Recommended by Monica Cross

Christmas time can be a time of family and warmth, but it can also be a time when a person's struggles with food come to the forefront. That is exactly what Scott Sickles gives us in SWEET SWEET CHRISTMAS. While Lindsay is struggling with a recent diabetes diagnosis, the sentiment expressed is shared by those with food allergies, recovering from disordered eating, and other struggles with food. This is a monologue that makes me both want to laugh and cry. I get Lindsay's frustration on a deep personal level and I feel those last few lines in my soul!

THE BAR AT THE END OF FOREVER is a series of overlapping musical vignettes bringing all of our favorite time travelling heroes together. Christopher Soucy not only taps into a variety of beloved fandoms, but also explores many of the tropes and pitfalls of time travel. My favorite being an exchange between the Terminator and Reese.

This show would be an absolute pleasure to costume, recreating so many iconic looks! This show would also be a delight for Scifi conventions!

WHEEL OF FORTUNE REVERSED is poignant and touching, while being witty and charming, in perfect Scott Sickles style. Taking the iconic trope of a chess match with death, Scott twists it and turns it on its head. This play does that with a lot of the expectations in this play, and leaves readers and audiences with a new but comforting end.

BRAVO!

Christmas and Consumerism. In Philip Middleton William's play the two words are inextricably linked. This comic holiday play puts us behind the scenes at an ad agency in a crunch to sell more stuff at Christmas time. THE CHRISTMAS COMMERCIAL CONSPIRACY delivers punchlines that drive home the reality of holiday marketing.

I'M NOT WEARING THE GREEN DRESS will resonate with anyone who has a family member who insisted that everything had to be perfect for Christmas, but particularly those who feel they can't be themselves around their family during the holidays. Jillian Blevins creates a fantastic sibling dynamic in this play, and as a result, we all get a little bit of holiday catharsis.

Highly Recommend!

THE BED TRICK critiques one of Shakespeares's most unquestioned comic devices. We are told by the protagonists in Shakespeare's plays that the men duped by this conceit "deserve it." Jillian Blevins's play highlights the problems of that sentiment and gives us characters who must deal with the implications and fallout of the devastating "trick." The tone shifts beautifully from sarcasm to seriousness and back, making the message all the more biting as a result.

This play should be produced everywhere Shakespeare's plays abound!

BRAVA!

AFIKOMAN is a touching family drama that focuses on trauma, expectations, and healing. Sam Heyman beautifully weaves Passover tradition into the Rubin family dynamic and we are all invited in to the intimate family moments these characters share. This is a lovely holiday play, with a lot of warmth.

Highly Recommended!

What a fun play! A SHARED CONVICTION has two great roles for women over 40! And definitely needs to be produced at every opportunity!

Read it. Produce it! Share it with your friends!

Anyone who loves Cyrano de Bergerac will absolutely adore this play! This play is a combat choreographer's dream! Christopher Soucy creates an entire 5 act play between acts 4 and 5 of Rostand's play, and I have never ached so much for the characters to break the cycle of their source material and change their own story. I love the introduction of new characters and the integration of beloved, familiar characters from Rostand's work. I was immediately sucked into this play and went on an beautiful emotional ride throughout!

BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVO!

Franky D. Gonzalez is fast becoming of one of my favorite playwrights. THAT MUST BE THE ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN OR, THE DAWN BEHIND THE BLACK HOLE is a magical play that will take your breath away. Franky crafts a modern tragedy with incredibly high stakes and fantastically compelling characters. This play is beautifully crafted in a free verse style that draws attention to the exquisite language. This piece is so compelling. It draws you in to each of the four boxers hopes and dreams and fears and regrets.

I saw a reading of this play through Risk Theatre online. BRAVO!