Recommended by Rachael Carnes

A beautiful, heartbreaking piece — O'Grady captures here the loss of innocence, for kids, for our society. She gets at the trauma of this craven gun culture, how it sinks its talons into our systems, until the threat of violence is normal. We're there already, aren't we? Maybe a monologue like this could help us find our way out of the quagmire. A poetic, relevant piece, and a perfect showcase for a teen actor.

This play balances its tough themes with a delicate, restrained approach. It's so realistic - Driving us right to a relatable moment, dropping us into a universally frustrating ebb, and then - putting us in free all, as we spin downward into the unexpected. It's funny, heartfelt - And gutting. A perfect ten minute play.

Monster dating is rough, but Danley mines it for all the laughs. Every actor is gonna wanna play Franklin. Such a delight!

I had the pleasure of seeing this delightful play at the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival. McLaughlin builds a delightful romance within a zany Halloween one-act. Fresh and fun, it would be a treat for any short play festival.

This is just brilliant! Weaver builds a believably unbelievable vampire play, and then implodes it from within. What a treat! I can just imagine the fun that the cast and creatives will have with this one - It's so theatrical, but about a much deeper subtext. A funny Halloween play that's actually meaningful? Weaver! You, genius!

What a charming piece of theatre! Bright and funny - Hayet's play has all the goods. No wonder it's an award-winner. Any team would have a field day with this one, lots of great moments and characters as warm as they are hilarious.

Oh man, I feel *seen*. This short play gets at the heart of those recursive, nutty little feeling spirals we find ourselves in. It's a mini-play with plenty of arsenal for a creative team to sling across the stage. Fun!

Richly-detailed, a hilarious world crafted with care, Lawing's tale takes us to the heart of the Pacific Northwest, to a legendary moment, revisited. The punchy cadence of the dialogue - with perfectly timed screams - will give audiences a comic jolt, and offers a refreshing taking on the myth of the "monster". Lawing reveals morsels of info as we go... Walking us deep into the PacNW woods in this funny, insightful play.

A stunning contribution to literature, this play explores the sinewy relationship between the generations, in an epic journey from West to East. I'm grateful to have seen the premiere production at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and hope that theatres across the country will share this beautiful, vital work. Solis weaves language rich with poetry and peerless vernacular. He's a masterful storyteller, and this play sings.

In just one page, Martin drops us so fully into a broken, dangerous world. Are we at war? Are we in a classroom? There's a range emotional exploration both arresting and surprising — Intriguing for audiences, with plenty of room for a creative team to explore, even within the confines of a short play.