Daily distraction: Put on a play at home!

The Public Theater in New York City. Image by Noam Galai/Getty Images

By Talya Zax April 7, 2020

Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing.

There’s no way around it — this is going to be a very tough week, which means that maintaining mental health is more important than ever. As you finalize your Passover plans, try and find some space for a bit of fun and pleasure to cut through the anxiety with which we all currently live. While previous daily distractions have included three recommended activities, we’re now cutting back to one to reflect the fact that social distancing means, for many, being busier than ever. So here’s one way to find respite for yourself and your family today:

Put on a play, at home

Kids and adults alike can usually agree that acting is fun; now, it’s also a great way to exercise empathy while isolated from others. To that end, a group of American theaters have commissioned short plays from a number of notable playwrights that can be performed from the comfort of your home, either with those with whom you’re isolating or, if you’re creative, over Zoom with whomever you like. You can find the library of available plays here, and share the results of your endeavors with the hashtag #PlayWithUs. A big bonus: Arts institutions have been hit hard by the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, and the project is paying a good commission fee to every playwright it works with. So by supporting the project, you won’t just be doing something great for yourself, you’ll also be supporting the arts.

Talya Zax is the Forward’s opinion editor. Contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter, @TalyaZax.

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