Recommended by Donna Gordon

Ms. Cowley captures the spirit of WWII aviators so well. Her knowledge of airplanes is impressive, and the imaginations she gives the characters reflects their experiences in the war. The return of the hero theme is balanced with the effects of the war on a disabled veteran and three women aviators struggling to survive. Isn't that life - the beautiful and the damaged. Fortunately these women are superbly capable of building a new life. A vast topic that is pared down to the effects of war on a small town. The writing is historical theater at its best.

I like variations in structure, and this play does something new. Regardless of the listing effect, a story was developed. Though one might be led to judge the characters, Mark suspends that tendency.

A stronger reminder to be good stewards of our resources has not been written, except by Ms. Stoneman herself. Ms. Rice insists that we take a realistic look at Ms. Stoneman's early life, which was far from perfect. However, determination, birthed out of her family's dysfunction, led to the greatness of this pioneer ecologist. Throughout this account Ms. Rice injects dialogue with wit and humor, surprising touches considering the subject. Seeing this on stage would be just plain enjoyable for the history or biography lover. The subject couldn't be more relevant.

The conversation between Mary and Martha is bittersweet; that's a difficult mood to portray. This would be a great play for young people who understood this story in the New Testament. The title suggests great joy, then sadness, surely emotions that were prominent in Jesus' life. This vantage point makes the story new and refreshing.

Asher gets inside the tween mind. That's not an easy age to relate to - in between childhood and teen years, with silliness, their obsessions and their endearing ways. This might have been sad, but Ramona enjoys herself in spite of it all. There's a lesson in that.

A very thorough treatment of the Old Testament story of King David is delivered with wonderful songs and accurate speeches. Many of the Old Testament names are included and given majestic monologues remarkably true to Scripture. The songs are a touching embellishment to the script. This epic becomes a valuable addition to Biblical interpretation and its theatricality cannot be disputed. Be prepared for a glorious show with many characters and songs. Fortunately, the audience will, in many cases be familiar with the story while being educated anew with some of its details.

Very nice presentation for the happy occasion of Mother's Day. Find an actor who would like to be center stage, doesn't have to be young, and give her a chance to commemorate a special day. This would be a pleasant filler in a longer program. Or, even better, maybe Mr. Case, Jr. will expand upon this.

Oh I don't know if this unproducible. Never say never...sometimes we can just give a hint at what we mean. The audience might be empathetic. Animals do seem to know more about unconditional love.

A good sea-farin' tale, located on a marina, about getting ready to sail. The characters were true to the types of people you meet everyday in the small boat world. The overall plot keeps the interest, but the larger theme of "escapism" sets the sun on deck. The dialogue is beautifully written with depth and indirect compassion: there's nothing sentimental here. I could feel the excitement building like lifting an anchor and heading out to the high seas. Well-done and completely worthy of production.

The theme of when a devout faith becomes a cult run through the entire play. It is a driving force. This question starts to be answered when we find out how David, leader of the Branch Davidians, took over. The truth again gets revealed in David's lies to his followers during his negotiations with the FBI. And the insanity at the end reveals clearly what was askew all along. Then, what's up with David's distorted view of celibacy? This is beautiful structure, wonderful monologues and good character development. This message needs to get out to the public.