Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Alma and Sam are forced to face up to their addiction to television in this richly funny and verbally dexterous farce. The dialogue is inventive and engaging and the solution to their dilemma is emotionally satisfying. While this play reads well, it would clearly shine even more brightly in performance. So produce it, already!

A tender exploration of sexual awakening, in every sense, between adolescent girls. Their breathless discussion of menstruation reveals an innocence and an eagerness to move beyond innocence that is wryly touching. Their chance reunion some 40 years later provides a rueful closure to their earlier encounter.

This lyrical play explores what it means to be a parent with a compelling mixture of humor, conflict and not a little magic. The central interpersonal issue is leavened with social satire and a rigorous sense of place. These events could not transpire as they do in any other location.

This play explores serious questions of identity and choice with a deft mix of humor and intensity. These are real and relatable women grappling with their views of one another and their sense of how to exist in the world.

The two young men at the center of Emily Hageman's poignant The Orchid struggle to find a meaningful connection in the face of severe trauma. Their internal obstacles are compellingly rendered and the glimmer of hope at the conclusion is heartening and well-earned.

What a poignant exploration of loss and grief, tinged with a little bitterness, I thought. Then bam, that macabre twist ending forced me to rethink everything that came before. A superb piece of well-crafted horror!

What a taut and compelling exploration of the demise of a family myth. Despite the harrowing revelations that the adult Lilith comes to accept, she is able to reconcile the truth with her enduring love for her grandparents.

What starts as a sweetly melancholy recollection builds to a shattering moment of physical and emotional violence. History becomes a weapon in this spare, gripping play.

Ewww. Don't ever cross Cheryl. Don't ever date Cheryl. This deadpan comedy of unhinged vengeance is a dark delight.

Angie and Todd are not enjoying their vacation or each other until they happen upon Pedro's Patio. The warm and empathetic proprietor, plus a jolt of good news, turns around their attitudes. A truly savory confection!