Recommended by Paul Donnelly

In this clever riff on Genesis, we see possibilities beyond Adam and Eve and a very different explanation of how the apple came into Eve's possession. We also experience the first man, the first woman, the first sexism and a groaningly dysfunctional celestial bureaucracy. There is a great deal of wit and trenchant observation packed into this short satire.

Clever and sublime, this one minute gem is packed with laughs. The first recitation of the alphabet is one of the wittiest bits I've seen in a while.

Creepy and full of surprises, this gripping horror story plays with many of the tropes of a couple of friends lost in woods who end up at an isolated cabin in the woods. To say anything more would be to give away the twists and turns that make this story so rich and engaging, Give it a listen on Gather by the Ghost Light.

This is an urgent exploration of a relationship torn apart by unexpressed expectations. Juxtaposing their painful recollections enables a build to a moment of real clarity for each. George and Hal are compellingly drawn and the play gives full voice to their separate journeys. This is a skillfully crafted and thoroughly engaging work.

Eerie and gripping, this story of loss and guilt and resurrection takes hold and doesn't let go. The narrative unfurls subtly at first but then builds to a frenzy of revelation and recrimination. This is a world of mystical forces and urgent hungers. The characters are suffused with elemental contradictions and complicated regrets. This is world-building and story-telling of the highest order.

The act of keeping secrets is almost more painful to the secret keeper than to the loved one from whom the secret is being kept. Little Black Dress is a deft and compelling exploration of the discovery and release of a secret and a heartening look at the way release of a secret can allow a relationship to deepen. There is impressive craft at work here in the levels of emotion undergirding natural dialogue.

An utterly charming and engaging depiction of two well-defined characters moving haltingly toward connection at what is clearly a miserable wedding reception. Their neurodivergence is authentically and humorously portrayed and adds to their attraction dynamic. This lovely play had me rooting for Bascom and Isaac from the get-go.

Two lonely survivors build a connection in a vividly rendered post-apocalyptic world. This play is a profound and gripping exploration of that need for connection and of dealing with grief and loss. The hypnotic and hallucinatory figure of Lobster Man heralds an irrevocable transition and leaves one of the survivors to fulfill a life sustaining promise. Mark and Christa are boon companions, to us as well as to each other, and it is exhilarating to share their well-crafted journey.

Michael's dream life has taken over his physical life in deeply unsettling ways. The play traces his frantic last-ditch effort to save his soul with escalating power and intensity. This piece offers two compelling and sympathetic characters engaged in a struggle with real weight and consequences.

Are freedom and commitment mutually exclusive? Or is that question a product of false and oppressive binary systems of thinking? These four complicated, vivid, engaging characters lurch and stumble their way to fluid terms of mutual engagement and a deliciously queered life together. The struggle to build to that life is also highly sensual and filled with moments of betrayed trust and unexpected revelation. This is a complex journey that is infinitely worth taking.