Recommended by Paul Donnelly

There is much humor mined from two blasé middle school teachers watching students engaged in a dark and horrific ritual. The teachers' world weary, deadpan responses are funnier and funnier the more the ritual progresses. Their encounter with a student participant wittily explores the student's typical middle schooler behavior in the face of the horror. The button on the play is one more element of its engaging humor.

The Mavis of Dear Mavis is propelled into the world of heedless bloggers and mindless technology by her paper's new editor, a shallow, inexperienced, caffeine addled bully. The joy of this play is in watching Mavis cope and ultimately triumph. She is even pushed into following her own advice about the potential for a new love. Wonderfully drawn characters and a briskly moving narrative make Dear Mavis a true delight.

This sweet-natured comedy is filled with twists and turns, some humorous, some seemingly serious, that build organically to a wholly satisfying conclusion. The members of this family are each engaging and their dynamic is well-rendered, It is delightful to see their bond deepen.

In this truly fractured fairy-tale, a pragmatic prince throws cold water on the little mermaid's romantic dreams. This bracingly subversive take on fairy-tale ethos is riotously funny and is sure to be even more entertaining in production.

What fun! The Manners Mafiosi show themselves capable of both mercy and rigor. And the very rude young man who displays ill-manners gets what he deserves. A highly satisfying spoof.

What a lovely exploration of the fear and the euphoria, the yearning and the retreat that run through first love. These young men are vividly drawn and engaging. Eden's description of his desire to join Ash in the ocean and the fear that kept him out is a gorgeous reflection of his core dilemma. Though they have different tolerances for going public, there is a sense of something solid at the core of their connection.

When middle son Sammy's return from service in the army is met with mixed reactions due to the circumstances under which he was forced to enlist, the seeds of his ultimate destruction are sewn. On the way to his murder, the narrative is leavened with the real affection and humor displayed among the family members and friends in the community. But ultimately the racist power structure prevails and the surviving members of the family are forced to flee. Although eldest son Junior extracts a measure of revenge and youngest son Ronald builds a better life fulfilling his dreams in NY.

So much to love in this funny and moving play about grief and self-acceptance and a love that transcends death. Saul learns a valuable lesson when he realizes the meaning of the checks his Bubbie has been sending. Saul is finally able to move beyond needing to put up a false front to his family, an effort that is amusing at first but comes to be deeply problematic. Saul's journey is entertaining, poignant, and ultimately up-lifting.

Longstanding resentments boil over as these three siblings drive to their father's deathbed. Their dialogue has the texture that comes from a shared history and their experiences are rendered vividly. Yet, despite their differences, the thread of a bond remains.

Nora faces a difficult decision and her grandmother reveals long hidden family secrets in the hope of making her feel less alone. The difficulty of Nora's decision is revealed with great sensitivity and insight. It is entirely fitting that Nora doesn't make a decision by the end of the play. She and we are left with much to ponder.