“Connected” by Ori Urian (Israel) [English]

Short description of play: Five teens, glued to their phones, embark on a school trip. Obsessed with selfies, Instagram stories, and viral posts, they quickly grow bored with the natural beauty around them and the teacher’s itinerary. Eager for excitement, they secretly veer off the path, letting their GPS guide them on a private adventure. But when their phones die and they find themselves stranded in the vast desert, they’re faced with a challenge unlike any they've ever encountered—connecting without screens. For the first time, they must rely on each other, sharing personal stories, fears, and dreams. What starts as a digital detox turns into a powerful journey of discovery, as they realize there’s so much more to their classmates than they ever knew in the virtual world. Stranded together, they learn that real human connection with five true friends is worth far more than thousands of followers.

Running time of play: 1 hour

Audience age range: Suitable for ages 8-14

Number of performers needed: 5

Ideal size of performance space/theatre:

Production needs:

Accessibility needs:

Has the play been produced? If so, when and where?: Premiered in Israel in 2014. It was later translated into English and had its world premiere at Spinning Dot Theatre in Michigan, USA, in 2024.

Has the play been published? If so, please provide details.:

Original language of the play: Hebrew

Are there other existing translations? if so, in which language(s)?: English

Reviews or articles about the play (copy and paste): https://today.emich.edu/story/story/12629, https://www.thejewishnews.com/culture/award-winning-play-at-emu-examines-the-dark-side-of-our-tech-reliant-world/article_7919dd16-d5c7-11ee-9df7-739f5eba0cb5.html

Awards or accolades the play has recieved.: Nominated for Best Play for Teens at the Assitej Children’s Stage Awards in 2015.

Web site (if it exists): http://dramaisrael.org/en/play/connected/

Additional details or comments: Flexible casting: Roles can be played by any gender.

Contact for questions or copy of the script.:

Name and email address of person filling out this form: storyori@gmail.com