Recommended by Rachael Carnes

In a touching moment, a daughter recounts her mom's love, and the sacrifices she made to provide. Speckman paints a portrait of exquisite emotion here, in the child, and in her older self, with complex, compounding feelings of guilt, envy, grief, in just a few minutes. This would be a terrific showcase for any actor: Real, raw and so alive.

Contemporary American Theatre better *look out*, because this play is a game-changer. Cubria deftly sends up every racist trope in this personal, political romp. Why can't the playwright just enjoy writing experimental clown plays? And what does it even mean to be "successful" in a field where you can barely make a living, even at the top of your craft? How do our successes begin to corral and shape your voice, and what kind of world do we want to make for our kids? With huge humor and scathing wit, Cubria pulls no punches in this unforgettable new play.

This chilling, deeply-felt play by Lawing's a gut punch. In it, he envisions rights stripped away to chilling effect. It's a visceral, physical piece, the losses and grief held in the body, perhaps made more poignant by 2020, and the way so many of us are now living in isolation from the simple joy of... a hug. Heartbreaking and a call to action, Lawing's work will stick with me for a long, long time.

Warm, inviting and smart as heck, Accuardi's tale spins dynamically through bright and approachable dialogue, rich characters and a story with breathtaking twists and turns. Page after page, scene after scene, the author balances the brisk forward-drivers with stunning, easeful poetry, letting us eddy in moments *so lovely* -- All I want is to see them onstage. A stunning staged reading of this heartbreaking yet hopeful new work, by Playmakers Rep, has only whet my appetite for a full production of this gorgeous play. Brava!

Charming and funny, this two-hander crackles with delightful reveals that anyone anywhere who's ever tried to rent in a tough market will relate to. Ward bobs and weaves through this hilarious patter, building to a crescendo both satisfying and surprising. Great fun!

Head-spinning wordplay zips along in this delightful confection about life, love and possibilities. Hayden structures the play with dizzying symmetry, at-once starting a life together, and reflecting back on it. I heard a reading of the work and was so glad to have the chance to go read it on NPX, to see a little more clearly how the writer builds the craft of the play with such seeming ease! A remarkable, fun new work.

Only someone with the heart and mind of Matthew Weaver can find a child in her mother's arms...Nestled in the celestial firmament. One page, and I'm gutted! Gorgeous, resonant work.

A gorgeous slice-of-life, in a life that's not normal - For anyone, is it? - in Covid-19. O'Doherty's play bubbles with bright humor and pivots dynamically, revealing an emotional depth that took my breath away. A real, resonant piece, and a terrific playground for a creative team.

A smart, timely, compelling play, Affoumado draws the audience in with beautifully-hewn characters, rich and detailed, profoundly human, whose dialogue crackles throughout this drum-tight plot. This play snaps along with breakneck urgency, reminding us that as we dither about politics, real lives are at stake. Smartly training a light on the past, Affoumado confronts the inequities of the present, and asks us to look in our conscience, to envision what future we want to chart for this country. A clarion call to exercise our right to VOTE. I saw a reading of this play recently, and won't ever forget it.

Bwahahaha! What a treat. If you miss in-person theatre (who doesn't?) and need a laugh (we all do) then check out this delightful send up of Community Theatre and all its internal dramas and travails. The characters and concept in Floyd-Priskorn's wonderful play seem pulled from real life, universally relatable, and funny as heck. I think this would work on Zoom, too! It's great fun.