Recommended by Rachael Carnes

A chilling piece, somber and gutsy, drawing us close, taking away our oxygen, even set - as it is - outdoors. It's fascinating to read a play intentionally written for a site-specific landscape, and I can visualize this moment so clearly, perfectly at-home in so many little towns across the U.S. Perfect for a festival that engages with its local environment.

Cars are intimate and external spaces, where we laugh, chat, yell, sing - And Calandrino exploits the permeability of this environment to great effect, peppering a particularly sticky intersection with offbeat characters and their revelations. I'm sure audiences will love the ride.

Another beautiful moment by Asher. I love how the character invites us into the setting, so eloquently, with relatable memories filling in, the world anchored by all the humorous details. And in this immediate context, a clear call to action, that we not only be kind, but fierce! That we protect others, lift them up and let them know we're here. This loving character embraces hope for a better time and place -- as simple to find as the minute we're living. Asher's work has such depth, and this marvelous piece is no exception.

A beautiful piece, full of lush language and wonderfully developed characters, exposing and exploring the toughest subject matter, with humor and grace. If I taught middle or high school, I'd have my students read this play in their classroom, as it approaches our world in a way that is accessible and articulate to all ages. This is such a great play. Bravo!

Another gem! Browne's wacky sense of humor is really working for me. Love you physical this script is, and how the language play has so much fun. Inventive, quirky, yet so relatable. Check it out!

This is so creative! Browne gives us the POV of - A cake! Of course he/she's a people pleaser, and we learn more and more as CAKE engages in a one-way therapy session, because CAKE. This is a delightfully fun monologue. So happy to discover this writer! Yay!

I was fortunate to see a staged reading of this piece at the WriteON Festival in Cambridge U.K. Hoke's characters grab you - and don't let go - on this steep ascent and plunge into the unexpected. I so admire the pulsing moments, built to a frenzied accumulation, as if Hoke is tightening a knot and unraveling a relationship, all at once. An absolute arsenal for two actors. Well done!

Inherent conflict, comic timing and a satisfying catharsis! This one-minute play has it all. We're all either a LUCIUS or a JOSH. Which one are you?

Charming! An interior meltdown in a setting chockfull of comings and goings, partings and meetings. Will the past catch up with the present? Was the effort to get here worth it? Speckman traces the wobbling pathway in someone's mind, as this rich character confronts his own foibles and wonders what happens next. A lovely moment in time.

Hilarious! I so love it when I read something that has awesome physicality built right into it, like a blueprint for laughs. Cozzola's play is sharp and zippy, and within the humor, taps into real emotion and deeper meaning. It's a gem, the kind of scene that's so fun for a creative team to work on, and such a treat for an audience to see.