Recommended by Paul Donnelly

I am gobsmacked. Powerful doesn't do this play justice. Riveting. Shocking. Deeply Disturbing in a way that rings harrowingly true. The comic build-up of expectations, the sobering reversal and the final awful twist make for a gripping and vividly theatrical experience.

How often in late middle age does one wonder, "how did I get here from there?" Bill and Paula confront this very issue as they struggle to salvage their failing marriage and remember the promise of their younger selves. There is such wonderful lyricism in the way their memories are rendered that I can't help but root for their present selves to revive some of that promise.

The struggle with body image lies heavy on Brent. But this taut and compelling monologue addresses many aspects of masculinity and the ways personal history and perceived societal expectations shape our present selves. The open-ended conclusion is sure to provoke animated discussion.

A painfully funny and regrettably accurate exploration of the post college job hunt. This is rendered with vivid theatricality, bordering on surrealism. A true delight.

Two different and clearly drawn young men haltingly work through their differences, defenses, and oddly shared/not shared histories to reach a tender and deeply satisfying resolution. Their sparring and its subtexts are engaging throughout.

A charming and witty illumination of the adage, "All's fair in love and war."

A play of undeniable power and unsettling resonance. To my great shame, I could recognize myself in the micro-aggressions perpetrated against Nia. The gap between intention and effect is viscerally illustrated. Topher's harrowing failure is an indictment of white complacency and self-serving conduct. The play builds from wry comedy to soul-searing drama with great skill and subtlety. This is a vital play of and for our times. It is time to see it produced widely.

A powerful play that compellingly explores grief, loss, family, and identity. The three characters' journeys intersect across time in ways that are heart-wrenching and true. The dialogue sparkles with feeling and insight. I am hard pressed to convey the extent of my enthusiasm for this piece. The well-realized parts merge into a powerful, resonant, larger whole.

What a dark, dry thriller! From the creepy opening to the inevitable, but still unsettling, conclusion, The Cost of Dying had me by the throat.

Rx Machina offers a compelling exploration of the pernicious effects of the abandonment of professional and personal ethics. The human costs of the opioid epidemic are movingly illuminated.