Recommended by Quinn Xavier Hernandez

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

The impending nature of death and the stubbornness of mankind collide in A BRIEF LIST OF EVERYONE WHO DIED. Jacob Marx Rice finds an excellent rhythm as the age of his main character, Graciela marches forward through time, reluctant and coping with the deaths that make up her life. It’s a bitter, sweet, and perfectly balanced look at a difficult series of events we all know unfortunately well. #PlaywrightPlug

There’s a fine fine line between the realms of darkly comedic and heinous. SKIN & BONE not only walks that line perfectly, but also ebbs and flow between the two effortlessly. One thinks they know the world of this play when they first start reading, but Jacqueline Goldfinger slams the break and takes a twisty, winding detour that leads to a play filled with heartbreak and intrigue. #PlaywrightPlug #PlaywrightSpotlight

Stunningly complex and filled with an amazingly diverse cast, BOTTLE FLY is a force that cannot be tamed. Jacqueline Goldinger’s excellently crafted dialogue has a quick clip, but stings just like a bee even in moments of tenderness. Her characters voices are incredibly distinct and it’s a joy to hear each of them speak. #PlaywrightPlug #PlaywrightSpotlight

Just like the sands of time slip through our fingers, WHAT \\ WASHED ASHORE // ASTRAY flows through us and drifts onward. All of Benjamin Benne's plays have this majestic flow, but there's something in the breath of this play--something born from the themes of deterioration and death that make for an overwhelming experience in the best way possible.