuk, Mentor Peter Hedges, Director Mark Brokaw

The Sea with Mary Beth Peil, Merritt Wever, Thomas Sadoski and Emily Young. Playwright Tanya Kostyniuk, Mentor Peter Hedges, Director Mark Brokaw

The Old Couple with Becky Ann Baker and Reed Birney. Playwright Luka Ivanov, Mentor Jessica Goldberg, Director Lars Rudolfsson

The Old Couple with Becky Ann Baker and Reed Birney. Playwright Luka Ivanov, Mentor Jessica Goldberg, Director Lars Rudolfsson

The Orchid with Cathy Curtin, Scott Cohen, Alex Feldman. Playwright Karina Syrota, Mentor Jackie Reingold, Director Jodie Markell


The Orchid with Cathy Curtin, Scott Cohen, Alex Feldman. Playwright Karina Syrota, Mentor Jackie Reingold, Director Jodie Markell


Proof of Love with Michael Shannon, Sharlene Cruz, and Petro Ninovskyi. Playwright Anna Brovarna, Director Danya Taymour

Proof of Love with Michael Shannon, Sharlene Cruz, and Petro Ninovskyi. Playwright Anna Brovarna, Director Danya Taymour