Recommended by Greg Burdick

This piece was an absolute standout at Theatre Odyssey’s recent 10-Minute Play Festival. Featuring two juicy parts for intergenerational women, “Happy Birthday, Leonard” navigates sexuality, intimacy, youth and aging, as Eleanor and Sunshine finalize the terms of a unique gift. Well written, and loaded with laughs.

In ten minutes, John Kelly delivers a fantastic metaphysical musing on invisible forces that have a hand in our development, our deportment, and our destiny. This piece is equal parts philosophically moving, and charmingly hilarious. Reap what’s been planted here, and consider it for your next short play festival.

A deeply chilling two minutes. It isn’t normal that a play like this is necessary, but I’ll keep boosting its signal until NOT needing it becomes our country’s new normal... if that day will ever come.

A fierce commentary on the futility of war, “Last to Die for a Lost Cause” digs deeply into themes of guilt and shame, honor and dishonor, trust and betrayal, and innocence lost. There’s a palpable desperation present in each of the play’s characters that draws us in, and propels the action relentlessly toward Polak’s startling conclusion. High stakes, unexpected turns, and gripping revelations make for a briskly paced page-turner.

The storytelling in this compelling drama is, (true to Jordan Elizabeth Henry’s instantly recognizable style,) rich with sensory imagery. The stunning moments of elevated theatricality are beautifully balanced with intimate exchanges between two sisters, and a young man from their past. We ache for Riley early on, and come to understand the dark truth behind her panic attacks. A skillful, taut tale that unravels perfectly in the play’s final moments, there are huge opportunities here for lighting, sound, and scenic designers. Produce this one!

Stevensen’s gripping historical dramatization is nothing short of a fierce rallying cry. Bookended by generational victims of eugenics, “The Colony” gut-punches audiences throughout with harsh realities - illuminating the need for urgent discussions (and actions!) regarding reproductive freedom. Briskly paced and smartly written with three meaty roles for female performers, this play deserves your attention.

Toxic masculinity rightly gets its bell rung in this fantastic short by Gretchen Suarez-Pena. Lucy’s behavior in “Eye Candy” shines a light on the greasiness of catcalling, as the author whipsaws us into a gender-flipped scenario where men become the target. When the game grows tedious for Lucy’s friends, we see just how tiresome objectification can become. This would be a fun short piece for three college-aged female actors.

Anticipating. Power dynamics. Strategy. When Sirena and Cedric play chess after a steamy lovemaking session, the dance continues with suggestive wordplay, and tantalizing moves. I loved the stark vulnerability that Gretchen Suarez-Pena gives her male character here, and the bold self-confidence shown by his female counterpart. A funny and charming scene about what we risk, and what we can gain when we’re in love.

Suarez-Pena calls for this piece to be played in high Monty Python style. I can assure you after seeing a most excellent staged reading of this piece, “Watchwomen” indeed captures the tempo and rhythms, the unexpected turns, and the outright inanity of the most beloved Python sketches. Three perfectly crafted comic roles for women sure to delight audiences. Terrific fun!

I had the good fortune to see a staged reading of this quirky and creepy ten-minute play that gives an eerie sense of foreboding from the jump. Suarez-Pena is brewing something darkly dangerous here, but adds spoonfuls of hilarity to make it go down easy. Pinkies up!