Recommended by Daniel Prillaman

Masterful. I'm in awe. O'Day distills SO MUCH into such a tight, human story that I will be thinking on it for ages. “Wolf Crossing” pulsates with crackling energy. It’s almost to bursting with richly drawn characters and timely commentary on so many human struggles (neurodivergence, the greed of others, how our society teaches and treats children). It’s the kind of play that just gobsmacks you and it unequivocally demands production. Read this play as soon as you possibly can.

Change is rarely easy (I’m assuming that apocalyptic ones are much the same), but one of the hardest parts of adapting to it is dealing with the aspects you didn’t even once sense or imagine coming. In Moore’s terrific short horror, some zombies with a very notable difference to our pop culture’s image provoke a crisis of inner strength for our characters. A fun reminder that the best way to tackle anything is not alone, but with a little help from our friends.

You know how you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. From the interplay between the Surfer and Pip comes a humorous and fun meditation on ambition, perseverance, reputation, and more. It's a wholesome delight in every way, and the neat worldbuilding is well-layered, giving us just enough to imagine what isn't there. If you'll excuse me now, I feel like I could use a trip to the beach myself.

As someone who is not unfamiliar with bizarre and terror-inducing restaurants, take my word for it when I say that FOUR 'TIL is brilliant. The dread starts setting in from the opening stage direction, and the pace is pitch perfect. Retail is hell enough, but Willoughby has deftly managed to make it even worse than you could have ever imagined. Fruit cups have never been scarier. Thankfully, the real pleasure here is in reading this. A short play that would kill at any festival.

This is just some wicked awesome horror. Full stop. I’m not even from Boston. Gather by the Ghost Light’s audio production does excellent justice to what is a fantastic script of two youths encountering the monster of the week. But it’s also so much more than that once you dive into the relationship between Jackie & Briggs. It’s a perfect example how good character development makes the blood and guts shine. And since we’re listening to it, we’re picturing some pretty grisly stuff. Glorious.

A gloriously messy colossus of a play. Works examining genuine queer faith & progressive Christianity while also not softening the real trauma churches & organized religions inflict on LGBTQ+ people are few & far between. Even less so ones that treat their characters w/grace, pulling conflict less from their beliefs, but the struggle to find oneself & friends amidst the PTSD of being told to not be what you are. Cameron immediately announces themself as a talented, powerful writer. Incredible.

First of all, the implication of having a King named Dave is choice. Second of all, the multiple meanings Heyman fits into this piece are plentiful, hilarious, and wonderful. But perhaps most of all, where this short play winds up going is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Surprisingly emotional, playfully raunchy, and tackling relationships and communication in them with nuance, this is a surefire winner for any festival.

At least grief comes in waves. What if your lost loved one literally followed you around? Vargas’ short play is a tremendous and tenderly surreal step into the horror of loss, grieving, and finding your way forward. The worldbuilding, too, does a superb job of giving us just enough information to determine the rules while allowing room for our imaginations to dream about the world outside of Meche's apartment.

I have been in both "The Philadelphia Story" and "Midsummer," and grew up 40 minutes from Staunton (and know how it's pronounced), which arguably makes me more qualified than anyone to say how delightful (and deceptively skillful) Donnelly's play is. The characters and banter are top-notch, the physical comedy is begging for actors, and the story so beautifully captures all the highs & lows of love, most especially how surprising it can appear or remain even after years. Audiences will love it.

Drop what you're doing and read this immediately. You get an inkling quickly of where you expect this play to go and its themes. And while that inkling is correct, it also becomes so much more and goes so much farther than you could ever anticipate. Bold, witty, and gonzo, O'Brien's biting satire is not only ferociously funny, but something that would excite any actor to no end. God, this would be so amazing to see live.