Recommended by Rachael Carnes

In this tightly developed ten pages, Hayet takes us on a hilariously engaging journey through the territory of childhood fears. This play is so funny - until the moment it's not. No spoilers, but this lovely piece reverberates with meaning and profound experience. Writing like this, that can come at a hard topic from a new angle, is remarkable, readable and would be so compelling onstage.

Spare and open for interpretation in many directions, this tête-à-tête explores the real emotions that lurk just below the surface in any seemingly innocuous conversation. Sapio's rhythm and energy flow through the language play, creating cohesion underneath the back and forth banter. This one feels almost dancelike -- On the page, it's brief, but there's a lot of dynamic change, from line to line and page to page. It would be a fun one to take through the rehearsal process, and even more fun to see produced.

Vic and Olive are spoiling for a fight - And this one's a doozy. Gardner packs a wallop in this short play - with twists and turns that are both funny and devastating. Tense, yet ambiguous, this well-structured play is crafted to edgy effect.

Tautly bound yet deeply felt, this moving sci-fi play pierces beyond the fantastical into a realm where emotion can be explored, where character and motivation are defined with the scantest poetry. This play is a requiem, a saga of a death foretold. Exquisite and lovely, biting and clear - Vaughn lifts the energy up higher and higher, and then lets us fall, slowly, inevitably. The writer even discovers meaning in the quiet.

This play is incredible. Razor-sharp, with a commanding point of view, and at the same time, it's just funny as hell. Langford works within themes that are at a constant, rolling boil in our society -- and she does so with such confidence and verve. I wish I could see this onstage, and producers should pay attention: Langford has penned a complete world that asks us important questions about how technology and the future digital age are fueled by our past, and present. There's SO MUCH pressure-per-square inch, on every single page of this script. I'm blown away.

Thank you, thank you, Emily Hageman, for introducing a snappy, engaging piece that would be a BLAST for teens or young adults (or probably anyone) to perform. There's such a paucity of great roles for young actors - I've been to so many regional competitions and seen sooooo many high schoolers earnestly playing roles for someone 30-60 years older than they are. But what do young people want to say? Hageman has a gift for humor - throwing shade and super-zingers - and always coming back to this lovely, open emotion. I just love her balance of sharpness and surprise.

I'm supposed to be reading holiday plays but it's been a bit of a week so instead I'm distracting myself with delightfully weird and engaging sci-fi dystopian nightmare fuel like this terrifying and twisted play! Koivisto's language is a great blend of lyrical word choices and bold, relentless rhythm. This dialogue ratchets up the pressure and splays out all over, til what you thought it was, and what it is, are a distant journey. It's artfully structured and yet leaves plenty of room for actors and directors to interpret. Happy holidays!

A two-minute treat! Martin frames out a terrific farce here, with Stella and Stellan the "Todd and Margo" irritants of this pre-apocalyptic satire. It's fun, and just a leeeeetle bit cringeworthy to hear their soulless banter and recognize, yup, we're all pretty much doomed. Funny and fast paced, this would be a blast to see onstage. I'd like to see how the TD handles the world's end.

Oh man, poor Ashley! She's just hoping the family will be cool, but — That's not gonna happen. Bavoso hits the holidays on the head, when our emotional lives can feel trapped in a Venn diagram like this one, where your chosen family and your biological family... intersect. There's lots of fun farce and kooky comedy as these disparate worlds collide. Also, I want a full-length with "Grandma" because she is my everything. Happy Holidays!

Haha — It's such a delight where you find a writer who can knock you out with devastating drama (Go read "Wish Fulfillment") and then turn around and make you snort tea out your nose with this silly farce. Paying the check with two couples at the table is always a bit awkward, but Simpatico and Flatley take that universal situation, put it on high heat and watch it burn. This would be soooo fun to perform in and to see onstage. Silly and physical with lots of places for discovery.