Recommended by Quinn Xavier Hernandez

God this play! It doesn't matter how many times I consume media about the impact of AIDS, it always hits hard. Paul Donnelly does something different here. It's very easy for these kinds of plays to get weighted down in depression and morality; while there are the hints of those in FAMILY VISITATION, Donnelly never lets it get in the way of the dramatic action onstage. His characters are fully-fleshed and engaged and it's a heartbreaking treat to see how it all plays out. #PlaywrightPlug

Another wacky, weird, and wonderful short by Rachael Carnes. There's such satisfying energy just buzzing between her characters and the idea of buying pubic lice when you don't have enough money for rent just so you can get back at the ex who scorned you is deliciously fun! #PlaywrightPlug

Tragically funny, THE CHOCOLATE AFFAIR is heart wrenching yet fun. Stephanie Alison Walker has created a fabulous short piece filled with so much vulnerability that I am dying to see it staged. There’s also something so delightful about seeing candy anthropomorphized! #PlaywrightPlug

Larry Rinkel employs repetition masterfully in PEAS IN THE FRIED RICE. There is such a nice clip to the argument between his characters and their repeated complaints that feels incredibly true to life. #PlaywrightPlug

Sweet and uplifting, GREATER GOOD gives us a short look at a particularly difficult moment in any young couples’ lives. Donna Hoke masterfully balances the stakes at hand with the needs and aspirations of her characters. The wisecracking homeless woman adds some much-needed brevity that creates a fun theatrical experience. Would love to see it staged! #PlaywrightPlug

Jennifer Fawcett has created a beautiful solo piece that I am absolutely dying to see staged. There’s something so incredibly visceral about a knife attached to a table by aircraft cable – it’s dangerous but restricted, still usable but a shadow of its former self; this easily applies to her character as well. APPLES IN WINTER is a true treat that’s delightfully bittersweet. #PlaywrightPlug

Everything that sets Emily Hageman’s work apart in short and one act formats really shines in JOAN’S ARC. Once again, Hageman has chosen several incredibly difficult topics – school shootings, mental illness, grief, the bureaucracy of America’s public education system, etc – and placed them into a play that is so readily accessible to a younger audience. It’s truly an inspiration and I hope to see more full-length works from her in the future. #PlaywrightPlug

Zany, fast-paced, and built with high potential for physical comedy in its simplistic setting, SEX AND VIOLENCE feels like a whirlwind of anxiety and excitement that likely resonates with all playwrights. Rachael Carnes shines in these brief 23 pages with great overlapping and comedic timing. #PlaywrightPlug

Stefanie Zadravec has spun something truly magical in THE ELECTRIC BABY. It’s the culmination of many beautiful stage pictures that jump right off the page, a vibrant cast of perfectly flawed characters, and an overflowing wealth of stories that feel incredibly true to life. Truly a heartwarming play and one that has the power to find a long-lasting life on the stage. #PlaywrightPlug

Raunchy, bloody, and an all-around good time, MY CANNIBAL SUMMER is quick in its pace and delightfully strange. Claire Rice has really built a world where cannibals are less something to be feared and more awkwardly romantic, cringy, every day people that can be thrown into hilarious circumstance and hijinks just like any good comedy. #PlaywrightPlug