Recommended by Harrison Young

I saw CALLOWAY's premiere in 2022 and still admire how historical letters from the actual past were used between scenes. To describe the Civil War is one thing...but to witness it through just letters being read and a porch in Alabama is another. Emily crafted a fascinating perspective for this divisive piece of southern history. It's one that uses both the direct and personal nature of the letters while also having the creative flourishes it takes for researched relationships to not feel overly research'y on-stage. Between this and her play POTENTIAL, Emily's well-grounded dialogue centers realism nicely.

I've had the good fortune to see HIGH GROUND's development in at least five different opportunities, and Greg's work for polishing this script consistently shows. It's a story that deeply weaves together different threads: it is a story of running from murder, of life in a brothel, of lessons learned from family, and of political ideas alongside political tactics. These come together to highlight a difficult story told well. The setting is from close to a century ago, yet it still resonates today.

MUTATION was the first play developed under my playwright-mentorship program Next Rung Productions. A fascinating aspect to this stark drama is the relationship between a new contractor who speaks for ~90% of the show and a seasoned contractor who does not speak at all -- they play off of each other in believable and engaging ways despite this imbalance in dialogue, and it really highlights what the Vietnam War could do to people. It also empathetically showcases what the war does to people who are far away from the jungle and war. Check it out!

My playwright-mentorship program Next Rung Productions was pleased to work with Barry in 2023 as he developed THE WOLF OF BADENOCH. This historical fantasy is rich in theatricality as it explores the ups and many downs of a Scottish warlord's life. Any theatre willing to take on its presentational needs for staging will have a memorable production for their audiences. It's arguably most fascinating in how its main character weaves back and forth between flashbacks and the present to capture both past feelings and present reflections. Don't miss it!

Having read this script, listened to a table reading, and watched a stage reading before...playwright Madison Mansouri gets it. The story revolves around a residential center as teenagers come in and out of its system. Mansouri captures their spirits as well as the staff's perspectives to provide an important message about what people don't understand about mental health. It's not all just about delivering a message though -- you will also see them Christmas-carolling and cussing sometimes to great comedic effect as well as see the amount of heart behind this story. This show can help someone.

SMITE ME packs joke after joke in this play that manages both a dark context (surviving a bomb blast) and a personal struggle (healing family divides). Edmund Sabato created a comedy with a lot of religious differences, a lot of lines crossed, and a single nightmare scene that arguably steals the show.

I love an imperfect protagonist, and THE WHEEL WOMAN has a compelling one. Annie Londenderry's growth is led by her love for the bicycle, revealing her simultaneous rise and downfall for the rest of the show. Vincent Delaney has showcased Annie's travels with excitement and wonder, and that surrounding energy presents a whole world that is both global and personal.