Recommended by Nick Malakhow

All of the characters in this beautiful piece are incredibly human and real. Del Carmen renders each character with great empathy, sensitivity, and nuance, while also not letting any of them off the hook for their faults and missteps. Both the flashback narrative and the contemporary family coming to terms with their patriarch's death kept me engaged and eagerly awaiting the next plot development. Poignant, intimate, and very theatrical. As I watched a reading of it, I could easily visualize how it would live onstage. I really hope to see this produced soon!

Wow! So intimate, hyper-focused, sexy, and moving. The genuinely hilarious and human courtship of Christian and Daniel is made more complex by some poignant and heartbreaking asides and organic yet profound and thought-provoking discussion of homophobia in the church. What's revealed to us about Christian's life external to Daniel is doled out with sparse but impactful memories and flashbacks. Comes to an oh-so-satisfying ending as well. I sincerely hope this is developed and produced soon! The visual and aural landscape Benne paints here is highly theatrical and compelling.

A supremely inventive, unique, and distinctly theatrical play! Pardo explores relationship dynamics not often tackled onstage with a great deal of creativity and nuance. Our three central lovers are rendered with humanity and sensitivity. The aural and visual elements as described also establish a theatrical world that combines naturalism with the off-kilter--polish and veneer meets the rot beneath. Really intriguing and I hope to see a production of it some time soon!

I saw an excellent reading of SHOE at LTC's Carnaval last summer and was immediately brought in by this nuanced and well-rendered story. Marta is a compelling protagonist in and of herself, but she is well-supported by a large cast of equally three-dimensional and complex characters. Family dynamics, the different ways social forces and expectations trap us, and the search for escape are all depicted here with sensitivity and clarity. The ending is as satisfying as A DOLL'S HOUSE, and the lead up to it funny, human, and poignant.

I saw the beautiful reading of this at LTC'S Carnaval--a piece that feels at once like a grand parable or allegory, as well as an intimate slice of life. Absolutely hilarious and heartbreaking and boldly theatrical. Even in just hearing the evocative stage directions read aloud, I could imagine a unique, part cinematic-part uber-theatrical visual and aural world. So thrilled to see that this will be getting a production in Baltimore soon!

A beautiful, hilarious, and gentle coming of age play. The intimacy so deftly depicted here is often incredibly hard to capture onstage, and this piece succeeds both as a highly theatrical read while also being one that explores some really nuanced and multi-dimensional characters. Milo is one of the most human and vividly realized protagonists I've had the privilege of getting to know, and it was also a delight feeling seen as a reader by his story. What a gift of a play that I hope to see a production of soon.

The deliberate and thoughtful pacing on this piece allows for the poetry and strength of the images to unfold organically and surprisingly. I was absolutely delighted by this play's central characters and the ways in which their nuanced relationship built throughout. All of the pieces I've read of Benne also read as amazingly theatrical and as if they would be aural and visual feasts, and this one is no exception! I would love to see a production of this someday very soon!

A fresh, darkly comedic, and terrifying allegory. In a prescient manner, this timely piece explores the dangers of complicity and the realities behind the self-interested choices people make when large swaths of society are in danger instead of being upstanders. From the complex heroes to the frighteningly misguided villains, I was captivated by the nuanced characters and inventive and succinct world building. I sincerely hope to see a production of this soon!

Through just a few deftly rendered and three dimensional characters, Rockwell paints a vivid world that so beautifully and heartbreakingly demonstrates the oppressive structures and institutions that young women continually encounter. Rather than miring the narrative in only the collective trauma of these women, this play brilliantly shows the ways people can come together to survive and heal in limiting circumstances. This nuanced piece explores each character's story with great tenderness, humor, and care. Hope to see a production of this soon!

What a treat it was to read this play--each character was unique, compelling, and deftly realized. Jones' multi dimensional treatment of all of these women's narratives helps reinforce what the play says about team dynamics and friendship. Additionally, the irregular structure kept me super engaged and the high theatricality (of game/practice scenes, the ritual, the whole fourth quarter, etc) made me yearn to see this fully realized onstage. I hope to see it developed more and produced soon!