Recommended by Nick Malakhow

An absolute genre-bending blast that is so much more than the sum of its parts. I wholeheartedly love the theatrical world Walker establishes here that feels like satire, brutalism, horror, and magical realism had a love child. The piece explores identity, the challenges of living one's truth in heteronormative-patriarchal structures, trauma aftermath, and so many other issues and ideas using lyrical poetry, totally hilarious and profane pitch-black comedy, creative movement, and some strategically-timed gut punches throughout. I would love to see this realized onstage--it is absolutely a piece that is meant to be theatricalized.

This irreverent and hilarious ensemble piece is exactly the perfect quarantine reading for me this morning. Weingarten's treatment of THE DECAMERON is clever and uses modern tropes to explore (in a totally on-point fashion) multitudinous themes from the original text: decadence; moralizing and moral hypocrisy; the nasty ways women are challenged, controlled, and shamed in society; the prevention of people from living their true selves, etc. The theatrical universe Weingarten creates is hilarious and consistent. Of course the exploration of those themes in quarantine situations also has totally refreshed significance now! I'd love to see this staged.

I enjoyed that this play straddles an interesting line between whimsical romance and cynical drama! Lorenzo is a hopeless romantic both as lover and an artist--a lovely symmetry that is both an appealing character trait and, of course, his downfall. I also enjoyed the meta-exploration of theater and of the relevance of drama and human truth in a world that increasingly demands spectacle and artifice--a great extended metaphor for the characters' differing views, beliefs, and approaches to life. The poem that ends the piece is a poignant and suitable button for the themes and characters explored within.

I loved this creative and beautifully-executed play from start to finish! Seinuk does an awesome job of establishing a consistent and vividly-rendered theatrical world populated by two compelling characters. There is a poignant symmetry between Ilan and Andrew's literal and metaphorical captivity, and I appreciated that, while there were clear parallels drawn between the two, it was always evident that each man's journey was unique, distinct, and respected as such. Structurally, I loved the contemplative but continuously progressive tempo and rhythm of the piece. I'd love to see this on its feet!

Jan Rosenberg has a knack for writing young people who feel vulnerable and in pain, but who construct walls and other obstacles to preventing that pain from overtaking them. Mae is a bold and vividly-rendered character and, from the moment she first meets Caden, I became intrigued by their arc and had to see it to its conclusion. What is most impressive here is how Rosenberg grapples with big and "scary" themes--depression, self-harm, suicide, mental health, family crises--with what I've come to see as her trademark balance of humor and sensitivity. The end is poignant, surprising, and hopeful!

An excellent and nuanced piece that renders the lives of a group of teenagers with complexity and straight-forwardness. Obadiah is an absolutely compelling focal point and Squire uses the mythos of Michael Jackson to amplify and reflect the conversations about race, identity, colorism, identity-based shame and confusion, and adolescent self-discovery. Each of these teens has powerful driving forces inside of them and I found myself sympathizing with all, even when they severely clashed with one another. The narration, shifting timelines, and connections to art and music make this a play that an awesome, well-rounded production team should dive into.

This play is spectacular in so many ways! It works as unsettling and clever science fiction, pitch black satire, and, most powerfully, as a sharp and on point exploration of a multitude of issues surrounding race. Christopher Washington takes on white privilege and guilt; dangerous empathy; the hyper-sexualization, commodification, and abuse of black bodies; and identity as culture vs. as physical reality. Structurally speaking, I loved how each scene was its own potent work of art, but had these chilling and revelatory moments when you realized where each fit into the world Washington slowly and effectively established. Brilliant!

Whoa! This goes from zero to "End of Days" slowly and surely throughout the taut and tense continuous action. I loved how unique and vividly rendered each character was, and their relationships to one another, faith, and queerness were all truly fascinating. I also appreciated how the theatrical world Christopher sets up works as a self-contained, directly-told story...and that I also saw within it a larger metaphor for issues of shame, compromise, repression, and the tension between truth and intra-group social expectations that is characteristic of the life of queer men. The bonkers finale feels quite earned!

This briskly-moving, powerful play renders three vivid characters in just three potent scenes. The dynamic between Serena and Aunie is immediately engaging. In each scene they feel identifiably themselves and consistent, and the evolution of both their relationships with one another and their internal lives is compelling to watch. Greg's presence is first affable and then alarming, making the loaded relationship between him and Serena realistic and sad. Though there are some big events and shocks, Herrera wisely keeps major bits of character growth to small moments, which heightens their impact. The ambiguous end knocked my socks off!

As a horror fan, I enjoyed this theatrical horror comedy! Shimano establishes the given circumstances of the universe from the outset in a visceral and hilarious opening scene, introducing us to several dynamic characters. The story pivots in the second act the way that unique and cerebral genre-bending horror (a la "Cabin the Woods") does to help illustrate his broader points about loneliness, love, and connection. It would be a blast to see this engaging theatrical world realized onstage.