Recommended by Nick Malakhow

I loved the way this piece smashed genre-lines and tackled huge themes in an almost parable-like fashion with contemporary and recognizable characters. The way it straddles surreality and naturalism is so fascinating and would be a meaty challenge for actors, designers, and audiences alike. There are many unforgettable stage images and sonic details that I'd so love to see fully realized onstage.

Such an inventive, beautiful, and infinitely theatrical play. Charly Evon Simpson has built a glorious use of physical space, movement, and design elements into her script, while leaving room for each individual production team to put their mark on the piece. Simpson's language is straightforward and human while also immensely lyrical. The ending moments are cathartic and cautious and delicate--both giving folks a chance to appreciate the connections between these folks that have deepened throughout, while always reminding us of the external forces, oppressors, and circumstances that have and will continue to stand in their ways.

An inventive, highly theatrical play that so incisively explores rape culture and misogyny (both internal and external) in comedy and the world as a whole, white feminism, intersectional identity, and the fine line between comedy tackling/excusing/perpetuating problematic issues and behaviors. The conflict between Lily and Erin is so loaded throughout, and the shifts both large and small within them and between them are compelling to see unfold. It's structurally inventive and also dissects the anatomy of stand up in a clever way. It manages to be so darkly hilarious and a gut punch all at once. Spectacular!

A compact, witty, sad portrait of office life, detailing all of the small and seismic shifts and power dynamics that make such environments complicated, maddening, and harmful. I appreciated the subtle but palpable tensions that arose in the long build up to the "event" reveal itself. It was a clever tool of writing that helped forecast and illustrate that the central dramatics in the piece were more about the existential dread of work, capitalism, relationships/loneliness, and the impacts of these things on mental health than they were about the so-called "major incident" everyone was discussing in world.

This is a compelling collection of scenes that capture a lot of very of the moment sentiments and experiences in an unexpected way. The way Sharma plays with chronology here keeps you hooked throughout and constantly reevaluating and reengaging with earlier moments in the play. The four central characters are quite distinct and have important conversations about both self care and care of others, the toll/reward of those things, white complicity, and a really incisive question about allyship: "Who is willing to support me in my absence?" Eager to follow this play's developmental trajectory!

This beautiful play is like a holograph--you can look at it from so many different angles and see bold and well-defined narratives: a fully fleshed out and complex story of a marriage; an examination of the intersections of relationships, autonomy, and love; generational gifts and scars; bodily ownership, reclamation, and identity; and much more. Each of these individual threads is compelling in and of itself--altogether, they make a stunning “whole” greater than the sum of its parts. Nuanced, human, poignant, funny.

A beautiful and haunting play that stylistically navigates gorgeous, lyrical imagery paired with warm and specific humanity. Lloyd explores family, generational legacy/inheritance/trauma, grief, and more in a way that expresses the gravity of such issues and feelings while not shying away from looking forward, hope, and finding solace in home. Jodie and Clarence's relationship is rendered with such poignance and complexity. The beautiful/unnerving/fantastical stage images described here are astounding, and I'd love to see them realized onstage. If you can see the second BAPF reading of this that's still upcoming, please do so!

A complex and gorgeous examination of two infinitely compelling characters (everyone in the piece is well drawn, though I'm specifically referring to Mason and Alix). Carla so wonderfully brings together these two characters with both parallel and intersecting experiences of family, home, and identity, and clocks these subtle but propulsive seismic shifts in their relationship and their senses of themselves. The use of transitory spaces and the juxtaposition of expansive emptiness and cramped claustrophobia is so interesting from a design perspective. I hope to see many theaters and bodies interpret this piece in years to come!

The piece straddles such a fine line between tender humanity, lyricism, bold and funny theatricality, and a heightened/slightly magical fabulistic feel. Rey's coming of age/adulthood, complex and multi-pronged grief, and generational journey is so beautifully laid out throughout the piece. I loved how the play crossed boundaries of time and space with an effortless feel, the Cucuy and Leti truly anchoring the transitions in this aesthetically interesting world--so much exciting work here for designers to contribute essentially to the storytelling. I'd love to see this realized onstage!

In this theatrical and compelling piece, Jaymes Sanchez examines police violence, racism, and excessive force by showing us the complex and disassembling result of the death of Julio on all parties involved. Questions are raised about revenge and grief and their thorny intersection, as well as unreliable narration and how essential it is to question the lens through which any event is viewed. Structurally speaking, I found it extremely engaging that the very naturalistic, tough-to-watch interaction between Joe, Julie + the cops is juxtaposed with more brazen theatricality and stylistic variety before and after. Eager to see this!