Recommended by Andrew Martineau

SIBLINGS deals with very human sexual urges of a disabled brother with frank insights that could lead to a highly impactful post-show discussion. Hodges handles the sensitive topic with skill as a dramatic, compelling play and not simply a lecture. The opportunities for actors to show a wide range of complex emotions in this short play is amazing. Well done, David!

Triptych has such remarkable, refreshing character motivation and subtlety. I was enthralled by serendipitous meeting of these three very likable, intriguing people. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and I was pleasantly surprised at how the narrator contributes to this very modern story by offering insight into the complexities of the intertwined relationships. It has a wonderful ending, as well!

I love the meta theatrical take on Godot, and how people in awkward conversations will quote lines from movies or from something they have read and completely ignore the original context. So the thought of imagining an actor playing us as another person or character, regardless of gender, personality, or anything remotely resembling ourselves, is very intriguing. I would really like to to see a live performance of this very witty, absurd play.

I remember a playwriting instructor once saying that plays are never about ordinary moments. They should be about extraordinary moments. This is an extraordinary play about an extraordinary moment, perfectly fitted (pardon the pun) for the ten minute format. It has pathos, heart and genuine emotion. What a gift for three actors to play, and what a special, extraordinary experience for an audience to witness.

It is rare for me to actually laugh out loud when reading a comic play, but I did a few times with this very clever, very astute comedy in which a bureaucratic god assigns modern-day positions to skeptical gods-in-training. I can see Mattson’s play being a huge hit in short play festivals, and what a gift to actors! I love the whole concept and execution. Excellent!

There is a profound sense of emptiness and isolation that Martin cannot seem to overcome without violence, and yet Aubrey takes the time at the end of a long day to make him feel seen. It would be easy to fall into a cliched trap of talking about mental health and not creating genuine conflict and three dimensional characters, but Peter Anthony Fields keeps revealing the unexpected with every beat in this short drama that deals with the issue of homelessness in a natural, nuanced way. It is quite a moving piece.

This play is so intense and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I got to thinking about the title - Sift - and how it serves as a powerful metaphor for separation and segregation. Ruth is as brave as she is talented in the kitchen, a setting that can symbolize both high esteem and subjugation. I love this little gem of a play!

The description of the whisky sour in this remarkable monologue about combating an addiction in one of the hardest places to fight off the urge for a drink—a casino—reveals how extremely difficult it is for an alcoholic. Just the detail of getting the smell on your fingers if someone bumps into you is incredible storytelling, and Jones has created a character to root for and champion. I would love to see this performed.

There is so much love in this play, and sadly, the physical love has ended for James, who is left with only the memories. A reckless driver and a heartless family end the love that should live on, and now closure will need to happen without even a memorial service. Donald Baker has crafted a play of sharply written contrasts, of close-mindedness vs. acceptance, of unconditional love vs. shallow rule-following. Beautiful play, Don.

I love the sense of hope and surrender in this “break up” play in which the couple has clearly exhausted every means of reconciliation except one. The mystical possibilities within the plot make Nathan Christopher’s short play suspenseful, and the dialogue flows naturally, especially from Claire, who is tired of giving and never receiving anything back for her efforts. The ending puts a wonderful cap on this very satisfying two hander.