Recommended by Nick Malakhow

A boldly theatrical piece that uses theatrical conventions to surprise; dig into its main character's personality, experiences and life; and illustrates PTSD in an inventive manner. Lopez explores unsettling topics of gay conversion therapy, internalized and externalized homophobia, and more with a deft hand and a focus on characterization and healing. I appreciated the examination of how Fernando's struggles both impacted and were impacted by those around him who loved and cared for him. In Carlos, we meet a challenging and at times deplorable human; I was impressed with Lopez gives him nuance and shading.

What an exquisitely rendered constellation of people Rivers has created here. Their individual voices shine clearly and distinctly and you can feel all of their wants and needs jump off the page. I appreciated the irregular, human rhythms of speech and behavior captured in the alternatingly short and long scenes, and that the momentum of the piece built organically with potent and ever-increasing tension without ever resorting to manufactured drama. The everyday poetry and lyricism in the text was compelling and highly theatrical while still sounding so natural and subtle. I'd love to see this staged!

A wrenching, unsettling piece that keeps you on your toes! What begins as a gritty, sharply written, and at times poignant examination of two characters with an inescapable tether to one another slowly and surely acquires horror and sci-fi elements that organically emerge and progress to a startling climax. In addition to intriguingly playing with genre and incorporating some really bold theatrical imagery, Bradley explores many potent and current issues of the intersection between mental health, identity, substance abuse and addiction, and more. I'd be interested in seeing this performed.

This piece is sharp and hilarious and perfectly captures the bold bravado and vulnerability of adolescence. I loved how each character was drawn and the subtle but seismic interpersonal shifts that built to a potent climax. In the character of Toni (and her interactions with the rest of the girls), Goble so wonderfully captures that exciting and destabilizing moment when friend circles are shaken up by an outsider and worlds and perspectives shift because of it. The whole KONY interpretative dance/song creation sequence is absolute hilarity. I'd be eager to follow this piece's developmental trajectory.

A complex family drama that gets to the heart of huge socio-political issues and divisions in the US in a comprehensive way by employing specificity. While we're looking at a specific moment in time (2014 in the aftermath of Eric Garner's murder) and at one particular family, the thorny conversations and boiling tensions of this specific situation reverberate and resonate greatly with large national conversations. I also appreciated the queerness of the two young main characters being a defining, important element of who they were without us having to focus on just coming out, homophobic violence, or romance.

What a funny, deeply human, and honest exploration of adolescence and coming of age, and the role friendship and intimacy play in those teen years. As a bonus, there is a lot of incisive content on the state of education in the US and how the socio-cultural and socio-political landscape of our world impacts kids' schooling and lives outside of school. Our two central characters have all of the vulnerability and bravado of adolescence and their interactions are alternatingly touching, hilarious, profane, and heartbreaking. I'm eager to follow the developmental trajectory of the play. I'd love to see it staged!

This is both a striking, intimate exploration of a relationship as well as a meditation on grief, life and death, and the life-sustaining power of connection with another person. The scenes are spare and elegantly written, and there is so much to play with here visually and auditorally for directors and designers. I'd love to see this staged!

What a beautiful, tender play filled with so much humor and humanity. Angelo and Mila are compelling characters with urgent needs and wants and you can't help but feel so deeply for both. The conflict between the two characters manages to be skillfully and compellingly drawn, and the struggles they face are not shied away from, but Rodriguez never loses the sense of gentleness and love for and between them. The mix of naturalistic, organic dialogue and the world of lyrical poetry is also amazing as well. I hope this continues to get produced far and wide.

A wholly unique and distinctly theatrical piece comprised of several fascinating characters that discusses large social and cultural issues related to intersections of identity, gender, sports, and science. I loved the three different pairings of people centered here (Jo+MJ, Rodgers+Lefferts, Jay +Ray) and the ways their stories and realities intersected. Jo is a compelling nucleus to this stellar ensemble piece and the balance of head and heart in the way gender identity and socially ingrained binaries are explored and exploded kept me so thoroughly engaged throughout! I would love to see this on its feet and performed!

A dark, conversation starting comedy that uses razor sharp satire to explore extremism, intersectionality within social justice movements, and an example liberal sub-factions imploding or cannibalizing one another and fracturing rather than uniting potentially like-minded folks. Like any good satire, the moments that make you say "hey!" or recoil in defensiveness are often the most illuminating of our current political climate--refracted, indeed, through a fun house mirror that is both distorted and too close, at times, to the truth.