THRESHOLD
a play by Stephanie Fybel
Developed October 14-18, 2026 at the Ashland New Plays Festival, starring Anthony Heald
About the Play
Respected appellate judge and Holocaust scholar David Lewin nears the end of his life, slipping in a morphine haze between the present and ghostly visits from his parents in their younger forms, fleeing Nazi Germany and Lithuania in the late 1930s. As he’s drawn into the past, he confronts the work of his own lifetime: exposing how the German legal system enabled tyranny and asking what history demands of us today.
“An incredible generational story and a treatise on the parallels that led to the threat to democracy we are experiencing today.”
“Clearly drawn characters … the love that connects generations, and dramatic tension that makes it all work.”
“Fybel delivered stunning oratory on democratic principles…beautifully echoed by Heald. And how does the unraveling of democracy begin?…‘It begins with good people doing nothing.’
“The scenes are so clearly defined, it was easy to follow the shifts from present day to the 1930s.”
“As an upholder of the code of judicial ethics…Lewin reminds us, the transformation from a democracy to a dictatorship begins — when laws are arbitrarily changed. ‘What happens when the law itself becomes tyranny?’ he posits. Fybel suggests we are at a turning point.”
Ashland.news, October 28, 2026 · Read the full review
FESTIVAL AUDIENCES:
“The best play I have heard in years. The hit of the festival this year. … It’s ready for a full production which I hope it gets. … This is a powerful play. A play for our times.” -Lucinda U.
“Really loved Stephanie Fybel’s intensely engrossing, emotional, and personal family story. … Entwining the family history into her story makes this piece even more beautiful.” -Stephanie R.
“Mesmerizing — and amazing cast … I’ll never forget this new play, nor the characters the cast brought to life.”- Cindy B.
“Terrific first play by Stephanie Fybel. Moving, heartfelt and relatable to everyone.” -Christopher M.
PRESS REVIEW:
AWARDS for Threshold:
Winner, 2026: Ashland New Plays Festival
Semifinalist, 2026: Seven Devils New Play Foundry
Second Rounder, 2026: Austin Film Festival Stage Play script competition
