Recommended by Nick Malakhow

Well worth a purchase and a production--Murillo's "Augusta and Noble" is a compelling dual narrative of Gabi's waking journey as a new student at an elite prep school, and her subconscious journey of coming to terms with what she does and doesn't know about her family and how that informs or might inform her identity. Gabi is a great protagonist, the other characters are eclectic and colorful, and the storytelling uses theatrical conventions in a lively, engaging way.

Beautiful, vulnerable, and heartfelt solo show that balances drama and humor so well! While the focus is on art and Gina's journey of defining herself and her voice as a playwright, anyone who has had to live "in reaction to" the "norm," the canon, cis-hetero-patriarchy will find much to latch onto and relate to here. The moments in time are well-chosen and well-defined, the plays referenced are examined and utilized impactfully, and the storytelling is compelling, hilarious, and poignant.

What a tightly written and compelling political piece that examines the compromises one must make in various sectors of their life--personal, professional, and ideological. Mullen so beautifully explores when doing work for the greater good potentially intersects with a morally or ethically questionable choice. All of the characters, lead and supporting, are nuanced and well-drawn and it is fascinating to watch their competing wants and desires bristle against one another. I'd love to see this in production!

This genre-bending, uber-theatrical play is a delight. Ami is a powerhouse of a character, and to see the world refracted through her perspective is kaleidoscopic, funny, and poignant. Keiko explores with such specific and nuanced brushstrokes the ways Ami is and her whole family have been made to feel othered as Japanese and Japanese Americans through both external and internal forces with such clarity; she also offers us a narrative that other folks who've been made to feel outsiders in "hostile territory" in the US can connect to so clearly. I'd love to see this living on its feet!

The use of memory here is effective--relationships and people we want to forget, choices we'd like to revise, and formative moments we want to relive or romanticize. King and Salmond utilize the musical form well to navigate the role of memory in a compelling fashion. I appreciated the well-defined central and supporting characters, and that BJ's journey and character trajectory is subtle and real while still being a clear seismic shift.

A super-compelling and unassuming piece whose tricks, twists, and turns were surprising yet always organic. The relationship between Wallace and Sandaker was so well fleshed out, as were the individual characters themselves. They felt so human, specific, and real, that all of the little dreamlike/mind-trip elements were all the more effective and startling. The pacing was excellent as well, both capturing the irregularities of human interaction while charging ahead at a steady clip.

A beautiful piece that centers around two human, lived-in characters and a touching, organically evolving relationship. I loved the combination of authentic humanity with lyrical language and moments of fantastical/theatrical visual storytelling. At the center of the piece is an exploration of the negative impacts of machismo/toxic masculinity, of how people struggle to avoid it, and of how it is passed down through generations. The historical context is also wonderfully threaded throughout, and I loved how richly built the world was with so few characters. Who we saw and who we didn't see were equally important.

A compelling and unsettling examination of confronting secrets, the complexities of small town life, personal and political power dynamics, sexual assault and its aftermath and impact on a person's relationships past and present, and the intersection of those things with race, class, and gender. All of the characters here are fully fleshed out and James, in particular, is an engaging central figure to track and trace. Threaded throughout are extremely effective visual/aural metaphors and some striking stage imagery! I'd love to see this in production!

A creative, subtle, and nuanced examination of grief and its shattering effects on a relationship. I was compelled throughout the entirety of this single, continuous scene and the circumstances were potent and realistic, and the way they unfolded organic. Lane writes with such sympathy and love for both characters, and also smartly threads humanity and warmth and comedy throughout the heartbreaking narrative. I'd love to see this piece--it's so engaging on the page and I can only imagine how much more so it would be performed live.

Stellar, and darkly satirical exploration of social justice movements, feminism, the responsibility of privileged onlookers to take a stand for justice, and what that "stand" might actually look like. Hanna Kime navigates the line between sharp black comedy and horror, wonderfully balancing elements of both in each act. The more lighthearted and farcical parade of women (and lasagnas) that invade Brenda's life in act one and the funny-yet-horrifying torture chamber of act two are the perfect foils to the stark and unsettling truths laid bare in act three. I'd love to see this piece in production!