Recommended by Lisa Kenner Grissom

In this beautiful piece of theatre, Jennifer Maisel gives us the epic and the intimate, the heart-breaking and the life-affirming, the tragedy of the past and the hope for the future. Maisel's rich, multi-layered characters take us on a lyrical journey that reverberates through time. Hopefully this play will be produced far & wide. 

In this funny, moving and hugely theatrical play, Sarah Tuft deftly illuminates the complexities of 90's feminism and gender politics by both deconstructing and reconstructing the past, while also shining a light on the present. By combining source material with inventive characterizations, Tuft offers a fresh perspective on the Monica Lewinsky narrative. In today's #metoo environment, Marvel-ous Monica is relevant, inventive and fearless. I look forward to seeing this play, and Monica, on her (heroic) feet.

Kyle T. Wilson has created an entertaining satirical fantasia replete with sibling rivalry, Old Hollywood glamour, and outrageous schemes for revenge. While Olivia and Joan's rivalry is front and center against the backdrop of paternal abuse, Wilson weaves in a parallel narrative that highlights the fight for female empowerment within the studio contract system, and imagines a female uprising that has reverberations in today's poitical climate. I saw this as a staged reading and look forward to seeing it fully on its high-heeled feet.

Match is a play that keep you thinking long after you leave the theatre. What is it like to walk in the shoes of someone with a failing kidney? What motivates someone to become a donor? These are a few of the questions that Maisel poses in her inventive dramedy about what it means to give and receive when lives hang in the balance. Maisel's vivid characters and comedic surprises kept me engaged at avery turn.

It’s rare when you see a play and find yourself both laughing hysterically and moved to tears. In The Super Variety Match Bonus Round, Deb Hiett takes a familiar subject – the grieving process – and explodes it in the most unique and inventive ways. The characters are beautifully drawn and the writing crackles, keeping audiences engaged at every turn.

In this updated Cain and Abel story, Cassie tempts us with characters who possess competing motivations and secrets that live just below the surface. Cassie leads us in and out of the past with a haunting lyricism that ignites our interest in following these troubled brothers on their tragic journey.

In From The Deep, Cassie deftly crafts a suspenseful two-hander which is no easy feat. Each character’s plight is sharply drawn and I find myself invested at every turn. Cassie creates otherworldly worlds and alternate realities that test our perceptions and challenge our ideas of freedom and captivity.