Recommended by Debbie Lamedman

This play, seemingly simple, is layered with all kinds of metaphors and addresses a very common universal theme. We all need to be needed. We all need to have a purpose. And in this short two-hander, Dakutis hits the nail directly on the head with both humor and pathos. I loved Journet; I empathized with him, and sometimes we need to look for signs anywhere they exist, in order to find the meaning in our lives. Beautifully written! A wonderful addition to any 10-minute play festival! I highly recommend this! Bravo, Dakutis!

Wow! Just finished watching the reading of TRACKS produced by AboutFace Ireland, and I am blown away. This play is a gorgeous, mystical story that pulls you in immediately. The Hudson River Valley is its own character and the environment is hugely important to the plot and the characters. Bray has developed incredibly original three-dimensional characters, and I became so invested with all of them. The magical realism lends itself to a highly theatrical piece. I am thrilled to have seen the reading, and I cannot wait to see a live on-stage production of this excellent play! Bravo, Bray! Fantastic!

Messineo has created quite a poetic and theatrical piece that feels like an event. THE WHEEL, filled with beautiful classical music and quotes from Gandhi shows the unraveling of a woman who has lost her husband. His death has clearly affected her in profound ways, and watching her behavior as she deals with his loss is fascinating and bittersweet. I love the theatricality of this play and would love to someday see it done live on stage.

This play packs a wallop you will never see coming! Gatton has very distinctly created these characters; three co-workers discussing the ordinary things of everyday life in a convenience store. This simple scenario turns on a dime and leads us down the road to a tragedy that made me hold my breath. Gatton's skill lies in the fact that he tells you just enough, but not too much, and your mind goes where it needs to go in order to draw a conclusion. Written with great precision, humor, and pathos, this would be a terrific selection in any play festival!

I am a believer! In WATER DAMAGE, Prillaman has created a very big story in a very short period of time. This is a thrilling piece of theatre and audiences will most assuredly be holding their collective breath during the entire 10 minutes. The explanation for this particular haunting is almost poetic and Prillaman truly had me spellbound. Fascinating and fantastic work!

If you are not yet acquainted with the work of Sara Jean Accuardi, you would be wise to start reading her plays, pronto! Start with this one! This piece is absolutely sensational in its creativity, humor, and overall theatricality. This play perfectly encapsulates life as a teenager during the COVID lockdown. Smart, sharp, and absolutely hilarious. Bravo, Accuardi. I am constantly amazed by your genius!

Lawing has written a bittersweet, yet intriguing two-hander. Now I'd like to get a closer look at the Sistine Chapel and wonder, as Lawing has done here if I will see faces that had once-upon-a-time been meaningful to Michelangelo. A very poignant and creative piece!

Bates puts us smack-dab in the middle of an all-too-familiar scenario of a school shooting. We are among the children that are attempting to distract themselves from the gunman by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. We are with them in the last seconds of their lives. This short piece is highly theatrical, evocative, and all too real. It will stay with you long after you read it, and hopefully, see it performed on a live stage.

TWENTY BELOW is a wonderful romp in the snow with two exceedingly likable characters on a mission. The third character in this piece has no lines, but his presence is deeply felt, as mother and daughter pay homage to a truly loved man. What could be a somber occasion, turns into a funny and touching moment between mother and daughter. A lovely and moving piece of theatre.

Minigan uses that infamous day of January 6, 2021 as the focal point to this conversation between two women of varying generations. We feel their fear, anger, sorrow, and confusion as the raging against our nation’s Capitol permeates the neighborhood of these two women. Minigan has created an historical snapshot in this terrific two-hander. Many of us will be walking alongside Bea and Laura and closing our eyes, not wanting to see the rampant hatred that lives among us and where we least expect to see it. In our own neighborhoods.