Recommended by Andrew Martineau

Art as a cultural commodity works well as the subject of a theatrical piece since performed plays are also cultural commodities that not everyone appreciates. I love the back and forth negotiating that takes place between these men, and the big reveal of the “masterpiece” near the end of the play is hysterical. It would be well worth the price of admission, whatever that may be!

When I read the title, I imagined that this might be a play about Vanilla Ice being left alone at Mar-a-Lago to entertain the guests on New Year’s Eve. Then I read it, and I realized the title made perfect sense. This is an awesome play for high school or college student audiences. The characters are grappling with creating a fresh presentation on a tragic hero, a task that many young people struggle with, especially when it’s the dreaded team project. Aristotle’s ideas are brought to life with smart humor and originality.

This dramatized fairy tale about cooperation and creative problem-solving has important lessons for kids. I am a big fan of audience participation in children’s theatre, and this short play uses it effectively because the benefits of practical teamwork are all a part of the lesson. There is humor and fun from beginning to end, and it would work well with other fairy tale adaptations.

There are myriad teachable moments in this brief hysterical play about creative economics, implicit bias and the pitfalls of public education. I would love to see this play in action and hear these words out loud. The character descriptions are some of the best I have ever read and hopefully would be included in the program!

GOOD MORNING is an optimistic title, and this is a surprisingly hopeful story of loss and shock. Julie Zaffarano crafts a brief drama of a woman who has missed out on many years in her prime, and she has the courage to move forward despite the changes she must now accept. Like a falsely accused prisoner coming out into the world after many years of being denied freedom, this play makes us ponder how we all might deal with a similar sad fate. Very moving and compelling!

Dramatic stories about unlikely encounters between parents whose kids are friends make for intriguing conflict, both onstage and off. This play is highly relevant, especially during the current pandemic, and Donnelly avoids stereotypes and easy answers. A thought provoking piece that has opportunities for discussion and debate.

The short conflict presented in DELIVERY is raw, relevant and riveting. There is an ebb and flow to the uncomfortable exchange of words. I want to give the homeowner the benefit of the doubt when he claims he thought the tip was already included, even though it seems clear he denied the driver the tip intentionally. He seems apologetic at one point, but the man’s true feelings are soon revealed in ugly fashion. The ending is quite satisfying and says so much about how essential workers are often treated in these challenging times. Wonderful script!

The tension between the two brothers in FAVORITE SON runs the gamut of emotions in a very short period of time. It reminded me of the Smothers Brothers’ running gag about who was the favorite, but this scenario is played out with real sadness as they deal with a fractured relationship and a very fragile family situation. It is compelling to see how these brothers attempt to deal with familial responsibilities as their childhood recollections shed light on the causes of their sibling rivalry. This is also a good play for actors in their sixties.

There is something theatrically thrilling about imagining what a baby might look like and never actually seeing it. This couple’s wit and sophistication mask their insecurities, not only concerning the mysterious baby in their midst, but also with regard to a second trial run at marriage. Their sense of humor bonds them in a delightfully absurd fashion, and the laugh at the end adds the cherry to this little confection of a play.

This play had a staged reading with the theatre company I cofounded, Sundial Theatre Company, that focused on disability issues. Hodges beautifully crafts a fictional drama that parallels several true stories of eugenics in rural, early twentieth century Virginia, most notably the story of Carrie Buck, which led to the landmark Supreme Court case, Buck v. Bell, from which Hodges takes his title. With a key role given to an actor with an intellectual challenge, the drama demonstrates how profoundly vital a character such as Lemmy is to our society. Highly recommended!