Recommended by Shaun Leisher

"I’ve found that, if you don’t make friends in concert queues, you make enemies."

There's something very special about the bonds that form among people that share a passion for an artist. You have shared language and just get each other. Gillespie captures that well in this play. We don't need to know what happens to them in between these meetings outside the venue. This space and how they connect with each other there is all that matters. Also, please more complex bisexual representation in theatre.

A short two-hander that I think young actors will really like performing in. The twist was not expected and I love how the magic of this play is accepted in the end. We need to be able to talk about death in a healthy way and I liked how Wren and Sage don't necessarily love the idea but they don't have a crippling fear of it. I also loved the choice of setting the play in the park. Definitely a piece that can easily be done in a black box but I'd love to see designers get fancy with it.

"Cantonese becomes another museum piece when there's no one to speak it to."

This is an absolutely perfect example of how the very specific can feel so universal when written with such heart and honesty. I obviously do not know what it's like to be Chinese or to not be able to speak the language of my family but I do know what it's like to feel left out and not belonging even among those that love us most. Chin has crafted a beautiful monologue that I hope becomes an audition staple for Chinese actresses.

A short play told in real time about reconnecting with old friends and how the past can never truly stay in the past. I loved how information is slowly and subtly revealed in this play. We don't need a huge scene of exposition. Shook gives us as much information as we need to put the pieces together and figure out what happened between these two friends. Were they ever really friends though? I loved how this play looks at the forced relationship you have with people that come from the same small town.

This starts out like ya normal play about high schoolers bonding and then gets progressively more and more fucked up until it culminates in a moment that can only be described as a fever dream. Plays about people on drugs is nothing new but I don't think I've ever read a play that subverts the sub-genre quite like this one. We are constantly questioning reality as these characters sink deeper and deeper into insanity. It's a wild play but also has some sweet moments that reflect on disappointment and the power of friendshio.

This is a monologue that should honestly be in the audition book for actors of all ages. Shook has taken a conversation that so many of us had with our friends and made it to a compelling and heartwarming piece of micro-theatre that I will probably revisit when I need a pick me up. I love how this feels like it could be performed by anyone but I do hope that actors that identify as part of the LGBTQIA community are prioritized because we need more opportunities for those folx to work on material beyond coming out or trauma.

A great play about the power of stories and the importance of making something out of pain. This is a play about a woman that wants to be heard. It's a play about men's desires to shut women up. It's a play about how painful it can be when a woman is not believed by other women. This is a messy play that gives no easy answers. Trauma Queen is not what most people would consider to be a "perfect victim." And this fact is exactly what makes her such a relatable character that you can't help but connect with.

I'm a big fan of plays that tell untold stories from history. After reading this play, I'm ashamed that I never knew about the Atlanta Washerwomen's Strike but I'm so glad I do now. Smith does a great job at dramatizing this story. She gives us a history lesson that is not even close to being dry or didactic. These characters are full of life even if they aren't all historical. This is what students should be experiencing instead of just reading what's in their textbooks. This is what makes history come to life.

I've worked in the food service industry for a big part of my life so plays about the relationships you build there really excite me. I never know how plays set in COVID times will work today. It could easily feel like an irrelevant period piece but I think this one does a good job at capturing that unique time. Gordon does a great job at capturing the little details like how certain people do and don't wear masks or the obsession with hygiene. I'd love to see a site-specific version of this play.

A fantastic look at our need to be noticed and appreciated for the things we do. It's about two people striving to feel less alone and have a shared loved for reality tv. This play feels a bit absurd and unreal while also feeling so true to where our society is headed. I loved that we don't know what the purpose of this show is until the very end. I felt that it was where we were headed but that didn't make the end any less sobering. We need to talk about the themes brought up in this play.