Recommended by Nick Malakhow

What a privilege to see the digital reading of this for the BAPF! This is a masterpiece that is epic in scope but that also never loses sight of its distinct, complex characters. "Final Boarding Call" is both such a universally relevant play in the way it examines social movements and upheaval, protest, and national identity, while also showing us a very specific and nuanced cross-section of the particular movement in Hong Kong it centers around. The dialogue is lyrical, naturalistic, poignant, hilarious, and heartbreaking--a delicate balancing act. See the second reading of this next weekend if you can!

I just saw the spectacular reading of this with the BAPF and was so taken in by this subtle, well-told story. Reynolds-Knott captures a transitional moment--going to college, testing independence and boundaries and worldviews, grappling with intersectional identity--with nuance and light brushstrokes. Ciara's journey is compelling, and Taryn and Kat are perfectly human, multi-faceted characters as well. The love story at the center of the text is poignant and truthful, and Taryn and Ciara's conversations about class, race, privilege, and personal responsibility propel the story forward even as they show the playwright's love and tenderness for the characters.

Anyone who considers themselves anti-racist, white allies to Black and Brown communities should read this complex, nuanced exploration of privilege, guilt, and allyship. Williams asks the question "What does true allyship look like?" and offers an answer that is complicated, astute, and perfectly illustrative of why moving the barometer towards a truly just and equitable society is so fraught and wrapped up in the ways white people are reluctant to relinquish power. Is it enough to use your power and privilege to help others? The discussions are potent, and yet the humans feel so real throughout. Sharp and important!

I just caught the BAPF reading of this and was absorbed in the relationships and theatrical world that Viñas created. Eugenia and Mercedes' relationship is an absolutely compelling nucleus that this story centers around, but each and every character is distinct and vividly-rendered. I was most struck by the exploration of the intersection of the personal and political here, and also with Viñas' skill in crafting such nuanced and astute conversations about compromise, politics, and identity that feel so organic. The dreamlike, fantastical moments that punctuate heighten and deepen our experience. Potent surprises come at satisfying intervals. Marvelous!

I set out to read a smattering of these short COVID-era plays, but I was engaged enough to read through the entirety of the collection swiftly! This diary takes the form of the micro-play and turns it into something unique and profound--a sweeping cross-section of stories from the naturalistic to the fantastical (and everything in between) that articulate, as a whole, many of the central tensions and intricacies of our current moment. I loved the variety of genres and possible performance venues. I connected particularly with the stories about teaching, protest, fears of losing connection, and governmental response/nonresponse.

I saw the Fresh Ink production of this a few years ago and was bowled over by the theatricality of the script, the specificity of the world and characters, and the potent themes handled with a detailed eye towards intersectionality. The piece also theatricalized clinical anxiety in such a compelling and unique fashion that was so impactful as live performance. Da Silveira explores characters who are flawed and who have complex world views that you might not always agree with, but that are written with profound empathy and sensitivity.

An intimate, exquisitely-told story that incorporates beautiful foreshadowing and tension that intrigues without giving too much away too soon. Each character is vividly realized and Liu clearly paints them with loving brushstrokes. Even though there is tension and momentum, we never stop caring for and empathizing with these folks. Liu explores living one's truth and coming to terms with identity in a multi-faceted and nuanced way. The theatricality of the monologue interjections and occasional magic moment is powerful! I'd love to see this live and on its feet, but the humorous, human text is so strong all by itself.

Spectacular piece that made me nostalgic for the 90's and really captured a theatricalized "Gregg Araki vibe" brilliantly. The dialogue is just so well-crafted and so fun and, even in its cleverness, it does an excellent job of revealing character and propelling the plot forward. The whole atmosphere of Bliss, Miles, and Olivia's town--their peers, other adults, the surrounding environs--was crystal clear even though we only get to know these three humans. The punctuating monologues are honest, confessional, and illuminating. The piece feels so clearly theatrical, even while conjuring a specific cinematic moment in time. Fun, unsettling, insightful!

Beautifully theatrical in its use of flexible time and space, powerful double-casting of certain characters, potent moments of audio and visual stimulation that heighten and help tell the story, and well-executed narration by a figure whose emotional stakes in the story become clear in a revealing and dynamic way. The narrative is consistently compelling and manages to interview the personal, political, and historical seamlessly. Gripping and begs to be seen live!

Fantastic, brilliantly-written sci fi! Osborne-Lee builds an extraordinarily rich world that feels so well-defined and well-thought-out from a practical and moral/ethical standpoint. What's so impressive is how clear the world is without any overt exposition and merely skillful showing vs. telling. The characters are nuanced as well. I love the way each act focuses on a different constellation of people. The stage images are profound and rife with complex visual metaphor. The themes of structural oppression, classism, the failures of a health care system, and othering are universal, of the moment, and eternally relevant.