Recommended by Nick Malakhow

A gorgeous, haunting play about relationships, depression, and the complex and perpetual process of taking care of one's mental health in adulthood. The relationship between Martha and Damon is rendered with such fine and nuanced brushstrokes, and the theatricalization of Martha's demons is unique, supremely effective, and gives so much for a production team to work with from all angles--actors, directors, designers. This play manages to plumb the scary depths of depression and to end on a hopeful note that doesn't sugarcoat or idealize recovery. Beautiful!

An exquisite piece that balances the feel of a heightened, theatrical fable with a gorgeous naturalism in the characters' interactions. Guest both tells a compelling story of these specific humans while also making larger and significant points about masculinity and queer Black male identity and its relationship to whiteness and to a society that worships and idolizes certain aesthetic and desirability norms. Z's lyrical, complex monologue towards the end of the piece so poignantly deconstructs the fear, desire, shame, self-effacement, and anger of being a queer man of color defining himself in relation to whiteness. Haunting, theatrical, hopeful.

A spectacular piece about friendship, coming of age, and identity that demands to be explored, read, and performed by teens! Mohlman not only creates a real sense of place in this ice cream shop (anyone who's had a summer service job as a teen can relate), but also populates it with a well-rendered, eclectic ensemble. Reading the gloriously naturalistic dialogue both gives me the sense of just hanging out and spending time with these yearning, aching characters, while also honing in on small seismic shifts that create a subtle but distinct arc. Use of music is superb!

A deeply upsetting, beautifully structured, and wonderfully rich play! The theatrical world that Coble creates here is so fully realized. I'm amazed at how deftly rendered this dystopian world is with just the words of a few well-chosen characters with no clunky exposition. Each part is a compelling theatrical unit on its own and, stitched together, they create a powerful parable about social upheaval, loyalty, government distrust, political discord, violence, authoritarianism, and anti-intellectualism. This would be a meaty play for actors to sink their teeth into, and designers/directors would no doubt love to create this moody, atmospheric reality.

An awesomely theatrical and intimate piece that both feels like a small character-driven drama, and a larger statement about assimilation, the multitudes of Latine/x identity, and tensions that emerge between loyalty to family and loyalty to new relationships. The conversations that Mateo and Faith have are painful and real--in particular, their discussion in the wake of Grace's departure lays bare in a clear and naturalistic way the complexities of each of their intersectional identities and the irreconcilable tensions within all of these relationships. The haunting Dirt Road is a well used character and theatrical device. Beautiful!

This has the feel of an extraordinary parable that explores so much--the warp speed and continuing gentrification of the Bay Area, intersectional identity and its overlap with voice and agency, fear, and much more. As with Baisch's other work, "import speech_memory" is densely lyrical but always readable, and plays fast and loose with chronology and reality. I'd love to see a production team tackle this piece--from actors to directors to designers, this would be a unique challenge that begs to be realized in the realm of the theatrical.

Dense and lyrical with extraordinary imagery and a visceral intensity that kept me engaged throughout. I love the way this straddled the lines between drama, mystery, and horror. The way that Baisch plays with time/space and winding back and forth through them is fantastic and adds to the tension and mystery.

Hilarious, biting sharp satire with a couple of profoundly poignant moments, "The Play You Want" is a spectacular piece that I hope to see have a long life. It manages to capture the very specific nuances and complexities of Bernardo's experiences as a playwright while also resonating with other folks from so-called marginalized identities who are forced to compromise aspects of themselves to succeed and achieve recognition in a white, Euro-centric society. The satirized real human beings are priceless (both funny to insiders and hilarious enough caricatures to entertain the masses) and the theatricality of act two is wonderful.

A fast paced and extremely unsettling and well-done piece of theatrical horror and science fiction. Its messages about cult personalities and fear of government overreach to the point of self-destruction are perpetually (sadly) relevant. Pazniokas manages to establishes a crystal clear world here without unnecessary exposition and with just a few well-chosen characters. This would be a blast for designers to dive into, and the roles are all well-rounded too, no doubt giving the actors who will play them much to work with! I hope to see this live and on its feet!

A beautifully realized and wholly unique theatrical world. Connections between existential dread of the present, the ubiquity of and dependence on and desire to escape from technology, and biblical allusions are complex and astute. This would be a fantastic ensemble piece to dive into as an actor, and the opportunities for designers and directors to shape this piece and create the world are infinite. I look forward to following this play's trajectory!