Recommended by Nick Malakhow

This is a beautifully rendered small story that addresses a large socio-political, historical event well using a super specific set of characters and narrative. Ortiz chooses a cast that represents a distinct cross section of humanity with regards to race, sexual orientation, and religion that lends a vital intersectional layer to the piece. "Sanctuary" is engaging and thought-provoking throughout! I hope to track this play's development trajectory.

A magnificent tour-de-force whose brazen theatricality is its biggest strength. At turns hilarious, informative, exciting, and heartbreaking, Tuft succeeds in both creating a parable about the ways women are silenced, abused, and oppressed, while also telling the very human story of Monica Lewinsky. Monica, in all of her permutations--superhero, TED talk presenter, and represented by a young college student--is a well-rounded, sympathetic, and compelling hero for us to root for. I really do hope to see this play produced far and wide in the near future.

A beautifully rendered story about grief and the seismic ripples that reverberate with loss. I love the way the scenes bleed into one another, lending a a propulsive feel to the rhythm of the play. Junie is a compelling central figure around which the story revolves, and her loss of equilibrium makes her a sympathetic character even as she does and says things that are sad and frustrating. The other characters surrounding her are well-rendered as well, and the general sense of magic and otherworldliness that lives alongside some very natural moments creates a unique theatrical world.

A beautifully told, small story with wide-reaching scope and implications. Benne combines gloriously human, naturalistic, often funny dialogue with some truly divine poetry and theatrical magic. The rhythm of this piece as it unfolds in real-time is excellent too. I eagerly read this well-paced play in one sitting. I love a play that doesn't resort to overwrought melodrama but, instead, examines small seismic shifts in people and relationships. Alma and Angel are compelling and well-drawn characters, and I root for both of them throughout. I can't wait to see a production of this play!

This is a truly excellent, insightful play with some amazing, cringe-inducing (in the best possible way) moments. Cass is a compelling protagonist who is easy to root for the entire time. While each of the "well-intentioned white people" populating this piece say and do things that make you squirm, they are absolutely believable as humans with misguided yet credible motivations. I read this quickly in one sitting and feel that, no doubt, this would be a fast-paced, funny, and potent night of theater on its feet. Its humor is disarming and helps the truths read and cut more sharply.

Whew! This is a taut and intense play from the start and doesn't let up. Merilo masterfully exemplifies theatrical "showing vs telling" by never revealing too much but just enough to keep us engaged, on board, and itching to see what happens next. The theatrical world that he's created feels hot, dry, desperate, and stark. Each character is driven by urgent needs and is trying to live within or make the most of disturbing circumstances. Merilo renders each voice with great skill. Glad to see that this has received several productions; I hope to see one some day.

A really intriguing exploration of the ways we write about, share, perpetuate, co-opt distort, and exploit trauma and historical narratives. Berman Eng has done something original with structure, heightening the theatricality of the piece while simultaneously offering commentary on cinematic storytelling. These distinct characters all have potent motivations for being in this class, and watching them clash and illuminate this discourse on trauma is compelling theater.

A taut, well-structured, ready-to-produce play that organically unfolds in real time. The silences and transitions never feel contrived, and Gotch uses dialogue exquisitely as both a vehicle for characterization and as a driving force for his deliberately paced plot. Revelations and surprises come at perfectly-timed intervals, and each character is fully rendered and impressively captured. The end is appropriately chilling and a moment where you look back at the rest of the play and say "of course it was all leading up to this." A robust exploration of guns and toxic masculinity that never feels obvious or preachy.

A searing and tightly written exploration of masculinity refracted through addiction, athletics, and Greek-tragedy-worthy hubris. In three potent and to-the-point scenes, McGough poses many questions and offers no easy answers about the dangers of self-medication in the professional sports world. The dialogue moves at a brisk pace and reveals character elegantly as it propels the plot forward. I'd love to see this staged!

As a longtime horror fan, I found this creepily excellent in all the right ways. The irregular pacing of the scenes kept me on my toes. The shorter pieces were unsettling punctuation marks for the more thorough character studies in the 10-15 minute scenes. Sickles also plays with theatricality and time/space in a way that allows for directors and designers to approach this as an exciting blank canvas. An excellent addition to the world of horror theater!