Recommended by Andrew Martineau

There is a serious undertone of how women are objectified in this very funny short play, and what I love about it is how the humor reveals a deeper message in such a light-hearted, entertaining way. The mention of Trump from the pre-escalator days of 2015 are hysterical and hold up so well! A great vehicle for two female-identifying actors to let their comedy skills shine.

What a powerful monologue about a young White boy’s first experience in the Jim Crow era South. I was struck by how candid it was, and the details about such things as the fold-out map and the places suburban White families would visit in Florida in the mid twentieth century brought back memories for me, having grown up in Mississippi in the seventies. Vivid and evocative storytelling. Excellent work, Donald Baker!

There is a light comic touch to this short play, and yet there are serious, sad undertones about how American culture and our entertainment industry treats women who are not allowed to age gracefully. Bruce Karp has crafted an enjoyable, very funny play that would be a great addition to any ten-minute play festival. Well done!

Oh, the existential madness of a zoom call that never ends! Lee Lawing has such a wonderful comic mind, and he had me at the title, yet I must admit I was a little scared that reading this would mean I would be stuck on NPX without a break! This is a topic that we can all relate to, and it's great the Lawing's play exists to deal with both our fatigue and exhaustion with the help of a little levity. Thanks for the laughs, Lee!

There is strong dramatic action in this empowering monologue by Karen Fix Curry. Despite being told to us in past tense, we get a feeling that this has just happened and is a moment of revelation for this young mother. She moves on even when the future is fraught with uncertainty and anxiety, and we root for her all the way. Beautifully told!

I really think “Go swipe yourself” should become a common expression. Siri is the true star of this gem of a short, hilarious play, but I am sure any actor would love to play Reggie, just to relish in all the comedic abuse he takes! I would love to see this and, of course, hear Siri in action. So funny from beginning to end!

If all my scam calls were this hilarious I would never have a need to screen them! Ah, one can dream. At least we have John Busser’s brilliant comic mind to occupy our time between obnoxious telemarketers. C’Thulhu is an inspired otherworldly creature, and I want more of these calls. I also love a little possible romance amid the absurdity!

Depression can be so difficult to describe to people who don’t experience it, even well—meaning loved ones, so it was wonderful to encounter Lindsey Brown’s play that uses an onion metaphor to brilliantly describe it in dramatic fashion. Well done!

Arianna Rose’s words are so beautifully expressed in this monologue about hearing the agonizing news of a nephew’s disappearance, but her eloquence also reveals to us unimaginable pain and sadness. The empty feeling left both physically by a missing tooth and emotionally by a missing family member is so deftly told. Like her short play “Family by Numbers,” Arianna Rose writes about loss and grief with an honesty that is heartbreakingly powerful.

This monologue reminds us that gun violence is often self-inflicted, and Jean Ciampi builds her story of heartbreak over a breakup slowly, generating steam that leads to a devastating conclusion. What a powerful monologue for a young actor—challenging, unsettling, and sadly, highly relevant.