Recommended by Rachael Carnes

Absolutely gripping, at turns hilarious and harrowing, this piece resounds with wit and raw, unmitigated nightmare. We connect, and then the world's upended brilliantly - a powerful, engaging commentary on where we are, and where we've been. Read this yesterday, producer this now. This is a voice we need to be hearing from. Bravo!

Oof. Wow - A laser beam into a future I hope we *don't* see but one that draws certainty to the injustices and inequities in this tattered societal fabric we live in today. Sickles' characterization, the panic and inhumanity, the consciousness dulled by repetition, sends shudders down my spine. This play would be an incredible addition to a High School or college class curriculum. Get engaged - and Get Out And Vote.

Powerfully accessible and poetic, revealing depths of self-awareness and healing. An ode to writing itself, to transitions and possibilities. A reading of the piece with Portland's New Play Project lifted the narrative into a dreamy, pull-no-punches place. Brava!

Oh my gosh - What a delight! This play will be a gold mine for a creative team, and though it's written for the stage, if you could find three actors sheltering in place together, it would be awesome filmed on Zoom, too. Ewan's dialogue sings, richly detailed yet easy to relate to, and these characters have all kinds of fun.

Wow! This play hits the nail on the head when it comes to the transitory nature of Higher Ed, and this piece predates Covid! Let's please see this same professor, forced to teach in-person class while wearing PPE! No punches pulled in powerful work that speaks for many.

An incredible prism of people and the places they come from, and might find themselves, pivoting with heart and grace around subjects as small as a fragile, precious newborn, to as big as the foundations of the prison system. Deftly ranging across themes in poetry, theatre, deep dives on philosophy and meaning, with this charm and ease that will leave you gutted. I was so glad to see/hear a reading at the Road Theatre Company, via Zoom. These indelible characters, once they find you, can't be forgotten. A brilliant work from an important voice in American Theatre.

Mullen captures the heightened drama of the everyday in quarantine in this relatable yet inventive play written for Zoom. With sparkling dialogue and a subject that reflects a rite of passage made complex by Covid, mirth ensues. It's a relief to find the humor in this moment, and a Theatre Three production mined this one for all its riches. A bright, funny play - The perfect addition to your virtual festival.

What a delight. I love Bavoso's work - Invariably funny, bright and relatable - with these stakes that *immediately* draw us in. I saw a wonderful production of this short play with Theatre Three, and I was so grateful for the 10-minutes when I forgot about the pandemic. This is lovely, lush theatre, and absolutely perfect for Zoom. Get it! Produce it! A sweet, hilarious charmer.

With all the imagination, empathy and craft one expects from a Hageman play, this lovely piece is a warm, rich exploration of a universally relatable moment. No spoilers, but what an ending. I saw a beautiful performance of the play, presented by Theatre Three in Dallas, via Zoom, and was dazzled by the emotion - humor and grief - that shine through the videoconferencing medium. Choose this one for your virtual play festival, it's a gem.

I just love the mind of Lee Lawing! His plays often hover delightfully in the sweet spot between boundless imagination and relatable emotion, and this fantastic short play's no exception. I enjoyed a reading with Panglossian Productions: Hearing the work aloud underscores the rhythm and dynamics of this unique, funny-as-heck play.