Recommended by Daniel Prillaman

We've all been Charlotte. Perhaps not in terms of tutoring, but in terms of financial stretching, we've all had the moment where we've had to choose between food and bills. What we may not have had is a sudden moment where we have the power over others. What we do with that power (even if it's just power in a Zoom meeting), says more about us than anything else. A fantastic, layered virtual short for young actors about pride, entitlement, fear, growth, and everything in-between.

The amount of money one is willing to spend on wine is probably about as psychologically telling as one's favorite episode of "Black Mirror" (Fifteen Million Merits, ftw). McClain takes a sledgehammer to the old "I know my partner, right? I haven't wasted my life, have I?" scenario, giving us a delightful rumination on class, ambitions in relationships, and everything in between. Perfect for any short festival, whether it's geared for the holidays or not. Also...some wine labels are really pretty, and that's all I have to say about that.

Richter deftly tackles a heavy subject that we will never be able to talk about too much. Bullying and abuse has lasting consequences for everyone. More people than we could ever imagine. Our actions and energies don't just affect those close to us, they affect who those close to us interact with, who they interact with, spreading outward until you encompass...well, the future of humanity. Kids don't know better. But they learn from their parents. And parents should. Heartfelt, funny, and set in the most isolated of places, this is a wonderful short.

Why do we push ourselves to do the things we do? To follow through with the decisions we make? What happens when mother nature gets in the way? Other people? Bluestein-Lyons' short play is a thought-provoking slice-of-life for people of all ages struggling against prejudices and preconceived biases. A healthy reminder that mostly everyone is more complex than we think, and it will do us good to remember it.

Is it possible to feel a nostalgia for Watergate? Maybe it's the fact that I wasn't alive then, and it represented a time when over-the-top crookery and scandal seemed more...[insert desired word here]. It also could be the fact that Sickles' play is straight up one of the most goddamn funny plays I've ever read. Seriously. Stop whatever you're doing and read this now. The hilarious riffing on iconic moments from Pakula's "All the President's Men" is just the start, as we remember what's really at stake inside the funny, and how far we have to go.

Cringe is an odd thing. Some find it funny. It can be funny. It can also be deadly. Something no one can forget or come back from. Cathro does so much here with so little as a game night gets more and more...dreadful. We know something's going to rear its head, but what? The bomb drop and aftermath are handled with tenderness, sincerity, and gravitas, and will stick with you long after you walk away from the page.

This copier is weird. If it's a copier. It's never quite clear what it is or what it does, only that it is not working as intended, and ruining everyone's day in some manner. Quite surreally, as a matter of fact. Gatton's dark wit and charm are on full display in this workplace slice-of-life from hell, culminating in an ending that rebalances everything. The absurdity of the piece wonderfully mirrors our capitalist hellscape, and reminds us any moment we can find resolve in each other, even at the behest of something unimaginably horrific, it can mean everything.

I've wondered often about how to construct a choose-your-own-adventure play, but haven't had the courage or moxie to try it. Thankfully, Marchant is a master of less conventional forms, and has proven here yet again why she is a playwright everyone needs to know. Hilarious, quirky, endlessly re-stageable, "1st Impressions" is nothing short of amazing. I want to do, see, and make this play forever.

Old West? Campy as hell? Duels? Sign me up! Levine's radio script is more than a hoot. It is many. Many, many hoots, one after another after another. From the dry remarks to the slapstick (which a sound designer would have oodles of fun translating from the images in our heads), every single one is a gem. So much space to play here.

I want to gush about every moment in this short play that I utterly loved, but I don't want to spoil each beautiful flick of the pen. Karuc's skill with pacing and dialogue is unmatched, and Vasilisa and B.Y.'s conversation in a grimy fast-food eatery is enchanting, funny, somber, and gratifying. Not only would theatres delight at the riff on a lesser staged folktale, but the opportunities in the worldbuilding here would be a thrill for actors and designers alike. Such a solid, delicious (you'll see) scene.