Recommended by Nick Malakhow

Unsettling, hilarious, and brilliantly rendered socio-sci-fi-dark-satire with absurd elements. Paige Zubel explores masculinity, gender roles, gender identity, and the intersection between those things and violence in an extremely original and insightful way. The whole bizarre theatrical reality is established brilliantly and subtly, with nary a hint of unnecessary exposition. The contrast of Alex's urgent quest with the devolving dynamic between Beanie, Boris, and Brian creates tension and a propulsive energy. I love how this piece works as exciting, apocalyptic sci-fi as well as an extended metaphor for escaping prescribed roles with what felt like a cautiously optimistic ending.

I loved the structural elegance of this play. It was inventive without being gimmicky. On the contrary the dichotomy between some of the profound and wrenching losses Gracie/Graciella/Grace faces and the more mundane and sometimes humorous episodes so perfectly captures the relationship between humans and death, dying, bereavement, grief, and mortality. Jacob Marx Rice gives us a human, flawed, and compelling central character--the perfect centerpiece to a play such as this. The theatricality of everyone playing multiple ages and some poignant double-casting is just icing on the cake. I'd love to see this one in production!

A surprising piece about a totally taboo topic that manages to humanize its troubled protagonist in a distinct way without excusing her or letting her off the hook. The examination of child abuse, blame, the after effects of trauma, and coping with the seemingly impossible to handle is all realized here in a very complex and nuanced way. Additionally, the heightened feel of the piece lends a theatricality that makes me interested in seeing this live onstage.

I loved the theatricality of this piece, most clearly seen in the prologue and in the private, individual monologues within each character on their own "planets." I would love to see a director and designer tackle those moments. Dana is a compelling nucleus for the play, and the evolution of her relationship with her sister and the complexities of their family story make for an engaging read. Beyond Dana, each character was, in fact, distinct and interesting. The ending was plausible but surprising; Sad and melancholy, but I retained hope for Dana and Mirabelle.

A slim and powerful piece that tackles the aftermath of suicide, a variety of mental health concerns, grieving, and family--found and otherwise. I loved the theatrical device of the stage manager which felt like an effective visual and living metaphor for the static and obsessive thoughts in Sarah's head. Every character is well drawn, and I love how Rice avoided sentimentality and honed in on specificity and complexity in each character's reactions to Connor's suicide. The result is human, often funny, nuanced, and very moving. This briskly-paced piece says a lot in under two hours!

This piece takes the huge and all too relevant topic of gun violence and explores it in an intimate fashion through the lens of the event's impact on a family and their small business. The relationship between Gail and Abby is really the star here, and it is displayed with humor, warmth, pathos, and nuance. In looking at this tight constellation of people, Cathro comprehensively examines the fear, anger, confusion, and destabilization in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

An exciting, inventive, and highly original piece! Not only did the spare, lyrical poetry read beautifully on the page, but it was also easy to imagine this as an audio, teleconferencing, or live play. It would live and breathe well in each medium. Compelling and briskly moving storytelling that stuck with me long after in the way it addressed moving on and giving into despair vs. charging forth with hope. There is a warm everyday humor about it that is paired with a sense of whimsy and magic and a spare beauty.

What a ride it was to read the first 50 pages or so which are available here to download! Sams' use of shifting chronology and memory and sound heightens the theatricality and tension of this already taut narrative. Devra is an amazing and layered protagonist, and the reveals come elegantly and naturally while still being surprising. I appreciated how this both worked as a compelling psychological thriller and a nuanced and complex exploration of mental health, PTSD, and the resources sorely lacking or underdeveloped or under-priortized for veterans. Definitely dying to know how it ends!

I loved the line this straddled between naturalistic, observational, hilarious human dramedy and spare, melancholy, lyrical exploration of grief, growing up, and getting out. These three characters are spectacularly rendered by their individual rhythms. I knew that there would be surprises given the slightly heightened/surreal moments, but the final scene of this piece caught me off guard with its poignancy. O'Leary writes these young folks with a complexity not often afforded teen characters as they messily make their way through major life changing events and desires to escape. A great piece for college actors to look at.

A really poignant and well-constructed play. It covers serious terrain about young people and simultaneously treats them with the complexity they deserve as well as with clear tenderness and care. August gives young actors a sizeable ensemble of nuanced characters to play, each with their own powerful arcs. The way he navigates Parker's imagined reality with the "real world" is beautifully theatrical, and I just loved the way that Grace's bridging of the two worlds catalyzes the central action. The ending is poignant and melancholy yet hopeful. Directors/producers of theater with/for young folks take note!