Kvutsat Avoda (Work Group) Theater Ensemble 
קבוצת עבודה
Home for new Israeli Drama

Starting Point is a play development program founded in 2012 by Kvutzat Avoda Theater Group with the support of Mifal HaPais, and since then dozens of new original plays have been developed within its framework. The playwrights selected to participate in the program receive a development grant for their play, as well as close dramaturgical guidance. The first three cycles of the program were supported by Mifal HaPais. Members of the artistic committee who have led the project over the years include: Yigael Sachs – chair of the committee and head of the program, Roy Chen, Lilach Dekel‑Avneri, Roni Ninio, Sara von Schwarze, Gilad Evron, Kfir Azulay, Ira Avneri, Roey Maliach Reshef, Miriam Yechiel‑Vaks, Mor Frank, Daniel Cohen‑Levi, Noa Shechter‑Golomb, Jason Danino Holt, Tamar Keinan and Ravid Davara. Out of the dozens of plays developed with the support of the Starting Point project, 14 have already been produced in various theatres in Israel.

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In 2019, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, a fourth cycle of the Starting Point project opened, in a format that develops plays from synopsis to first draft, under the title “Starting Point 4,” featuring the playwrights Yossi Zabari, Daniel Cohen‑Levi, Amit Zarka, Eyal Weiser and Shai Shabtai. In 2020, in “Starting Point 5,” the selected playwrights were Dana Etgar, Nimrod Danishman, Moria Hassin, Re’anan Paz and Lior Zalmanson.

In 2021, in “Starting Point 6,” the selected participants were Alma Ganiher, Maayan Kilchevsky, Lihee Barzel‑Melamed, Maayan Even, Yael Tal and Ofer Yerushalmi. In 2022, in “Starting Point 7,” the selected participants were Amital Stern, Ben Sgreski, Omri HaCohen, Daniel Cohen‑Levi, Amir Zlotter and Yuval Berger.

In 2023, in “Starting Point 8,” the selected participants were Roee Yosef, Liron Ben‑Shalosh, Tom Shoval, Inbar Gantzer‑Shibi, Tamar Yaron and Maayan Even.