Recommended by Paul Donnelly

This complex, compelling and adroitly crafted play is frequently surprising and just as frequently moving. There are revelations that are truly devastating, hard earned epiphanies, and a superb use of Romeo and Juliet to illuminate many aspects of the play's present moment.

A heartrendingly melancholy portrait of a man who has lost touch with his life because of a traumatic brain injury and the ex who tries frantically to get him to connect. Sickles depicts a kind of loss rarely seen on stage with compassion and insight. Our hearts break with Vaughn as he realizes he has not been able to bring Lane back to his former life.

A charming comedy with three good roles for female actors of a certain age. It's heartening to see romance and all it's complications bloom among characters who aren't kids anymore.

A complex and compelling exploration of the integrity of identity. We share Janet's increasing sense of urgency as Alison's intention to kill herself becomes clear. And we understand Alison's distress at the secret revealed by her DNA test. The resolution offers a sense of hope in the efficacy of human connection. This piece also explores the very specific issue of the meaning of Corean identity and of the dilemmas posed by American views of Asian identity in general. It deserves a broad audience.

The witty dialogue brings four distinct characters to riotous life. Really, the laugh out loud moments just keep coming and coming. Wonderful roles for actors of a certain age and a sweetly satisfying ending.

A play that's as smart and witty as its protagonist. A manipulative daughter gets her comeuppance when she discovers just how far her aging mother is from giving up her independence. This is a joyful celebration of aging with verve and grace.

/art/ is a delightful send up of the pomposity and pretension behind so much art criticism. The reveal of the identity of the artists and the nature of their art is a deliciously comic surprise. But then, this piece is hysterical and engaging from the first line to the last.

A most effective and vividly theatrical bit of agitprop, highlighting Schlafly's extensive and horrifying impact on fifty plus years of public discourse. The irony of her ambition and extensive education is subtly juxtaposed with her paeans to traditional marriage and the woman's "place." The title of her final, posthumous publication provides a jolting kicker and conveys how her influence survives her to our great detriment.

Rachael Carnes presents a searingly comic dystopia and then asks "can we keep from getting here?" A question that proves to have no easy answer. The play includes moments of wit and tenderness as well as horrifying cruelty. The narrative never lags and builds suspensefully through a startling revelation to an ambiguous conclusion that only reinforces the work's chilling impact.

What a hilarious take on the pre-wedding jitters of one would-be spouse juxtaposed with the serene calmness of the other. Although one character does most of the manic, exhilarating talking, there is real balance in the opportunity for non-verbal responses from the other. This lovely play is even more life and love affirming than the Louise Hay quotes sprinkled throughout.