Recommended by Nick Malakhow

A totally bonkers (in the best possible way) mix of sharp satire, horror, politics, and contemporary relationship drama. Taking the story at face value, one can enjoy this exploration of stagnant relationships, compromising to avoid loneliness, and boundaries. Looking more metaphorically, this piece touches on lots of relevant social issues, namely political divides and their impact on friendships and a questioning of what a "political difference" is vs a deep moral/ethical roadblock when trying to connect across beliefs. There is a totally amazing gorefest of a finale that leans into the horror elements beautifully.

An inventive, funny, frightening piece that captures the political existential dread of the moment. I appreciated the turnabout where the showdown of Mark and Chase goes from a light, satirical device to pointed and illuminating exploration of opposing sides--similar-but-different versions of masculinity and politics that each contain their own dangers--and when the presence of Dave and his verbiage in the final scene puts a harrowing button on the socio-cultural critique.

An original and compelling exploration of the lives of a few specific young women with broader and more widely sweeping implications and conclusions about what it means to go through life as a woman. The physicalization of terror and existential threat women and girls face in the form of the faceless men is unique and haunting. The dialogue rhythms are so on point. Finally, there's also lots of potential built in here for inventive theatricality. Pennycook provides a wonderfully drawn roadmap that would guide a creative production team while also leaving much room for individuality in interpretation.

Beautifully rendered portrait of the personal and the political. I loved the mirrors and echoes between Nieta's quest to find out more about her father's and grandfather's histories and the political turmoil and strife of their lives in Uruguay and present day political divisions in the US. The highly theatrical form of the play is also as exciting as the nuanced content. I appreciated how the form fractured and evolved and kind of broke down in a way that paralleled Nieta's journey as well. I'd love to see this compelling piece on its feet!

Timely/timeless exploration of seeking asylum, American Exceptionalism, and what the essential components of "culture" are for any given society. A sharp satire that situates a WASPish family from Connecticut in circumstances neither they nor many Americans could ever see themselves in, though it is all realized in a way that feels frighteningly close to home. There is some satisfying and subtle world building, complicated and fully realized characters, and a satisfying ending that avoids cliches and either "happily ever afters" or unnecessary tragedy. I'd be excited to see this on its feet!

A beautifully crafted, inventive, and highly theatrical exploration of faith, religion, family, and healing (of various kinds). The tight focus on Mary and Johnny allows them to be supremely complex and fully realized individual characters with a nuanced and multi-faceted sibling relationship. Big existential questions about God, the existence of a higher power, faith, the creation of the universe, and their intersection with organized religion are probed with depth and subtlety and a lack of judgment or preconceived notions. Some heady conversations, for sure, but it all moves briskly and, at times, humorously, until its potent, poignant ending.

A highly theatrical exploration of bodies, body image, fatphobia, family, and more. Gijsbers van Wijk explores these topics in ways that are simultaneously both more direct/daring and gentle than I have seen before in the media. That's not to say Millie's journey is without substantial and potent conflict and hardship, but the characters are rendered with such a deft hand that I see and care for all of them, even when their needs and fears and desires conflict with one another. I sincerely hope to see this on its feet some day soon!

Sharp, funny, satirical takedown of self-help culture, influencers, and social media. This tightly wound and packed real-time two hander delivers lots of genuine surprises, as well, as it skewers the aforementioned things and analyzes how they intersect with both mental health/wellness and capitalism. Laura manages to do all of this while still balancing two very human characters that are easy to root for in their own individual, misguided ways. I'm eager to follow this piece's developmental trajectory and to see it on its feet someday!

An uber-theatrical delight that is epic in scope in both form and content; that explores, explodes, and refracts history; and that resonates outside of its historical context in the way is explores gender identity, gender performance, and sexuality. It also begins hilarious and has a surprisingly and seriously touching coda of a final scene. A feast, no doubt, for actors, designers, and directors alike.

A really unique, theatrical piece that explores cancer, mental illness, healing, medicine, and more in a way I haven't seen before! It captures the overwhelming nature, uncertainty, helplessness, and other complex feelings surrounding the disease. More interestingly, it does so with a combination of funny and potent two person scenes as well as more metatheatrical and abstract sequences. The final moment was gloriously unresolved and included a brilliant extended metaphor used or hinted at throughout the piece. So wonderful to read a play on this topic that entirely eschews sentiment or expected/familiar treatment of a cancer narrative.