Recommended by Paul Donnelly

What a tart little takedown of Moby Dick! Although, boy does the Bookseller ever make the Customer pay for that service. Many laughs in a piece that is as brief as Moby Dick is bloated.

Two well-drawn and engaging characters come to face their very different fears in this lovely two-hander. The setting and Jason's mission offer unique circumstances for a first meeting. This is a charming, surprising, and well-executed romantic comedy.

The initially unspoken divides among these sisters provide tension that drew me in from the start. The affection among the sisters keeps their differences submerged as they reminisce about their shared history. When the differences bubble to the surface the peace making sister has her hands full. A final cathartic explosion reveals the depth of their disputes, but also reveals the endurance of their bond.

It's not easy being dead, especially when your guide to the afterlife is the wryly matter of fact Boat Man. This play offers a comic vision of the process of entering eternity and has a surprisingly hopeful conclusion.

The joy of karma is well and truly illustrated in this sharply observed short play. Would that every catcaller could meet Jake's fate!

Brian's misguided attempt at a Christmas gift is both funny and touching. As is Claire's initially scathing response. This play really captures the dynamic of a 47 year marriage and the unique ways people respond to grief. A lovely, lovely work.

This is a delightful encounter between a retired elementary school teacher and one of her former students. There is a humorous push and pull between their competing agendas. The object of their dispute is played for maximum laughs and the whole piece is engaging and funny.

The demented narrator pushes the cast through a dizzying series of scenes and transitions. Each scene cleverly spoofs a different genre and the widely disparate scenes add up to a dazzlingly funny whole.

A powerful look at a father/son road trip that is intended to heal their fractured relationship. The tension between them is clearly displayed and builds to a surprising and shattering final reveal. The dynamic and the dialogue between these two ring absolutely true. This is a work of real skill and intensity.

Poor Mel, who just wants to go to class, is caught up in a Kafkaesque academic bureaucracy. No matter how many times they explain their situation they receive nothing but a nonsensical response. If you have ever been frustrated by a bureaucratic runaround, you will share Mel's frustration.