Recommended by Andrew Martineau

PERMISSION is a wonderful play about the complex nature of grief, particularly when it involves a young married couple and the complex feelings associated with moving on with one’s life. I was happy that Bruce Karl avoided a cloying, sentimental tone and explored the feelings from both sides honestly and realistically. Nice work!

This play was fun to read and I would love to see an artist’s rendering of the audience painting! There is a nice plot twist at the end, and the light-hearted humor in this makes it highly entertaining. The idea of the starving artist as a person who may not deserve pity was refreshing. Nicely crafted piece!

The socioeconomic class divide is brought into sharp focus on this dark comedy about a white couple wearing their privilege on their sleeves, or should I say plates? Although this is set in the future, it seems plausible that this could actually happen now. I would love to see this performed. I could actually envision a whole TV series with this outrageous couple! Great stuff!

TIME CODE is a play for our times set in another era in which the cultural mores of the past are brought back into sharp focus. I love how the title of this play reveals how these two older movie actors view the action on the screen and a freeze frame can expose shocking truths that have been repressed for many years. The technical attention to details in Lockhart’s script make this both authentic and devastating. Fantastic!

The relationship between these two men evolves slowly, and there is hope that Dr. Dowda’s direct but compassionate interactions with his patient will have an impact and lessen the man’s bigotry. As his characters find an ethnic connection, Mabey skillfully avoids the pitfalls of being didactic and presents a very realistic exchange between these two very different people. A highly relevant play. Thought-provoking and moving!

There is a profound feeling of longing and naivety in this short play that shows us different types of relationships and new sexual discoveries just before these men get shipped off to war. The common thread running through all of these hookups is the desire to be touched and to be loved, yet each in their own way. The urgency of fulfilling their individual needs means the stakes here are extremely high, and the ending shows us how much they are sacrificing and taking risks in the era in which they live. Beautifully written!

I love the homage LeBlanc pays to the old comedy routines of Elaine May and Mike Nichols. The characters are even named after them, and this is a worthy tribute. The sophisticated comedy style may be hard to pull off these days, but this play should be very successful due to its engaging characters and rather funny jokes, such as one I won’t give away that involves a pulled pork sandwich. I think we could use more witty plays like THE BLOWOUT these days for a good laugh. Well done!

A panic attack is a very difficult experience to dramatize, but I love the poetic imagery and “in real time” structure of Lang’s play. The frenetic pace and description of a brisk walk in New York City, as well as the multiple phone conversations, help us to feel the panic, yet somehow we imagine it will work out and the mascara will make the eyes pop. I would love to see a performance of this!

There is an authenticity to this play and these characters that drew me in immediately. Murphy is a character that is sympathetic and we understand Milo’s gradual desire to engage her, despite how she treats him. We as the audience know this woman is intelligent and has a deeply intuitive side, and we feel for her as she attempts to have a friendly conversation with this young man. Beautifully written parts for actors to play. Wonderful!

I love how a very creative and theatrical dramatic structure can reveal aspects of a character’s psyche that a straightforward plot and ordinary dialogue could never effectively convey. Through a series of repeated scenes with slightly different dialogue and self-talk from the main character, Gadomski dramatically reveals so much psychologically in a short span of time. Very original. I would love to see this performed!