Recommended by Rachael Carnes

A deeply-felt slice of life for one character, that provides a clear window into her whole small world. Regrets, concern, seeking - Are balanced with gorgeous imagery in this evocative monologue.

What fun! Polner's dialogue crackles in this madcap comedy. How does one even write something this sustainably funny? Polner's done it! And part of the magic is how physical the piece is - I found myself guffawing to the delightful descriptions of broad, physical humor - So welcome in these dark days. And I'm not ashamed to admit it: I kinda adore how miserable everyone is, especially our dowdy hero, Denny. His is a zany adventure, and so worth the journey.

A perfect encapsulation of the razors edge we've all walked at "work" this year, between crushing banality and morbid dread. What does it mean when we actually start to miss offices? Zaffarano populates this early-pandemic farce with delightful characters, finding humor in human foibles and trapping in amber the fleeting weirdness of it all. I hope it's something we'll look back on one day? Maybe sooner than later? Asking for a friend... A wry piece of Zoom theatre or an in-person slice of history, when theatres reopen.

A deeply-felt monologue from the point of view of an orca. For Zoom! With that creative conceit, Richter finds richly humane emotion, and a calling for us to care and connect, to think and feel, for the natural world. This interchange - between an an animal living and aquatic life and a videoconference platform - distills the separation between us and our environment. A mournful piece, and a call to action.

They started with so much hope, so much vision! And... Then all their planning goes off the rails for this team of educators. A cheeky send-up, this play careens quickly into stentorian comic territory and I'm here for it. It'd be delicious onstage! A bright bit of holiday satire - Such a nice balance to all the treacle of the season. Refreshing!

A hilarious dive into the often farcical world of text exchanges. Tedford Kendall pushes stakes higher throughout, ratcheting up the antics to an absurd degree. It's delightful to see the resulting back and forth, and within it - Find the dynamics of this newfangled communication, where the banal and the base and the deadly-serious, might intermingle with lightning speed. Though it'd be fun onstage, I think this play would be easily adapted and performed on Zoom, as well. A perfect choice for colleges or universities.

What a timely, relevant conversation, about the itchiness of momentary fame, the way we seem attracted to it, though it's sad in its fleeting nature. Goldman-Sherman gets at the heart of it in this piece, wry and satirical, yet breathtaking in its emotional reveal. Especially in isolation, who *are* we? There's an existential question, a kernel of concern that can't be shaken. This piece is fun to read out loud, and would provide everything for an actor to sink their chops into. Brava!

A vacation in Italy sounds amazing - But is it worth the emotional wear to go with ones benighted parents? McClain gets right at the heart of an age-old dispute, as a couple navigates The In-Laws, unpacking old slights and teasing out a serious of hilarious 'what if's' -- searching for some sort of pasta-fueled resolution. I mean, Italy?! Sharp, irreverent, and a nice travel-oriented diversion when the only place we've all been in nine months is probably the grocery store.

What a gem! Floyd-Priskorn's world-building rings so clearly and this delightful afterlife office is populated with characters that would be an absolute joy to perform. It's on all of our minds - What happens when - And this creative, compelling narrative gets at the messy, emotional human fears and foibles within all of us.

The perfect play for these divisive times. Goldman-Sherman divines mathematical principles to find tremendous humanity in this poignant, yet evergreen piece. Teachers - of any subject - read this in your classrooms. Grown-ups, read this now. A balm for the beleaguered soul.