Recommended by Andrew Martineau

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!

There is so much to admire about the zany style of the writing, and it seems obvious that this would be incredibly fun for actors and audience alike. But I also love the way the plot builds. This early date in a relationship is never predictable or pedestrian. We feel as unsettled by this guy’s actions and tastes as this woman does, and she has her own, much more ordinary secret to reveal.
It all feels like a circus act gone terribly wrong. Very funny stuff!

I always figured guardian angels liked a nice soirée. Who am I kidding? I never thought of it, which is why Bluestein-Lyons is so clever and original! And very funny! It did make me think about souls returning in stuffed animals and maybe that is why kids love them so much. There is a lot of wonder packed into this short piece. Wonderful!

SCOUT'S HONOR is truly a play for our sensationalist times! Every character is this dark comedy is a scout, but how they each "scout" is somewhat different, albeit equally disturbing. The line "Doesn’t matter what the truth is. Only what the public believes" resonates strongly and loudly. Even the song "America, the Beautiful" has a surprising meaning in the beginning and leads to a mind-blowing context as we get to the rather shocking ending. This is a memorable, thought-provoking and very funny play!

THE RALLY puts a personal story at the center of a news story we all know too well. It brought back memories for me of being in Charlottesville a couple of months before the rally when my stepson graduated from UVA. This play is a very realistic depiction of how a mother who doesn’t follow politics gets thrust front and center in this story of overt racism and violence. Important and highly relevant!

Many plays could easily be films and the question that is often raised by theatre companies and audiences is “What makes this a play and not a film?” Solomonson has written a script that is highly theatrical and is clearly a drama that we can all appreciate as a live performance, even though it could work as a virtual production. The beauty of the characterizations, particularly that of the service dog, is astonishing and breathtaking. Bravo!