Recommended by Susan Middaugh

Conflict right from the start. Compelling tale that kept me wondering what will happen next. Funny that Tyrell tries to protect himself by putting a popcorn bowl on his head and two of the male characters talk about pilates -- in neither case what you would expect. These men know the consequences of being caught with a gun -- even if it is a toy.

Just what you wouldn't expect at a family funeral: two adults sniping at each other in public under the guise of delivering heartfelt eulogies of their father. But what they really want is to undercut the other's claim for a valuable painting. Delicious and fun! En garde!

The premise by a headstrong woman law student with disabilities is bold and jarring. Sitting on the edge of my seat, I want to know where the playwright will take it. Jean Koppen is inventive and economical in her use of doubling to convey this story in an imaginative and compelling way. Furthermore, her knowledge of the law and the impact of Buck vs. Bell then and now is a wake-up call for those concerned about social justice and women's reproductive rights. Brava!

A charming bit of contemporary Biblical humor about a man who's a "good soul" and Mary the mother of God. Original, unusual twist about a woman who likes to be held even though she wears a halo. Lovely and warm, will restore your faith in humanity and chance meetings at Starbuck's.

Two construction workers, one a jackhammer operator and the other a crane operator, have long been attracted to one another, but were too shy to admit it. Now at long last in one and two word phrases that recall the yup's of Gary Cooper agree to go on their first date. Wonderful!

Three women who survived the San Francisco earthquake offer their reflections on what it was like to witness it and the impact that it had on them. Very down to earth -- making ham and eggs, visual, sensual, including the wish to wear fashionable hats if the end is near. Loved the comment from Annie: "Everything was changing and nothing will ever be the same....best feeling I ever had." Outstanding.

A very clever parody about The Wall with Humpty Dumpty as a curmudgeon and the White Rabbit as a protector/defender of Alice's right to escape from the Queen's oppression. The conflict begins on page 1 and features a perverse interpretation of Robert Frost's "good fences make good neighbors."

Makes you ache for Mari who has cancer and aches to see her tongue tied friend Emma who has finally come to visit her. Being very ill has brought about a change in Mari's personality and is a catalyst for growth. She used to be a people pleaser but now she takes some solace in sarcasm, exposing cliches and truth telling. Emma does better when she can share chocolate with her friend and experiences they have in common: gossip about school, disagreeable staff and a teacher who has a reputation for farting in public. Claudia knows teens. Well done!

Jennifer O'Grady has structured this short play in a compelling way, even more so than if the focus was simply on the parent or on the driver. Spare dialogue conveys the subtext and the tragedy of this accident. Well done!

What could be more intriguing for an audience than a retirement home for a 20 something woman who isn't really alive but "a product of her boyfriend's imagination? Very imaginative with some very clever lines: "Shh! This is Canada. I don't think we can swear here." Enjoyed it.