Recommended by Greg Burdick

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.

The contemporary dating scene is hard. Fear of catfishing on dating apps is sadly just par for the course. But what if the catfish got catfished? In Rod Hearn’s dark thriller, Violet, he cleverly invokes a classic American theatre staple inside the artisanal tea shop where his story takes place. Part Dexter, part Black Mirror, this short will have you shifting uncomfortably in your seat from the moment the lights rise to the play’s stunning conclusion.

A tragic story, the likes of which we’ve many times witnessed play out in the news, but in “Touch the Moon,” Arianna Rose puts us into the center of the chaos, and within just a few moments fills us with utter dread. As though it’s happening to us. The play effortlessly travels forward and backward in time, with what feel like almost poetic transitions. And up until the story’s grim conclusion, we’re left wondering what’s true, and what is not. A gripping drama, with juicy parts for three female performers, it’s a page turner!

A stirring work of closure, self-discovery, and how we bury and unearth the past. Rachael Carnes’ characters are expertly drawn, and instantly lovable... whether it’s for their dark brooding air, their frantic high-maintenance nature, or their socially inappropriate outbursts. These women feel real. The writing here calls to mind the work of Susan Harris... she and Carnes share an uncanny ability to craft uproariously funny dialogue/situations, and turn on a dime, on a single line, changing the tone so effortlessly that you’d be laughing as the tears start to stream. A dark and beautiful play.

John Busser’s short “Under A Watchful Eye” is a holiday kick to the ribs. Angie’s gripping monologue to her comatose father unfolds beautifully, and horrifically. A somber exploration of deep hurt and loss, and how we forge ahead when there’s nothing else to do instead. Angie’s last speech will crush you, and within seconds after reading the final line, you’ll side with her... as painful as it might seem. This is stunning and masterful storytelling.

Everything about this play absolutely stuns. In “Marianas Trench,” Sickles envisions a terrifying world after America’s second civil war, where politics, religion, racism, bigotry, and ideology have fractured blue states from red beyond repair. And reaching across the rift are two young men, desperate to connect with one another via government-redacted pen-pal letters. Our hearts ache for Anzor and Teddy, each on their own private journey of self-discovery. The imagery employed in this work is breathtaking, and leaves room for beautiful stage pictures to be created by designers, directors, and performers. Expertly crafted storytelling.

When a fledgling community theatre piece (directed by Sasquatch,) falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make any noise...? The answer is a resounding YES in the skillful hands of Rachael Carnes. It’s another example of her undeniable comic expertise. Me likey.

If you think that farce can be nothing more than merely brain candy, read this play by Stephen Kaplan. When a woman is clutching at straws to find connection with the rest of the world, she invests her life savings into a party for unfamiliar guests who share her name. There are wild antics, slapstick and cartoonish characters, but there’s something more here... Kaplan shows us a deep yearning to share our lives, to truly share them, with people beyond our social media interfaces. Even if you’re not a Tracy, come to the party anyway.

Channeling elements from Edson’s “Wit” and Auburn’s “Proof,” Minigan has created a stunning portrait of a young woman in a race against time to harness her professor’s experience and knowledge as leverage before dementia renders it useless. This time the backdrop is not mathematics, nor metaphysical poetry, but Shakespeare. Kym finds her journey stalled by much more than just Beverly’s cognitive decline: her age, her gender, her race, and the very academic playground where she envisions her future, all seem to bar her progress. This play is a definite page turner, one of Minigan’s finest.

Catherine Weingarten writes with one of the most singular voices you’ll read on NPX. Her work is instantly identifiable. The outlandish characters she brandishes in “This Is How You Got Me Naked” are frenetic pinballs, bouncing wildly off of one another... each deeply longing for connection in a world of casual hookups. Weingarten’s dialogue is bonkers and silly and awesome... and just when you think it couldn’t possibly be, it turns achingly poetic. Trash bags. Caution tape. Spandex and spoon sculptures. This writer knows how to party.