Recommended by Quinn Xavier Hernandez

I have been searching for this play since I came out. Never before have I felt so seen and so heard on the page. This play tackles so much and yet never feels heavy-handed or unwieldy. I am yearning to see a production of this. Hell, I don't act much anymore, but I would jump at the chance to audition for the role of Spencer. Truly remarkable theatre here and I hope it has a long and vibrant life!

"It's All About Me" is subtle and simple, yet it is because if this simplicity that it packs quite a punch. The character of Jenny is incredibly vulnerable in this pain-filled, yearning, poignant monologue. I'll be adding this to my list of monologues to recommend to actors--I would be thrilled to see it in an audition room.

/walls/ is such a powerful exploration of intimacy and relationship dynamics and how we survive life itself when everything feels so incredibly overwhelming. Sofia Palmero does a phenomenal job balancing the comedic elements of this piece with some absolutely tear-jerking moments that are just a true delight to experience as an audience member. This piece is high on my bucket list of plays to direct and I cannot wait to see where it goes!

Roger Stroud shows off equal amounts of wit and tenderness in WHATEVER MAY COME. This is a lovely slice of life that we rarely see and is handled beautifully. Kudos!

Bryan Montemayor is unapologetic and necessarily brutal in his examination of ICE detention centers and the people trapped inside. Perfectly paced, heartbreakingly honest, and raw. LIKE THE IVY CLINGS is a fantastic ten-minute play that everyone should consider when putting together a festival!

Liz Dooley does a fantastic job of inviting her readers/audience in her worlds without giving them any information to go by and then letting the play unveil its secrets. Like so many of her other plays, Dooley's penchant for awkward and sensitive characters speaking their minds openly pushes SHRINK forward at an engaging pace, but it's truly Ellie's self-discovery following her death that makes this play a true theatrical delight.

Emily McClain's knack for strong interpersonal dynamics between her characters is on full display in JULIE'S PLACE. No single branch on this family tree feels overlooked and the way each character processes the grief of losing the matriarch, Julie, is fascinating. Funny, heartfelt, captivating, and (at times) an absolute gut punch of a play. Read it and then produce it. I highly recommend it!

An absolute force of modern tragedy, CHILDREN OF COMBS AND WATCH CHAINS keeps audiences/readers on the edge of their seat. McClain's characters have such strong motivations that it's almost easy to forget that their hubris will inevitably lead to their destruction--a trait which keeps you hoping and wishing right alongside Jim and Della in their unintentionally conflicting quest for a child.

Today we are inundated with technology when it comes to our social lives and the dating scene has gotten no less tricky to navigate as we've moved online. Emily McClain expertly uses her digital format to great success and has created a lovely one-act play that touches on themes of femininity, self-expression, and sisterhood while at the same time damning the patriarchal boxes that say each of these themes are black and white.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT is full of nostalgia and raw teenage emotion that allows audiences to easily root for both of these young women. Having heard this piece both in Cultivators' Cultivate Session and at Working Title Playwrights, I am eager to see the life this short play has once it gets staged!