Recommended by Lainie Vansant

The wacky plot and delightful language of this play are a ton of fun, and the way that Hardy and Leahy have subverted and played on both Shakespeare's work and the horror genre is fascinating. It's light and quick - give it a read!

What's truly remarkable about this piece is how much it embraces silence. In a world that pulls us in every direction, it's a real treat to pause for a moment with these characters and reflect on life, death, and what makes us who we are. Also, it features great roles for older actors, and shows remarkable craftsmanship in its rise and fall. I had the pleasure of seeing it read at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and I would love to see it fully produced!

I had the chance to see this performed at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and wow. It was a visceral experience, and the actress clearly had a lot to work with. Great work all around - check it out!

What a romp! Cohen has written two complex women with strong, important desires. The depth and subtlety of the language is so fun, and the characters feel very real despite the fact that they're talking about leading a zombie army. I saw a reading at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and it was clear that the actors enjoyed leaning into these characters' strong wants and needs. Dig into it yourself!

What's really remarkable about this play is that, unlike the troll-culture it depicts, this piece has a deep compassion for its characters, even the one who seems to be the "bad guy" in the beginning. It also has beautiful poetry and exciting opportunities for directors and designers. I saw a reading at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and I loved it!

In this piece, Lam balances imaginative history and interesting characters to create ask interesting questions about love, marriage, and tipping points. I saw - and enjoyed - it at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, check it out!

A truly entertaining trip that is sure to connect with over-thinkers everywhere. It's Analysis Paralysis with humor and heart. Plus, there's a lot of fun creative pieces for directors, designers, and actors involved. I saw a reading at the 2019 Midwest Dramatists Conference, and I would love to see it fully staged!

This play is hilarious and heart-wrenching in turn. it hurts my heart to think about the world we're leaving for the next generation, and Carnes captures those worries on a lot of different levels, with both metaphor and frankness, humor and drama, love and sadness. Plus, I saw a reading at the Midwest Dramatists Conference, and the actors were clearly having a ball, so produce the heck out of this little gem!

I just listened to the Parsnip Ship episodes featuring this play (check 'em out) and wow! The world-building is impeccable, the moral dilemmas are intriguing, and the story had me hooked the whole time. Plus, it's high-quality sci-fi with relatively minimal tech requirements. Produce this one, it's a winner!

A cute, fun read with an important message for young people! Hageman has set this up so that young actors can thrive performing it and young audiences can learn to tell their own stories, all with her signature meta-theatrical snark. Lots of fun all around!