Recommended by Nick Malakhow

An original and compelling piece that balances hilarious and sharp (and dark) humor with an incisive exploration of eating disorders, mental health, family, and relationships. This heightened, gloriously theatrical world feels aesthetically coherent and well-defined, and all of the characters are touchingly rendered and endearing (and Megan is a delightful villain of sorts who is at the business end of an excellent monologue late in the piece). The dynamic between Francie and Trisha and the nuanced look at both of their relationships with food and one another captures something special! I'd love to see it onstage.

At turns hilarious, touching, and unsettling, Oliveira has created a bold and theatrical piece here that explores queer acceptance (and lack of acceptance), blood family vs. found family, and much more. I loved the dual narratives of Caio and Telma, and watching them orbit around each other and then finally intersect was compelling. The use of puppetry was unique and provided for much hilarity, and I was particularly taken in by the arc between Caio and Alex. The final quarter of the play was first heartbreaking and then hopeful. I'd love to see it on its feet!

I loved the unique chronology--it managed to feel both irregular and structured, and the jaunts back and forth through time and perspective propelled the story and our understanding of these characters forward. Nash used the sizeable and quirky ensemble of explores to explore small town life and existential angst, masculinity, identity, addiction, and family. Lots of humor mixed in with some potent moments of poignancy.

I loved this hilarious and surprisingly poignant existential nightmare. It takes the form of the four character living room play and the normative narratives that typically occupy such plays and subverts them...explodes them, in fact! It manages to be whimsical, delightful, unsettling, self-aware, and sharply satirical while remaining aesthetically coherent. I thought this was an interesting exploration and indictment of the way society attaches value and importance to certain narratives and identities (cis, hetero, male) to its detriment.

Beautiful piece! The naturalistic-meets-lyrical language, unity of time and space, and dynamic and eclectic characters heighten the theatricality of the play. A lovely meditation on marriage and its intersection with connection, intimacy, fulfillment, and purpose. Shifts between humor and poignancy with ease, and Stephen's overall trajectory is fully realized and his ending monologue is potent. Caruso's subtle attention to his characters' intersectional identities is a very welcome and nuanced layer. I'd love to see it onstage!

An original and impactful play about grief and its after-effects as well as the struggle to live one's truth and be seen for who you are when it's at odds with your family. The sizeable ensemble is composed of well-defined characters who would present wonderful challenges and gifts to any actor who gets to play them. The foggy line between reality, fantasy, and memory is also illustrated with beautifully theatrical transitions and moments within scenes. Compelling work that I'd love to see staged.

I just so loved the human, irregular pacing of this, the swath of eclectic characters examined, and the heightened theatrical touches throughout that served to foreshadow quite the denouement/epilogue. Clark tackles a lot here that certainly anyone who has ever worked retail--especially the particular hell of a well-trafficked and abused fitting room--can relate to. His eye towards the intersectional nuances of his characters and how those identities impact his characters' day to day lives is sharp and a joy to see. Blistering hilarity coexists with painful truths that explore gender, race, toxic work culture, prejudice, and much more.

I loved these well-rendered, distinct humans and loved watching their struggles with connection, intimacy, sex, and self worth. With writing that is at turns hilarious and poignant, Hubbard explores in Adam the intersection between faith, sexuality, desire, and self acceptance with a nuanced hand. The use of the soundscape, encroaching walls, and a couple of fantastical moments heightened the theatricality in bold ways that made me want to see this piece on its feet.

I was satisfyingly surprised by so much of what happened in this. The atmosphere is thick and foreboding from the start, and a real three-dimensional sense of place is established well. I loved the toggling between dream world and reality, and the moments when the line between the two blurred. Kaylee is awesomely creepy and the exploration of family trauma and passing on dysfunction and addiction is echoed in many characters, images, and moments. Lots of potential for interesting lighting and sound design and movement direction.

Reading this was definitely a pleasant diversion from the existential dread of the current moment! I enjoyed the stakes that everyone had in the bakery (and each other) and the reveals, twists, and satirical tropes were both recognizable while still being original. Great to see a farce with contemporary sensibilities and some unique and funny visual and timing gags. I also loved how it escalated in act two.