Recommended by Daniel Prillaman

A goddamned delight. Just hilarious in every way. Marc and Penelope's friendship feels refreshingly lived-in, and it absolutely flies off the pages in absurd and grounded banter. The twists and turns once Wil makes her appearance just wrench the comedy higher and higher. This is a fantastic example of positive twists and saying yes raising the stakes, and who knew a girl raised by wolves would be so wise in the ways of the world? Actually, maybe that's not a surprise at all.

A powerful and memorable ending is not necessarily one that we don't anticipate, but one that, upon reflection, feels inevitable. It feels that the characters' actions and choices could have taken them to no other path. This is such a play.

Quite frankly, this is a play that reinforces why I love theatre. It is the ultimate playground. ANYTHING can happen. It's exciting, it's terrifying, it's weird, and it's life changing. And "TOADS!!!" is a stunning reminder that Jillian Blevins is one of the most fearless and adventurous playwrights working today. Would that we all practiced such bravery.

I, for one, would be curious to see how Paul Hollywood makes it through Drusilla Wollingsworth's gauntlet. It's hard to talk about this play without spoiling its gloriously absurd, "surprising twist." I will attempt to do so, but rest assured, McClain has outdone herself. This is a riotous short play, one gleefully and knowingly satirizing reality TV and mayhap our competitive society at large. Baking is supposed to be fun! Right?! We often mention how much fun it would be to see a play live. Let's say this one has a special secret ingredient.

I saw somewhere that folks w/ADHD won't follow rules they think are stupid. To them, they're nonsensical. But on the flip, rules they don't think are stupid? They will follow those to the death. And rage if other people don't. But that doesn't really apply to just neurodivergents does it? Ruyle's play is a pressure cooker, a perfect example of what might all too easily happen if you trap enough different viewpoints in one place. No one thinks they're the villain. And it takes a nuanced, delicate hand to navigate. Are we up to the task? Excellent chamber drama.

Krampus is royalty. Old-school villainy. On the D&D alignment chart, he's squarely lawful evil, and I think many of us could listen to him monologue for ages, much more than the runtime of Cross' delicious pages. It really makes a difference when you love your work, doesn't it? And that makes it all the worse when the economy makes that job harder, or obsolete. A fun musing from the master of Christmas punishment, who most definitely has a heart bigger than the Grinch, post growing three sizes. Delightful and excellent stuff.

Guardian angels get all the hype, but move over. You'd have a hard task finding a play with inner demons more charming (or gut-burstingly hilarious). At once an homage? ripping satire? both? to kitschy tchotchke shops and a beautiful, nuanced exploration of depression, Floyd-Priskorn has outdone herself. The central shop is tremendous worldbuilding, and the set designers, in particular, will have a lot of room to really let loose here. This would be so much fun to see live, as well as powerful. And those are two things that always bring the room together.

Whatever life is...a video game, an experiment, a dream, a brief flash of insanity, at least we're in the hands of cats. I am kinda glad for that. Cats are loving (yes, they are, they can just choose to not love you), appropriately mischievous, full of impulsive antics. Hell, could be much worse. Come for the kittehs, stay for the Norse mythology, rejoice for all shall probably be well maybe. A lovely and most humorous short play.

Is it too gauche to say that "The Unexpected Delight of Snow Birds" is an...well...?

Feriend's short holiday romp is one about a beautifully and naturally realized couple in an argument (the insults!), but also so much more. It is a tender and genuine examination of tradition, how we create new ones, and grief. And birds. Apparently there are people who hate birds. Thoughtful, funny, and with the perfect amount of whimsy, you can't ask for anything more. Except maybe a raccoon.

The gravity of the eternal war between cat-kind and Christmas tree is sometimes lost. Thankfully, Richter has written us a dutiful reminder of not only this, but the true meaning of the season (and how hard it can be to keep it up). So much fun potential here for designers and actors, as the visuals are hysterical just on the page. The pacing here is just beautiful, from the entrance of the doctor, to the couple, to the most delicious ending.

Gleefully deranged, surprisingly wholesome, snacks! These words barely scratch the scaly, demonic surface of Martin's play. What starts as your typical glimpse into the lives of an average American family is quickly upended in devilish wordplay and situational humor. And then it escalates. And then it escalates again. And then it escalates again. It doesn't stop. What is happening? So much blood. That's a demon. Now there's a spokesperson. Are we in hell? Or is America hell? Are there any more snacks? Where IS Fishkill? This is pure madness! Madness, I say!!

Absolutely bonkers. Audiences will love this.