Recommended by Shaun Leisher

A celebration of chosen family. I loved the dynamic between these three friends. Marinello was able to create fully fleshed out characters with backstories and everything in this short play. I found myself rooting for all of these characters and hope they stay friends FOREVER!!!!

A sharp and humorous take on an issue "ripped from the headlines." The reveal of who Chuck actually is made me chuckle a bit. Sun is able to cram a lot of information in this short play, without bogging the reader down with exposition. I wish more writers were able to tackle current events with this much wit.

So many questions are raised here in this play and so many more I was left with as I read this. Three generations of women are left with a decision of whether or not to allow a trans child to stay at camp. The points of view here are complicated and even the bigoted view is given nuance. I was really moved by this play and I hope that it will be produced all over and spark some much-needed dialogue.

This play is a call to action. A call to empathy for people who only want a better life. This needs to be produced all over. This play could not be more relevant. These characters are so richly written and find ways to surprise each other and suprise us as the audience. I loved the use of the ensemble as they invite the audience in to the piece through their poetic dialogue and music. Loved the choice to make the Spanish untranslated. This is a play that will connect people and help us realize no one is illegal.

Groustra has crafted an absolutely perfect post-apocalyptic play. Loved how this play explores how much girls have to grow up in this dangerous world. I was fascinated by how protective Helena was of Mary Grace while also seeing it as something hard that she didn't sign up for. I loved the scene towards the end where Helena and Vera just get to be girls and remember the before times. I won't be able to stop thinking about that ending. Would love to see this play produced in colleges all over.

Rosenberg has written a wonderful two-hander about loneliness. Both of these characters risk something to find connection with each other in such a moving way. Who knew it would take a piece of theatre to get me passionate about the demoting of Pluto? Also, the character of Venetia is such an authentic depiction of a young person on the autism spectrum. Refreshing choice to make Pluto a trans and/or gnc character. I just really loved this play and hope it gets produced everywhere.

A fun ghost story that also has something to say about race and gentrification. Loved how simple this scenario starts out as. Loved how it kept getting stranger and stranger until Kyle is reckon with the way he lives his life. This would be so fun to see produced.

A wonderful and weird play. Loved the twist at the end and the other moments where the character gets to go off script. This play would be so fun for an actor.

A really moving short play. Loved how this play explores the thearapeutic power of gardening. Lloyd gives us just enough information to know that something painful happened to Ingrid and leaves it at that. I appreciated that we didn't get bogged down with exposition. This is play is about the relationship between these three characters and how they all help each other experience catharsis through planting seeds. Great use of props.

A simple scenario with so much subtext for actors to work with. Great use of setting and costumes to tell this short story. Loved the repeating pieces of dialogue. Loved the creative use of metaphor. Definitely a fun piece to work on for a short play festival or scene study class.