Recommended by Paul Donnelly

What seems like an amusing character study becomes something much more menacing at the finale. I admired the solid comic build to the sinister ending.

Somehow I kept hearing rim shots throughout Dear Bertie. It's a fun collection of amusingly groaner dad jokes.

"Read. His. Poetry." Such a simple command, but one Charlie ignores in favor of his favorite pastime, drinking, There is much humor mined from Charlie, Will, and Em's failure to channel their namesake poets and in Charlie and Will's ultimate abandonment of their literary project. This is a most amusing alcohol-fueled spoof of academic pretensions meeting youthful folly.

Wonderfully atmospheric and often lyrical, this play seduced me into believing it was going in a sentimental direction but it turned out to have taken me in quite another. Brilliant misdirection made the conclusion all the more surprising. Well-drawn characters kept me engaged from the start. It was a pleasure to be on the train with Natty and the Kid.

How do we even recognize that we have entered the afterlife? The vivid fight between the Szubinski brothers offers the first startling clue. This play is filled with well-defined characters, most of whom have accommodated themselves to their new reality, and snappy, distinctive dialogue. David is fortunate to have met his demise on a Tuesday and we are fortunate to have this opportunity to explore it with him.

What seems like the touching story of a mother who won't accept that her missing child is dead suddenly becomes something darker and more horrifying in this artfully composed drama. Just as Alice seems to be healing we are hit with a gut punch of a conclusion. Clearly the work of a virtuoso of the craft!

Helena Domina makes an impressive case for her rights and role as a mother without apologizing for her very successful career as a sex performer. Helena's rage and her colorful vocabulary are riveting and her care for and knowledge of her child are authentic. I wish her the best in her battle for custody with her weasel ex-husband.

"The truth will set you free" if by "free" you mean divorced. The couple at the center of this very funny play learn the value of a little strategic dishonesty. Fortunately, their bond seems strong enough to survive a volley of unpleasant truths.

When you're made from "stardust and dreams," you may miss a critical detail when building Santa a mate. This riotous comedy is filled with witty lines and a deftly set-up central dilemma. The payoff had me shaking with laughter, rather like I was made of jello.

The mystery of the liminal space surrounding Margaret and Stephen draws us into this compelling reflection on aging and connection. The highly theatrical use of props and sound add to our sense of engagement and to the mystery of the piece. The heightened language contributes to a sense of other-worldliness. All the elements work together to suggest a definition of the space and contribute to the satisfaction of the whole experience. And it is a highly satisfying and compelling experience.