Recommended by Deborah Yarchun

A fascinating, theatrically innovative exploration of the complexities of history and the sometimes darker sides of technological advancements. Crystal’s play looks at a side of history few people know about and tackles it in a compelling way – truly worthy of a stage. I can’t wait to see a production of this play!

Stockade is a beautifully written, powerful play! It hit me so viscerally. For a historical drama, it’s still so relevant. And the stakes are so high. I highly recommend reading this play and hope to see it produced soon!

I LOVED Galatea! The twists are genuinely surprising and powerful. I nearly jumped out of my seat with a pivotal reveal in this play. This is a theatrical and moving exploration of what it means to be human that deserves to be produced and seen by more audiences. I’m not at all surprised this play has won so many accolades.

This is such a beautiful, life-affirming play that dives into Judaism in a way I deeply relate to. It explores grief, healing, and finding new relationships in the face of tremendous loss. In its specificity it’s totally universal and relevant to all and it’s theatrical in a pure way- where its theatricality ties to the ideas at its core. I highly recommend this play if you’re looking for an uplifting read and a powerful new voice. I hope to see it produced.

Whorticulture is an unapologetic, necessary, and powerful theatrical exploration of our toxic broken culture and the painful ways young girls internalize being sexualized from a young age. I recommend reading it and totally agree it should be part of the curriculum in gender studies departments and produced.

Archipelago is an intimate, beautiful, and soulful play about trauma and connection. It’s full of humor and humanity and ends with a twist that will haunt you in the best of ways. I strongly recommend it!

I’m stunned by the depth of Righteous Among Us. Amy Tofte explores a character who unearths and breaks the truth to a woman who’s lived with a lie covering her family’s horrific complicity in War War II. Righteous Among Us is a fascinating play that asks complicated questions about history, denial, and the power and importance of confronting the truth.

Franky has written an important, eye-opening play filled with raw truths and compassion. Even Flowers Bloom in Hell, Sometimes is a powerful theatrical play and an honest, gut-wrenching exploration of incarceration and the humanity of those trapped in an unfair system.

Fukt is a powerful exploration of the way trauma echoes throughout one’s life and the internal dissonance it can create. Emma Goldman Sherman goes dark, unsettling, deeply honest places. The type of honesty you have to lean into because it reveals human truths that normally stay hidden. It’s a story of being a survivor that is inventively and intelligently told with humor and depth and will stay with you for a long time.

A hilarious and uncomfortable (in a good way) exploration of what it means to be Asian in American culture when Hollywood through rom coms upholds white men as the romantic ideal. Cho explores problematic aspects of dating culture, particularly niche dating apps and dating filters/racial profiling in dating. She throws smart and deft curveballs into her story and at her characters. This is a fascinating, fun, highly producible play with an unsettling core that will lead to interesting discussions.