Recommended by Paul Donnelly

A plot summary would not to justice to this compelling meditation on the distorting qualities of grief and the vagaries of memory. The plot is certainly gripping, full of twists and revelations, but it is most powerful in the way it explores the true nature of unconditional love. The complex and fully human characters undergo a journey that is full of surprises, difficult truths, and, ultimately, reconciliation.

Two very different female astronauts find themselves in the unexpected position of deciding which of them should carry space's first full term pregnancy. Their sharply funny disagreement explores much of the external pressure women face in child rearing. Their eminently rational solution flies in the face of the arbitrary direction of the soulless bureaucrats in ground control. This play made for an excellent episode of "Gather by the Ghost Light."

These complex people dealing with evolving identity and relationships and sexuality are incisively rendered and leap off the page. I felt submerged in a specific and vividly depicted world. Politics and philosophy have weaponized roles. Flynn has a unique and compelling voice that grips and challenges the reader.

From the riotous set up to the brilliant verse mash up at the end, this piece is pure delight. A heady mix of verbal dexterity and physical comedy keeps the energy high and the conceit engaging. This would be such fun to see staged.

What a lovely portrait of love, actually several loves, that endure beyond death. Asher hits the jackpot finding his grandfather's collection of baseball cards, but hits an even bigger jackpot seeing the ghost of his grandfather and being able to bring his grandfather huge news. This play is laced with humor and builds to a satisfying and spiritually affirming conclusion.

So much emotion roils under the surface of Hollis's attempt to mask her grief with facts and numbers. The one distance she needs to be able to measure is immeasurable. Her use of Morse code expresses her desire to communicate over a great distance and her last vestige of control.

Well that was one wild ride! Shades of Christopher Durang. The deadpan revelation of family horrors and therapeutic malpractice is devastatingly funny. From the broadest strokes to the tiniest details this play is a comedic gem. Although I'll never look on oolong tea in quite the same way.

These young people are so real and whole that it almost feels voyeuristic to watch them struggle with their tentative escalation from friends to lovers. There is much humor mined from Ban's eager efforts to find a substitute for a condom and much that is touching about their shared history. From the startlingly physical opening beats to the tender conclusion, this play is thoroughly engaging and heartfelt.

A sweet fantasy scenario proves to be only a fantasy in this charming and slightly melancholy short

For these bold and resolute resistance fighters the request being made of them is a bridge too far. It is extraordinary to think how young these women were, how courageous and how, despite the hell they have been through, their moral centers remained intact. There is much to admire in these three women and much craft in their depiction.