Recommended by Andrew Martineau

This is quite an original play, and it’s actually rather surprising in a very good way. For some reason (and I didn’t read the keywords listed before reading), I thought it would be a short comic look at the superficially of emojis. While it is funny, the ending gave me chills, and I can only imagine how the visuals displayed on an upstage screen would increase the chilling effect. This is both timely and disturbing, and I was impressed by the overall effect in a mere four pages. Very intriguing piece!

This play addresses an important disability issue in academia that can transfer to other industries, as well. Technology has done wonders to increase accessibility, but it only helps if professionals are willing and able to take a few minutes to learn the software. Making assumptions about students, clients or employees is unfortunate and often just lazy, but I completely understand the adjunct professor’s position, having dealt with a heavy workload myself. Nicely handled conflict and resolution.

The very idea of cows objecting to language expressing negative body image is outrageously funny, as is the political correctness concerning named and unnamed farm animals. This play is both humorous and insightful, and the idea that just maybe a cow can actually jump over the moon, regardless of whether it’s waxing or waning, is inspired and inspiring. I would love to see this nursery rhyme spoof in action!

“The Sign” has a timely message about how some angry individuals tend to treat other people who represent something in their minds based solely on false information and bias. The moment Petey recognizes a respected teacher from his past, his attitude towards her changes, as if she suddenly becomes a different person than the perceived “suspicious” stranger parking in front of his house with a BLM sign. These are not stereotypes, however. Zaffarano carefully avoids pigeon-holing her characters as Petey so easily does. Powerful conflict and strong roles to play.

I was drawn to this play by the title, and I was thoroughly engaged by the subtleties of the conflict. This is such a relevant issue with so many complaints these days about there being a "war on Christmas" by just using the word "holiday" in office and school celebrations. The upsetting, implicit biases that Marvin faces from his coworkers is countered by his sincere story of his dad as his own "G.I. Joe" and the tragic circumstances that Marvin had to face. It is a stunning story that never feels forced. Wonderfully written piece.

This play is so relevant right now with so much debate about teaching the true, complete history of the Civil War and Reconstruction. J. Lois Diamond gives us a strikingly vivid dramatization of a slave’s death at the very end of the war and her returning to teach a young, apathetic student the truth about what happened. Beautifully told and never didactic, “Mountain Dew” is well worth telling and seeing, especially now.

This brief play may be short on minutes, but it is long on dramatic tension. Nothing can be of higher value to people fighting to survive than water, so the stakes here are incredibly high and deeply compelling. Up until the genuinely satisfying ending, the characters play their game of survival with intensity and one-upsmanship. The idea of a lawyer offering to sell his dignity could be considered highly ironic, but that is just one brilliant witticism in this stark, engaging sci-fi drama.

The stories the nurses tell in this highly compelling short play reveal how life-altering a pregnancy is, regardless of the choices, or absence of choices, that the circumstances create. I felt so much compassion for these characters, and they are rich, complex roles. With women’s rights being a central issue in politics today, Alli Hartley-Kong’s drama is well worth our undivided attention.

I have never thought about a new play reading session as a hostage situation, but it totally worked in my mind as I was reading this. The play is so much more than a series of insight jokes for playwrights or screenwriters. I think every artist or creative person could relate to the sometimes absurd comments by mostly well-meaning writing group members. Alterman also cleverly shows us how superficial praise can be just as useless or damaging to the process as misguided, overly harsh criticism. I would love to see this in a shorts festival or at a writing conference.

I was thinking while I was reading this earnest and heartfelt play that I haven’t read many plays lately that focus on fathers and daughters. So it was very nice to experience one that was not about the teenage daughter’s angst or the father’s fear of her dating for the first time. It reminded me of family scenes from an earlier time, and in a very good way. It is sweet and uplifting.