Recommended by Quinn Xavier Hernandez

Quick in its pace and undeniably sharp, SENSITIVE GUYS creates a multi-dimensional dialogue about assault and its aftermath. MJ Kaufman’s characters are funny, often at odds, and entirely unfiltered which makes for a hilarious and thought-provoking piece. #PlaywrightPlug

DAUGHTER is a heartwarming and vulnerable look at adoption and what it means to be found and seen. Elana Gartner’s characters are bright and varied – each with a distinct point of view and unique voice that makes them feel like fully three-dimensional humans each battling for control and having to learn to compromise. #PlaywrightPlug

David Lee White takes the abnormal and strange masterfully in his hands to make what could be an otherwise mundane moment of history (and subject matter) something full of life and wonder. ROCKET SEX MAGIC has a lot of heart and is certainly a wild ride that no audience member will forget. #PlaywrightPlug

It’s not often we see the one character at multiple different ages played by different actors, let alone two. Amy E. Witting uses this rare choice masterfully, integrating her characters’ memories and their development between multiple time periods to show just how deep their scars run. A heartbreakingly haunting piece, THE HOUSE ON THE HILL is stunning! #PlaywrightPlug

Nick Mecikalski paints an extraordinarily vivid and visceral world that simultaneously feels so foreign and so relatable. While one may not always know where they are while experiencing it, REALLY REALLY GORGEOUS is a rollercoaster ride that is sure to entertain. #PlaywrightPlug

BABEL is wildly innovative and frighteningly powerful; it raises a metric ton of difficult questions that spiral into ever more difficult questions. Jacqueline Goldfinger is precise with her sharp, fascinating, and wickedly intelligent dialogue to a point that the story cuts even in places where we think it is softer. #PlaywrightPlug

Quirky, fun, and witchy, MOMMY DANCES WITH THE DEVIL is a nice mixture of the slice-of-life for harried mothers and supernatural thriller. #RachelBublitz creates and entertaining an unique night of theatre. #PlaywrightPlug

Hilarious, tragic, and so-real-it-hurts. HAPPINESS (AND OTHER REASONS TO DIE) allows us to stare down death while at the same time reflecting on life. Bob Bartlett masterfully ties his characters into the mystery and slowly unveils more and more information about their lives that we are left rooting for each one of them in some way. #PlaywrightPlug

BUILT TO FLOAT is an insightful examination of the long-term effects of grief and how unhealthy coping mechanisms take their toll. I saw the Essential Theatre's production this summer and it served Rachel Graf Evans' words beautifully.

SEEING EYE goes beyond the blindness of its main character. None of the characters in Nick Malakhow’s equally comic and tragic piece are able to look beyond themselves in the moment. And they cannot see their good qualities from the bad. It’s deliciously human, heartbreakingly honest, and would be a delight to dig into as an actor, director, or designer. #PlaywrightPlug