Judith, a Play in Three Acts; Founded on the Apocryphal Book of Judith

Set in the hill‑top city of Bethulia, this drama opens with the quiet desperation of a community cut off from water and under the shadow of an approaching army. Governor Ozias and the elderly seer Chabris converse on the streets, their dialogue revealing the enormity of Holofernes’s forces and the looming siege that threatens the town’s very survival. Amid the tension, the steadfast Judith—a widow famed for her piety and resolve—begins to contemplate a bold response to the looming catastrophe.

Through vivid stage directions and sharp exchanges, the first act establishes a world of stark contrasts: the city’s sacred walls versus the relentless march of Assyrian troops, and the fragile hope of its inhabitants against the weight of fate. As the audience watches the tension rise, Judith’s character emerges as a beacon of inner strength, hinting at a daring plan that could alter the course of her people’s destiny.