Recommended by Shaun Leisher

A violent and visceral play that looks at a world where men are killed off by a virus and women and trans people are in charge of punishing those that break the new rules. River is such an interesting character. They can be so closed off and numb to the punishment she inflicts but also soft and sensual. This is a dystopian play and a love story all rolled up into one. This play requires performers to be really physical. Can't wait to see what a intimacy director and fight director can do with this piece.

I would love to direct this piece one day. These characters could be played by anyone and I hope people produce it with actors that aren't typically seen represented on stage. The lines seem so random but in their own way they make total sense as a meandering conversation between two people living in our current time. I really want to see what can be done with the silent character and how bold the ending can be. This play is such a delightful challenge.

I don't think I've ever read a piece of theatre written by a trans man from Pakistan. Very glad this was my first experience. This plays has some really moving things to say about the importance of representation and how one can, in some small way, control the narrative for audiences that don't share their background. For audiences that have taken part in their oppression. I loved the use of the mythical djinn to help the author work through their feelings. Loved making the audience culpable in this discovery of self.

A fun short play about the stresses of working in a corporate food establishment. I loved how Li lulls us into a false sense of security for January and then pulls the rug out from under her. In such a short number of pages, this play captures what it's like to love a job when your a teenager. It does a great job at showing young love in such an earnest way.

I love the pure poetry of the piece. I loved how the writer connects Estrella's transition to the tragedy that Lupe Velez faced. This play has so much to say about what women of color faced in the early days of Hollywood and how they don't seem that different today. I can't wait to see how the filmed and live moments work together in production. This play is so much for our pandemic times but in the best way possible. This play needs to be produced. It so deeply speaks to our times and deserves to be witnessed.

An absolutely thrilling and moving two-hander. The way time moves through this play is proof of a skilled playwright. I knew that these two timelines were connected in some way and even thought I had it figured out at some point but I found myself pleasantly surprised at the end. It was stunning to witness how masterfully Pumariega tackles issues like modern-day infertility and the disappearing of political protestors in 1970s Argentina. This was a part of history I didn't know well and I'm glad this play exists to tell the story of so many unjustly taken.

A brilliant play about a piece of history that I honestly knew nothing about. I had certainly heard of The Weather Underground before but never about this tragic moment. Diaz does a great job at telling the truth where information is available and fabricating the moments we know nothing about. Diaz expertly crafts intimate moments between these people. This play also effectively portrays how sexist these counter cultural groups could be. I hope this play gets produced and shines a light on a little know piece of history.

I really loved this play. Two women find freedom within each other in a culture that oppresses them. I don't think I've ever read a play that looks at the religion from this angle. I enjoyed getting to see the deep love these women have for each other. I couldn't help but be moved as they dream of a future together with Bruce Springsteen. My heart breaks knowing that those dreams are only that. This is a fantastic piece for young Jewish women to sink their teeth into.

I haven't read a play before about campus SA from the perspective of mothers who will stop at nothing to prove their accused son's innocence. Scotti does a great job at writing real humans here and resisting the urge to paint them as too delusional. Despite its serious subject matter, this play is not without quite a few laughs as we get to witness the absolute entitlement these women feel they are owed, especially in the world of hospitality. A great ensemble piece that needs to be produced all over.

Scotti does a great job here at creating human drama based around current events. Who knew killing lantern flies could be this compelling? I loved how we get to explore everyone's reason for being a part of this group. The killing of the lantern flies has high stakes for everyone. For some it's about connecting with their children. For some it's about keeping a relationship alive. Some do it because they want try and save our planet. This play really shows how there really is never a truly altruistic act.