Recommended by Shaun Leisher

I'm obsessed with plays where something is made in real time. Whether it's cooking food or in the case of this play sewing lingerie, watching an actor create something throughout a piece really excites me. This is an incredible solo play about being an ambitious woman and how our culture convinces us that people are expendable on our way to the top. I love that this play is written for a Persian actress. The play is not just about Sara being Persian but it is so moving when it touches on that part of her identity.

This play is the perfect example of it's funny because it's true. An absurd experiment that works really well has a cohesive piece of theatre that goes right for the jugular of the American theatre. The writers say at the start that due to all lines being from plays protected by copyrights we produce this piece at our own risks. I really hope there are people out there that will take on this risk. This is a play that needs to be heard. Sure things have gotten better since the 14-15 season but we still have so far to go.

This play is such a positive and nuanced look at the world of kink. Just when I thought I had things figured out Nona throws in another wild twist. Eventually I realized I had to just give myself over to the play and see where it led me. This is a play that helps us see that pursuing our desires in a consensual and safe way is so healthy. A play that shows there is a place of acceptance for kinks of all kinds. Also, it has a really awesome role for a trans woman.

A really great solo piece that I'd love to direct one day. Stevens has created an opportunity for an actress to give a tour-de-force level performance. It involves heightened text and emotional breakdowns and singing and bits of physicality. Doing this play feels like it would be an athletic feat. I loved how Stevens uses quite a bit of the original text while also capturing so well how a modern woman would speak. This play is a masterfully crafted examination of Ophelia while also in a way being a celebration of her.

Gina Femia (one of the best contemporary playwrights) takes on William Shakespeare (some playwright people think is one of the best). The thing is I don't Gina hates Shakespeare. They actually have a lot of affection for him. They just don't get all the hype. Also, this play isn't really about Shakespeare anyways. It's about finding one's voice, surviving abusive relationships and giving one's self over to art. I couldn't help but here Gina's voice the entire time I read it but I do hope other actors will get a crack at it.

Galante is amazing when it comes to writing about people in recovery and crafting roles for fat performers. This is a play that proves stories about addiction don't have to just be trauma porn nor should they always have an uplifting conclusion. Yes there are some very tragic moments in this play but there are also moments of true levity. We are never laughing AT these characters though. We are instead finding deep connection with them. I wanted to use the word empathy but I think it goes beyond that.

I'm a fan of a one act but if a story earns a long commitment I'm all for it. This play earns it. We follow these high schoolers over the course of a school year. We get to know their struggles both academically and personally. I loved how politics are addressed. It's subtle at first. You might even miss it if you aren't paying attention. Kovach beautifully leaves those breadcrumbs to lead us to a huge showdown of conflicting ideologies. To teenagers their lives can feel epic. I wish more plays would reflect that.

This should be in every actor's audition repertoire. I'm someone who loves specificity when it comes to character breakdowns but this one needs to be as open as possible. COVID-19 and the fears and racism that came with it touched us all. I'm just amazed by how Ng was able to pack so much in only 2 pages. Anti-Asian hate. The innocence of children. Existential dread. It's all there and while this feels like a period piece in many ways I'm glad this is there to remind us of what the world had to deal with in 2020.

Stories like this are just not being told on our stages today. There are not rich, funny roles like this for queer women in the 70s/80s. Gordon has taken two figures from LGTBT+ history and has written a hilarious and inspiring look at what it means to get older with the person you love. The fact that women like this had to hide themselves and who they loved for the vast majorities of their lives will always break my heart. The moments of magic were a stroke of genius. I loved the use of Jerry Herman.

For this play all you need is 5 actresses, an off-stage voice and a place to present. Present is the right word because this is a play about women being on display. It uses the frame of a pageant to explore how society view women's worth. The audience is forced to gawk at these women as if they are at the zoo, which makes the bizarre moments that bring in the animal world effective. This play is a chance for actresses to be vulnerable in so many ways and work on rich material. I love how bold Bollard's writing is.