Recommended by Richard Lyons Conlon

Loved this play. Saw it at Otherworld Theatre’s Paragon 2019 and was totally lost in its claustrophobic intimacy from the opening lines. Thought-provoking and emotion-evoking in several different ways, from a sci-fi “what if” point of view to an examination of the basic insecurities in human relationship. In fact, the sci-fi was quite interesting but it was the two characters’ relationship that kept me spellbound. Well done.

The intensity of this piece cannot be overstated. From the moment Valerie starts talking, there’s no looking away — no matter how uncomfortable it gets. Without giving too much away, 18-year-old Valerie delivers a pre-event talk to a group of cosplayers almost as a general addressing her troops. The main message is safety and establishing boundaries. As she relates how the sheer joy of dressing up (and living life) must be defended or destroyed, the talk becomes alarmingly real. In Wyndham’s deft hands, Valerie’s voice rings tragically true. A great — and demanding — role for a young actress.

I loved this play! DeVita succeeds by completely involving you in these characters, most specifically troubled teens Phillie and Barbie. You care about what they're going through (and it is considerable), about their family dynamic, and their life back in the 70's, when parents had cocktails, smoked, and parented by yelling after the fact. The two mothers, Veronica and Grace, are memorable in their own right, both of them familiar, yet completely original. From the start, you want to know more about all these characters and their world. This play simply makes you feel you were there.

It’s difficult enough to take care of your mother’s belongings after she’s passed, but having your teenage self hanging around and “helping” just doesn’t . . . help. Esposito does a wonderful job of highlighting the differences AND similarities between the younger and older Madisons. The dialogue is by turns touching and hilarious and leaves the audience to think about what their own teenage self would have to say about who they’ve become. This work will have audiences examining their own lives for days. And hey, isn’t that what theatre is supposed to do?

We say someone faces a life and death decision, but how often is it literally true as it is here in Tilden’s deeply moving play? Grad student Addy’s life seems to be crumbling all around her and she’s at her own personal crossroads, with no idea what to do next or who to turn to. A stranger may hold the key to a choice that she can never undo. Tilden’s hyper-realistic dialogue draws the audience in and keeps us on the edge of our seats. A simple two-hander, Crossroads will make you think . . . and feel deeply.

What happens when the young hero is chosen to be bestowed with great powers and tasked with saving the world, but she’s more concerned with being captain of the debate team and getting into Smith? A highly original back-and-forth between Veleda, the mud-covered Lady of the Lake, and Edda, the aforementioned teenaged (potential) hero. Cohen’s dialogue is a witty juxtaposition between quasi-Norse god pontification, and teen-culture, text-speak. This play is flat-out hilarious as it places the audience squarely in “What would you do?” territory. The conclusion is particularly satisfying in its open-endedness. Much fun for actors and audience.

Lost Starlet examines the intertwined careers of movie legends Genevieve O’Neal and Desiree Dovell and their lifelong, uh . . . friendship? This hilarious send-up of TCM movie icon documentaries provides over-the-top scenery-chewing moments for two older actresses which audiences will eat up. Sickles deftly packs several decades of movie-making — including feuds, screen tests, awards, and sheer naked competitive jealousy — into a tautly crafted 15-minute piece packed with acerbic, campy wit. Funny, fun, and frantic, I can’t wait for the sequel!

There are lots of big laughs packed into this small play about small-part Actor auditioning for big-time Casting Director. He’s been in 36 films, playing non-speaking characters like: Police Officer, Gas Station Attendant, Cosmetic Surgeon, Biker Dude, Heckler, Guy Spitting Water, and Man Hit In Crotch By Golf Ball. As the CD says: That’s a lot of range. Now he’s up for a part WITH A SPOKEN LINE! The contortions he willingly goes through to to get the gig are hilarious start to finish. Hard to decide who has the most fun here: the actors or the audience.

Quite simply, one of the funniest 10-minute plays I’ve ever seen. Carter gives her actors so much comedy to play with here, it really is a marvel. She takes the characters on an epic journey, both in the plot and in their personal arcs, which elevates this above a sketch. As two video game players (one a gamer, one a newb) try to beat a brand new game, this could be viewed as both a satire of these types of games and a loving tribute. Best of all, it works for several age groups, from middle school through adulthood.

Whisper Into the Ground is devastating in its disorienting approach to the reality of a tragedy. Stripped of exposition, we discover the elements gradually — who was a participant/victim in the mortal event, who survived, what are these disembodied whispers, and who is uttering them and why? The beauty of the play is its unabashed theatricality and aggressive ambiguity. I was lucky enough to hear it at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference and it seemed each audience member had their own takeaway. This is kinda what theatre should be all about.