Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Wow. What a passionate, sensual and direct rendition of highly charged sexual attraction. Of course no bloodless description can capture the true riveting and unsettling effect of reading (and I imagine seeing) this powerful poetic monologue.

This play offers so much to an audience: two distinctly drawn and compelling characters (three, if we count poor Vince), a conflict heavy on subtext, and a vivid setting. The ambiguous ending leaves us with tantalizing possibilities and grist for post-show discussions. (I say go to Baltimore!)

What a touching and imaginative exploration of a re-imagined back-story for the principal character in A Christmas Carol. We see an authentic human connection under the stern and miserly visage and we see how the loss of that connection calcifies that visage. The irony of the early scenes is superseded by the very moving final events. All-in-all, an impressive and engaging work!

What a charming and amusing twist on the Cinderella narrative. This prince is down-to-earth and true-to-life. By crushing the glass shoe he has set himself up for quite the search, but he is so engaging that I can only wish him well.

Just like the characters they describe, narrators have needs and flaws. In this deliriously meta comedy, a beleaguered narrator must cajole an ordinary man into performing an ordinary act as the conventions of narrative storytelling are turned on their head.

A moving example of paternal love and acceptance. Would that all parents would respond to their child's coming out as Alex's Dad does for him.

A deliciously twisted take on the search for connection in even the most seemingly casual hook-up. Kurt and Rory both reveal surprising dimensions as their most unusual evening unfolds.

Preach, Ethan, preach! This is an effective portrayal of the journey from pride in self-control to the self-loathing that comes from loss of control and body-image shaming to a final sense of empowerment and self-acceptance. Ethan is an infinitely relatable person and his ultimate realization is heartening.

The spare, taught dialogue of the exchanges between these two couples contains such depth of feeling, of blame and guilt, of shattering loss. This play confronts the honest truth that In the face of such a loss there is no peace, no closure to be found.

What a complex exploration of identity and performative identity. Kate's callow questions are understandably discomforting to Kai and should be to us as an audience.