Recommended by Andrew Martineau

This has got to be the best Karen monologue ever written. Brestman’s humor lies in its remarkable specificity. “Do I look like I need a chamomile?” Karen asks. Why yes, you do, and you can wait for the damn hibiscus like everyone else. The ending of Karen’s rant reveals some less trivial concerns, (should I feel bad for you now?) but man, the trivialities are outrageously funny. I love this.

I was really struck by how original this premise is and thought to myself, I can’t believe I have never read a play or scene in which two people meet first in a dream and then in real life! What a great acting gift this is. Simple and yet mesmerizing at the same time. I was so happy for Ari and Ellis!

There is an authenticity to this “back lot” short play that kept me intrigued from start to finish. Alaina Tennant is able to write dialogue that sounds like it is from a bygone era and yet much more realistic than the melodramatic dialogue in the movie script. I love the budding friendship between the ingenue and the director’s inexperienced son. Wonderful!

As a fan of Turner Classic Movies and nostalgia about the Golden Age of Cinema, I was completely drawn into Tom Erb’s story, especially knowing that it is based on a true event. I love the Sunset Boulevard feel to it, without the melodrama. George’s monologue alone is worth the price of admission. I wanted to keep reading more, and I wondered if George ever met Orson. Fantastic piece! I am sure it will get many productions.

What I find most captivating about this play is the naturalistic dialogue among three friends who reveal some rather startling behavior at times. This would be a great short play for actors working on subtext in a class because there is much here that is unspoken, just below the surface. While it works as a short one-act, I would love to know what happens next with these characters.

It seems like a while ago, and yet, it doesn’t. I don’t envy those who were searching for companionship or intimacy during those trying, anxiety-ridden times in the worst of the pandemic. The irony here is that the tangible masks are not masking true feelings. Tom Erb has crafted very revealing and frank dialogue that reveals people desperately searching for a connection, both physical and emotional. Very entertaining piece!

Wow! As a dad who is currently teaching his daughter to drive, this one hit me with incredible force and emotion. The tension, the pathos, the tragic circumstances… it’s all here in a few pages. I would love to see this performed. What a gift to two actors.

Playwrights know that good monologues and short plays has an urgency about them—a need to get something in the here and now and not hold back, unless there is an inherent need to hide something in an effort to get something, and then drop a big reveal. This is a play with connecting monologues for writers by a writer who doesn’t face rejection lying down. The language and the urgency in this are incredibly strong. Yes!

If there is a monologue that speaks to a profound Easter message about caring for those who warrant our respect despite hardships that keep them from wearing their “Sunday best,” this is it. Melissa Milich has written an eloquent and humorous reflection from childhood that has a real Harper Lee feel to it. It reminded me of my days long ago as an altar boy, although I missed the whole Latin Mass experience. The baseball/angel metaphor and the play on the homophones “holey” and “holy” are amazing. I loved it!

The feeling of unconditional love in this remarkably poignant short play between a college student and his dying aunt is palpable. Neil Ellis Orts never gets saccharine in his dialogue and makes each moment count. The need to keep living despite the inevitable flipping of the calendar makes Aunt Patty a fighter, but even her brusque treatment of her nephew is grounded in love. I would really like to see this performed by skilled actors. Outstanding!