Recommended by Donna Gordon

Not only did Father Raphael devote himself to God, but rather than be a Priest out in the community he chooses life in a monastery. The ripples this causes in his pool of acquaintances, especially to his love, are explored in this unanticipated meeting. Present and past are blended as memory meets reality in a jolting exploration of a love lost to a higher calling. The pain of a decision to leave a meaningful relationship for a life in another direction is clearly expressed and becomes starkly relatable. The interesting structure of this play would intrigue an audience.

How about "Give Me a Kiss to Build a Dream On". This is a beautiful story and it could really happen in this modern world. Interesting way to give some important information.

A poetic but, none-the-less starkly truthful rendition of a childhood trauma, Guyton's play is bound to reverberate. This experience is relived into adulthood, and in Guyton's monologue, becomes darkly poetic. Sharing these memories with another is cathartic. This points to the importance of this play in helping us to process our own trauma.

I'm glad for another nod to the Victorian age, with its beautiful dresses and elaborate phrases. Milton is a master at capturing this period and giving it a modern currency. A mystery unfolds here and the story cleverly unwinds all the tangled threads. Some relevant issues are brought to the reader's attention. This is a complete package: history, conversational technique, clear characterization and a strong motive.

Hamilton-Schmidt captures the crime genre. Paranoia takes stage center, yet we don't know how much truth enters into the story. This is an excellent picture of this mental state, and we're left asking the same questions the rational character asks. Interesting perspective.

There are so many brilliant touches here that I can't name them all. I especially like the blending of mental illness/retardation with art, which is a combination in many artists of the past, most notably Van Gogh. The understanding of the effects of mental illness on a family are given in moments of high drama. The idea that miracles can occur ties this play together, and the backstory of a relationship that must be given up is intriguing. The themes of this play reveal themselves in every word. Produce this for the ideals that are given weight.

The loyalties people hold, as history shows, can bring happiness or tragedy. Currin shows that loyalty to an ideal can mean great sacrifice, and not just for the idealist. The civil uprisings Currin covers, in a grand sweep, mean loss for Jim Hercules, an alien in Tsarist Russia. Perhaps the greatest loss for Jim is the letting go of the loyalty he has held for the royal family. Jim survivalist instincts are a one way to handle complicated and violent political upheavals. These profound questions are successfully handled in Currin's writing.

Very well-written expose about the abuse that happens behind closed doors, and sometimes in
"normal" homes where no one would look. Or, if the law sees, incest becomes hidden behind general terms and vague accusations. These children are too young to be on the stand, but this is a view in stark relief, by the victims themselves.

Everything you wanted to know about sex trafficking is here: the victims, the traffickers, and the johns. Suarez-Pena looks at this travesty through a compassionate lens. Most people involved in sex trafficking were trafficked themselves, usually in childhood, and sometimes as young as four years old. The illegality of this very lucrative business is often the only perspective the public has. That's why it's necessary to air out this societal infection. Suarez's theatrical conversation is unique and brilliant.

A well-written memoir of the death of a young girl. Although, it's not written in a collection of memories, but rather in the lives of those who can't let her go. It's also a story about family and how, sometimes, we leave legacies that are not encouraging, but might be crippling to younger generations. The parents who obsessively worship their dead daughter seem to have been, in the process, unavailable to their other daughter. This is an unusual story, but one that has a resonating theme.