Recommended by Greg Burdick

Brian James Polak has taken a time-tested classic American drama and reimagined it to feel incredibly urgent and necessary. He honors the ancestral bones of his source material, yet makes this New England town vibrant with contemporary life- in all its faults and quirks. A powerful examination of small town life, revealing human truths in a wider lens. Beautifully crafted. Very much looking forward to seeing this staged.

When Donna Hoke leans in to writing comedy, it’s always keenly balanced with moments of poignancy. In “Finding Neil Patrick Harris,” this quality is on full display. A story of seeking out your life’s purpose, and the urge to feel necessary in the universe, Cha-Cha and Katie’s antics will keep you laughing while affirming our collective need for true friendship. And... nail polish companies would be well advised to hire Hoke immediately: her unique color names undeniably add a rich flair and high gloss.

After hearing this play presented at a Theatre Unmasked virtual reading, the air of invocation, call for calm, serenity and peace, became even more pointed when I read the additional plays in Carbajal’s quarantine cycle: The Quarantine, Angie, In Bloom, and Death is a Star. These are beautifully crafted works that crystallize what all of us have been thinking, and feeling, and living, in our modern pandemic world. The simple act of breathing reminds us we’re alive, and reassures us that we can forage onward, as long as we remain calm and mindful amid the chaos around us.

With the added bonus of two alternate endings for an audience to choose from mid-performance, “Uisce Beathe” is a glorious gift to performers with physical comedy chops. The woman featured in this very satisfying work from Kurtas-Chapman will easily join the ranks of Harpo Marx, Buster Keaton, and Mr. Bean.

In sixty seconds, Matthew Weaver perfectly captures the desperation to connect in a quarantine world. We all immediately identify with Marshall and Julie, and would most certainly do the same. Poignant and beautiful.

Reminiscent of the famous crowded cabin scene in “A Night at the Opera,” Levine achieves the same levels of absurdity inside a small bathroom. The later moments of this play would be a dream project for any choreographer. Terrific fun!

After seeing a virtual reading of this extraordinary drama, my jaw was on the floor. Malakhow shepherds us through a childhood journey into adulthood between two young men that is ripe with trauma. He does so with great thought and care, yet trains his lens with such sharp focus that we cannot help but see the full scope of the damage. There is a speech in the second half of the piece that is simply masterful. Beautiful work.

“The Whole Shaker of Salt” is a thoughtful ten minute drama examining power dynamics and ethics in relationships. There’s a great turn in Hertz’s short, upending the balance, and shifting control, calling to mind the notion “never open your mouth until you know what the shot is.” Overshare, and you’re gonna get burned.

Baughfman’s jab at what public education might look like in the future feels, at times, absurd... and at others, strangely plausible. There is commentary here on personal accountability, parenting, and the role of schools in preparing students for more than just the workforce. An enjoyable satire!

Uncannily timely, QUALIA taps in to our current experience with social isolation, and a desperate need for connection. The stakes for Alex are high: after nationwide nuclear meltdowns pushing the country into chaos, she’s hunkered down alone, (for more than five years,) with the exception of her AI personal assistant, Dom, to whom she has developed an unusual emotional connection. Can Alex use her medical training to infuse Dom’s fiber optic soul into corporeal form? Should she? Gardner’s voice is particularly satisfying here, examining our love affair with technology, and its potential to sabotage real-world interpersonal relationships.