Recommended by William Triplett

Love Jean Ciampi's humor -- it really snaps, and it's uniquely hers. A small cast of colorful characters (producers, take note) and a simple set (see previous parenthetic) and a fun, endearing story about a middle-aged man finding himself through the loss of his fiercely independent mother: It held me from start to finish. And not a false note in it. A real achievement worthy of an audience! Bravo, Ms. Ciampi!

This is such an inventive, imaginative play -- a piece for orchestrated voices, though there is no singing. Just intertwining "melodies" and "counterpoints" of experience and feeling as people struggle with the prospect of death. Everyone here has been assaulted by cancer in some way, and their individual stories of strength, determination, and dread hooked me from start to finish. A play of enormous heart and feeling that would be so simple to produce. Well done, Suzanne Mernyk!

A lovely meditation on loss of many kinds, all related to the heart. But don't be fooled -- there's movement beneath the quiet atmosphere. Movement toward a kind of healing through connection, however tenuous, and ultimately toward hope. There's a great deal of feeling packed into these few pages, a testament to the beautiful economy of the writing, and as always with the best plays, what the characters are not saying tell you far more than what they are. Had the pleasure of hearing this at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and again reading it here.

Art imitates life and life sometimes imitates art. And there are times when you're not sure which is which. This short play has a lot of fun with that confusion, and in the process made me smile and laugh. Where does the real drama lie -- in the play these people are performing within Andrew Martineau's fictional script, or in their "real" lives within Andrew Martineau's fictional script? The layers kept me intrigued and amused, not to mention trying to figure out what's real and what isn't. With great roles and a simple set to boot!

A poignant look at a family that may be falling apart, laced with humor, and theatrically orchestrated. The people here are so entwined they know what the other will say, and yet still manage to surprise each other -- not always pleasantly. A lovely short drama that shows how families struggle with their pain.

A sweet, sad ghost story about loss, grief, and the triumph of love. Michael's tricks were all just that -- tricks. But his one truly magical feat is one we're all capable of doing, one that requires no suspension of disbelief -- just faith in the human spirit. Great roles for actors, and easy to stage. Really well done!

Looking for smart, wounded women -- one with so many scars she can't count, the other just feeling the first welts on her heart? Wondering what havoc fame and pan-sexuality can wreak on a marriage? Above all, interested in seeing how people rationalize the pain? Oh, yeah, let's not forget -- wanna laugh as much as you wince? Check out this fast-paced tale that starts with the accelerator floored and just gets faster. Try to keep up with the barbed wit, and try to avoid the psychic blood on the floor. A small masterpiece with great roles for women.

This warm-hearted tale, alternately funny and moving, quickly drew me into its fraught world of aging parents and their adult children who aren’t sure at times what’s happening with mom and dad and whether to be concerned, stoic, or flat-out terrified. Anyone who has witnessed a parent forgetting things more than usual or repeating themselves a little too often will immediately respond to this well-plotted play, which, among other things, reminds you – thankfully! – that dreams do not have to fade with age. All that, plus great roles for young, middle-aged, and older actors!

This action-packed satire had me from jump, taking me on a thrill-ride through the darkest heart of darkness, the place otherwise known as Hollywood. Max Gill knows his movie history and the movie biz, which is much like the drug trade, only not as moral. Sly, witty dialogue, a whirligig plot, and vivid characters combine into a spoof of more things than you can count. The bar scene in Bukastan alone should win an award. I devoured it in one sitting, hoping against hope it wouldn't end. Easy to stage, and great roles for actors. Should be produced now!

A tight, sharp-edged triangle featuring three finely-etched characters, briskly poetic dialogue, and a story that isn't so much a morality tale as a morality maze. Is happiness a transaction? Does love really figure into it any more than symbolically? And what does it mean to be honest? You might find yourself mulling these questions and others as you follow the sure-footed way Donna Hoke lays out this alluring drama.