Recommended by Greg Burdick

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.

Losing a parent is devastating. But to suffer that loss as a child can be soul crushing. And if you were culpable in their death? Unimaginable. Dwayne Yancey takes us to the River Styx in this ten-minute Greek tragedy packed with hubris, catharsis, and choral wailing that will undoubtedly haunt.

Portions of Logan Butcher's charming two-hander will call to mind Annie Baker's "The Flick," as the larger themes of his play are craftily nestled inside the drudgery of working at a fast food restaurant. Co-workers Christine and Tristan both traverse sweeping character arcs in sixty brisk minutes. The dialogue charges, whether it's conversational, confrontational, or achingly tender and romantic. I had the good fortune to see the play produced virtually by the members of "The Quarantine Series," based in Houston, Texas. Their actors embrace and maximize the capabilities of the Zoom platform, paving an admirable road for distance theatre.

If your theatre company specializes in puppetry (and even if it doesn’t,) embark on a whirlwind adventure between Franz Kafka, and a young girl, who tragically loses her most prized possession. Straddling real and imagined worlds, “Letters From Lisette” shrinks us to toy size, and then effortlessly tugs us back to our human form... as the lives of a little doll, an empathetic writer, and an 8 year old girl cosmically intertwine. Children young and old, whose imaginations still burn brightly, will be instantly enamored with this charming and beautiful play. Don’t waste any more time: produce it.

At its surface, Haller’s play examines two women with very different points of view regarding body image. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover a very clever short exploring the inequity of being forced to compromise our own liberties the moment another person feels uncomfortable. And lighting/scenic designers wil enjoy the challenge of the story’s flammable climax!

Just when you’re staring into the deep dark abyss of a months-long bio-outbreak quarantine, Carnes delivers a therapeutic ray of light in her third appearance of Minky the Sock Monkey. This time, the outspoken stuffie is holed up with kinda-sorta boyfriend Billie... and the onset of cabin fever takes its toll. Push comes to shove, and concessions must be made. If you’ve read the first two gems in this trilogy, stop what you’re doing, and read this immediately!