Recommended by Greg Burdick

The stakes are high when a person begins an affair. They become exponentially higher when their partner inevitably meets their rival. But if they’re forced to do so when the adulterer suddenly passes away, expect the stakes to be quivering at the breaking point. Gretchen Suarez-Pena crafts a taut ten-minute play that digs deep into themes of envy and privilege, love and loss, and yikes do things get awkward!

When reading and seeing Suarez-Pena’s work performed, it’s easy to recognize her deft skill in sketching characters with such depth and contour that it’s hard not to invest in them almost immediately. In Love Letters, one of the starkest contrasts is the cancel-culture opportunism Bianca brings when she discovers a dark secret from her aunt’s younger days. But Gia feels a firm obligation to protect the past, and the beauty of its memory. Filled with tender moments of emotional longing, and belly laugh revelations, this short play is a winner for two intergenerational women.

Preserving the text of Poe’s chilling short story classic, while distributing the words to an omniscient narrator and ethereal chorus, Foley transforms this unforgettable tale of terror into a winning radio drama. My performance and tech theatre students had a fantastic time digging in to this piece. Highly recommended for virtual production.

After watching Mind the Gap Theatre’s stellar virtual performance of this piece, Sickles’ gifts couldn’t be clearer. The dark irony of Fedora’s timing is only bested by the scene’s resolution. Love hurts. But it’s also really, really funny! A fantastic monologue for a performer with strong comic chops.

If you’re searching for a fun piece that’s perfect for virtual performance, take a look at this short from Allie Costa. It will remind you of every improv class you’ve ever taken... (everyone’s either a Grizz, or a Kristiana...) Fun, polarized, memorable characters, who ultimately manage to find an accord.

My students recently used this very clever short for scene work in my theatre classes. Mondeaux demonstrates that even superheroes aren’t impervious to the snags and perils of videoconferencing in our modern world. A fantastic piece for virtual performance, (but could be great fun live as well,) with ample opportunity for wild play with costume design.

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.

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.