Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Well that was painfully relevant. The Mediator is a brisk look at the diminution life can bring without one realizing it is happening. The guitar is a lovely metaphor for all the vital and joyful dreams that are lost unnecessarily in the process of aging. I hope that the Man's reclamation of his guitar is the beginning of a revival of his youthful dreams.

Tony's justifiable rage at his captivity is often expressed through wry and piercing humor. I won't take away from the reader's experience by quoting any witty lines, but there are many in this species-centric short. Tony's contempt for his captors and viewers is palpable and valid.

This is a raw and gripping exploration of the many levels of damage perpetrated by bigotry. In this case including the questioning of identity and the suppression of culture are most prominent. So much is lost to Billy and his family for the sake of survival in a white dominated society.

The Figures in this play are clearly drawn, one new to this world, on seemingly exhausted by it. Weighty issues of mortality and the nature of the afterlife are woven seamlessly through the piece, as Figure 1 struggles to understand the meaning of the darkness which surrounds her and to cling to the memories of her former life. I was as drawn to the ghost light as any firefly.

Sue seem to have a definite type and that type is not to her family's liking. Many laughs come out of the boyfriend's identity and Jane's response to his identity.

Families can be so judgmental as Sue is reminded when she brings home her new boyfriend. The jokes about the boyfriend's identity are pervasive and funny. The play also offers the opportunity for great physical as well a verbal humor.

Mike's unique approach to sharing his news with his family is an amusing conceit rendered with great wit. The response of each well-drawn family member rings true and advances the narrative from pure hilarity to warmth and genuine connection. This is a very funny play with a very big heart.

The laughs come fast and furious in this demented sci-fi parody. The Glaubermans are the true horror show (Sid has his attorneys on speed dial) with their sense of entitlement and their spoiled kids. Dr. Moreau seems to be at the mercy of corporate timeshare bookers and has to go to great lengths to protect his work (another source of rich humor). And please remember it's not THAT House of Pain!

That Maria's baby has no father can only mean one thing, right? Meanwhile, Maria has to get herself and her baby away from her father and the various goons on her tail. Enter Little Joey. Can Maria enlist his aid? Can she trust him? Is his love truly unrequited? There is wit and tension galore as this play builds to its very funny climax.

The hunger for human connection isn't limited to humans in this delightful and resonant short play. There are subtle levels of need coursing beneath the comic veneer. Not to mention two repair men who stand up to the best of Shakespeare's clowns.