Recommended by Rachael Carnes

Fix Curry gets at the heart of the sibling dynamic in this dynamic short play. The setting - the Staten island Ferry - is perfect, a rolling stage where foibles and flaws spill out all day, every day. (I know, I commuted to and from S.I. to Manhattan every day for five years!) Funny, relatable characters, compelling dialogue and a rewarding pay off make this a great choice. Lots of great stuff to dig into! On or off the boat.

A hilarious comedy that asks age-old questions, this delightful new piece by Hoke examines expectations, existence and the need we all have to belong. Funny and fresh, this play's a wonderful escape from Covid, and Hoke's unique creative process, described in her blog, offers a terrific model for writers. I'm grateful for the laughs, and inspired to continue to build new work, even in these unprecedented times.

You think you're on the receiving end of a robocall but things take a quick and hilarious downward turn in this breakneck comedy, perfect for Zoom. Allen starts at a rollicking pace and amps up the chaos from there. The resulting absurdity reminds us that our new virtual video call world has issues. This play would be a great way to explore these new limitations, online or maybe one day, onstage.

A satirical knife's edge is wielded in this engaging piece. Affoumado bundles insecurities in a mantle of excuses and righteousness, digging this character into a trench of ideology and bravado. It's hard to listen to, or read, but also is so deeply satisfying, like scratching a mosquito bite til it bleeds. This is smart theatre, that strikes at the heart of this unreal moment, when politics and pandemic conjoin. Bravo!

Perfection! When the craving for hyper-productivity crashes on the rocks of Covid reality. Nothing is in our control, everything's terrible, f-ck 2020! Yes, and do your part to get us through this, darn it. Wyndham never holds back, this monologue is so fresh, so fun, and aches with the subtext we all feel: When is this ride going to be OVER? The perfect online audition piece - or feature for your next pandemic theatre festival.

A stunning short musical on the losses that continue to reverberate, long after gun violence. A beautiful addition to the #CodeRed Playwrights Anthologies, this play anchors a collection of plays in response to gun violence in places of worship. Includes sheet music and music track, to facilitate the full experience (and power) of this beautiful piece.

Wow! High School drama and speech coaches - get your hands on the rights to this gem of a play! Koivisto cracks the Zoom Theatre wall with dialogue that's fast-paced and unexpected, finding resilience where we've always looked: In young people. This four-hander offers terrific rhythms and dynamics for younger actors to sink their teeth into. Refreshing and relevant. Worried about teaching online classes in the Fall? Here's a great scene study, or an anchor in an evening of online plays.

A stunning dialogue between siblings, unpacking past and lurching tentatively towards the future. Augustin delves masterfully into their pain and trauma, lifting us up with perfectly positioned levity, and renewing our capacity to more fully understand what they've been through. A beautiful ode to the deep bond that can be shared by family members, accessible, real, and breaking into transporting poetry. I enjoyed a reading of this with the New Ambassadors in NYC (via Zoom) and would love to see it in full production ASAP. Such dynamic inventory for actors.

The complexities of this piece, each faceted with rich details and unique perspective, shine as Sellem expertly pivots and rotates our point of view. The work offers a new window on our locked-down Covid world, and finds a passageway into something older, and more prescient, than any pandemic crisis. Sellem finds the space between, here/now, me/you, us/them, and stretches and plays with that distance artfully, empathetically. A fascinating portrait, crystalizing a conversation that our collective existential situation throws us into, asking us to reckon with loss, faith... and a tentative hope.

A deeply-felt monologue about a member of the unprecedented collection of 2020 High School students who missed out on their senior year rituals. Here we find a high-achiever, who should be taking a victory lap, but instead, she's railing, questioning, how could this happen? When will it be over? How can she move forward? And... to what? Allen synthesizes the dynamics of this strange, confusing moment in time, hard for everyone, and particularly challenging for anyone ready to start their life after home and High School, and thwarted. Allen's engagement takes us to resolution, and hope, found within. Just lovely.