Recommended by Rachael Carnes

AAAAAGGGGGGHHHH I read this play in workshop and *loved* it but just treated myself to the radio play version. (It's almost Halloween, after all.) Burdick's storytelling firepower is in full effect -- and it's clear that the creative team is having an absolute ball. To this writer, who's curious about the radio play genre, it's inspiring and exciting to see (hear??) it done so well. Bravo! (Link to the radio play in the play's Supporting Materials.)

HAHAHA what fun. Danley and Purcell have crafted a gem here, from the improbable set-up (what are the ODDS two serial killers get in the same car?) to the zany jokes at the expense of attorneys (I mean, that's fair) — this piece is a winner, and will be a fan-favorite in any short play comedy fest.

Pity the poor actor trapped in this audition from hell. Busser's hilarious short has plenty of winking nods to theatre itself, but the audition could stand in as a metaphor for many universal unpleasantries, from job interviews to first dates to condo board applications: The world is full of impossible situations, and this is a fun one, laid bare. I'd love to see this sizzle in production.

You'd want to believe that Pflaster's prescient play is pure satire - that there couldn't possibly be school leadership this corrosive, this dangerous, for youth? That's what makes this play all-too real and all-too timely. Kids are captive audiences for conservatives to influence. We need all the Mrs. Darlings of the world to fight the good fight!

This a remarkable piece of writing. I was drawn to it by the title - Inspired by the composer John Cage's lifelong artistic collaborations with heavyweight risk-takers - And Goldman-Sherman has made a play that reminds me of some of my favorite Cage/Cunningham works, themselves sweeping explorations on the human condition, using lushly abstract dance vernacular. Emma has crafted a play about disconnection, randomness, isolation — And within that, found a poetic pulse, enveloping us all, whether we see it or not.

Oh my gosh, such a moving play. Sometimes a writer will create tensions in a dialogue, I swear I hear like music, like the thrumming below the words - it just catches you up. This moment, a mother and son attempting an awkward reunion, is soft, poignant and so very real. A wonderful vehicle for two actors to explore a range of possibilities.

A stunning play, penned with delicate brush strokes, that combine into a beautiful, temperate piece of art about a challenging world so many people face. Saari's voice is so clear, her characters right in that sweet spot: Broken but likable. The structure of this play interlocks effectively, effortlessly. It's an emotional arc, told with great restraint. So glad to read this writer - looking forward to reading more of her work soon.

Oh my gosh! The Bridezilla play to end them all! This is so snappy and fun - I read the whole thing with a big dumb grin on my face. Zaffarano has such a knack for punchy dialogue, and this just POPS. Plenty to play with for this nutty ensemble. I've no doubt that any creative team will have a field day exploring all the bridal possibilities. Weddings are, after all, theatrical events! And this peek behind the curtain in the unhinged bridal suite is such a delight.

I love a history play! And Loewenstern's does not disappoint! It's so wonderful when characters - people - from history leap into the now, bringing our foibles into their century, with humor and grace. This play does that, so smartly, treating us to a conversation for the ages. No wonder it's a Samuel French Off-Off Broadway winner!

A moody thriller, redolent with time and place — Firestone reminds us that there have been fraught times before, and populates this intriguing play with a cast of characters both intriguing and mysterious. Intellectually engaging, there's a lot here for a history buff, but audiences will connect with the human relationships.