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I'm a creator in the worlds of film, television, music, and theatre. I am the composer & lyricist behind BEETHOVEN: LIVE IN CONCERT, a rock musical about Beethoven's revolutionary life, which had its first performance on May 15th at The Green Room 42. In June 2022, my play BEANS AND RICE won Best Supporting Actress at the New York Theater Festival.

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My most recent short film, BENSON'S PLAYGROUND, was an international finalist and award-winner, and premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in 2020. My documentary on Syrian refugees living in Germany, I AM SYRIA, has screened at Harvard University and across the Northeast. My feature and television screenplays; shorts; and web series; have been recognized internationally - most recently, as a finalist for the Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting.

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In 2021, spent five months aboard the MSC Seashore playing a dueling pianos show across the Mediterranean and Caribbean; in 2022-23, I had a weekly piano bar residency at the Green Fig in Midtown Manhattan. I am currently the resident Music Director of Yaya Theatre Academy in Shenzhen, China!

      Hi! Welcome to my site.

My name's Jad.

I'm a Writer, Actor, Composer, and Humanitarian.

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MY WORK

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SOMETHING STUPID

BEANS AND RICE

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BELWATCH

OPUS 12

BEANS AND RICE

BEETHOVEN: MAY WORKSHOP

2022

MSC SEASHORE: DUELING PIANOS

2021

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LOSING HOPE: PILOT

THE GREAT CAROLINA HOTEL

BENSON'S PLAYGROUND

2020

2019

2018

AN IMPERFECT CURE

TUESDAY NIGHTS

WAITING FOR JERRY

2017

I AM SYRIA

OFFICE

IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

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2015-16

2023

GREEN FIG: DUELING PIANOS

BEETHOVEN: GR42 CONCERT

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2012

GOIN' DOWN ABOVE AND UP UNDER

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Beans And Rice (2022)​

  • BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Sarah Sinclair) - New York Theater Festival

  • PREMIERE, New York Theater Festival

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The Great Carolina Hotel (2020)​

  • FINALIST, Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting

  • SEMI-FINALIST, Goldman Award, SWN Screenplay Competition

  • 8/10 EVALUATION, The Black List

  • 7/10 EVALUATION, The Black List

  • 7/10 EVALUATION, The Black List

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Benson's Playground (2020)

  • FINALIST, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, Lonely Wolf International Film Festival

  • FINALIST, BEST STUDENT DIRECTOR (MALE), IndieX Film Fest

  • FINALIST, BEST STUDENT SHORT, New York World Film Festival

  • FINALIST: The Cutting Room Int'l Short Film Festival, JellyFEST Film Festival 

  • SEMI-FINALIST: New York No Limits Film Series, Student LA Film Awards

  • AWARD OF RECOGNITION: LEAD ACTOR (Paul Albe) - IndieFEST Film Awards

  • AWARD OF RECOGNITION: FILM SHORT, IndieFEST Film Awards

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Golden State Film Festival

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Int'l New York Film Festival

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, New York Lift-Off Film Festival

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Tisch Fringe Festival​​​​​

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Losing Hope: PILOT (2020)

  • SEMIFINALIST, 2021 Scriptation Showcase Script Competition

  • QUARTERFINALIST, 2021 ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition

  • QUARTERFINALIST, Page Turner Screenplays 4th Annual First 15 Competition

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Something Stupid (2019)

  • PREMIERE, 2019 Brandspankin' New Works Festival

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Tuesday Nights (2018)

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Sight & Sound Showcase Fall 2018

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Waiting For Jerry (2018)

  • BEST COMEDY SHORT, Avalonia Festival II

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Motion Pictures Int'l Film Festival

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I Am Syria (2017)

  • OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE, Docs Without Borders Film Festival

  • GOLD AWARD, International Independent Film Awards

  • BRONZE AWARD, Spotlight Documentary Film Awards

  • NOMINATED, RALPH F. BOYD AWARD, Schenectady Human Rights Commission

  • DR. JOHN YOUNGBLOOD MEMORIAL BOOK AWARD IN THE FINE ARTS

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The Phantom Of The Opera (2017)

  • NOMINATION - BEST ACTOR, Proctors High School Musical Theatre Awards, 2017

  • WINNER - BEST MUSICAL, BEST SET CONSTRUCTION, BEST TECHNICAL EXECUTION

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OFFICE (2017)

  • OUTSTANDING FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE, NHS Short Cuts

  • SILVER AWARD, International Independent Film Awards

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, 3rd Annual Web Series Festival Global

    • AWARD OF EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: WEBISODE PILOT | ORIGINAL SCORE

    • AWARD OF MERIT: SCRIPT/WRITER | COSTUME DESIGN

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, WRPN.TV Global Webisode Competition

  • CERTIFICATE OF MERIT, Niskayuna HS Art Department

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It's Not What It Looks Like (2017)

  • BEST FICTION/STORY, Rod Serling Film Festival

  • OUTSTANDING DIRECTING, Media Arts Festival 2017

  • OUTSTANDING COMEDY, Media Arts Festival 2017

  • OUTSTANDING DIRECTING, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING COMEDY, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING ACTRESS - HANNAH DAVIS, NHS Short Cuts

  • SILVER AWARD, International Independent Film Awards

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Orlando Film Festival

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Ballston Spa Film Festival

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, The Set NYC Short Film Screenings

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Why God? (2017)

  • BEST ORIGINAL SCORE, Ballston Spa International Short Film Festival

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Doodle (2017)

  • OFFICIAL SELECTION, Ballston Spa International Short Film Festival

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Opus 12 (2015-2016)

  • MOST PROMISING NEW YOUNG FILMMAKER, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING ACTOR - ETHAN SCHALEKAMP, NHS Short Cuts

  • OUTSTANDING ACTRESS - HANNAH DAVIS, NHS Short Cuts

  • RIT INNOVATION & CREATIVITY AWARD, Niskayuna HS

  • CERTIFICATE OF MERIT, Niskayuna HS Art Department

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