Recommended by Rachael Carnes

Oh my gosh, I love this play. Berry's language is crisp and clever, inviting her richly-detailed characters to share guffaws and stunning revelations in the same breath. The writer takes on big themes, and it's the current of rich humor that guides us through this journey. I can't believe a theater hasn't snapped this up yet! This play would be a crown jewel in any contemporary season.

In this finely-crafted meditation on the Veteran experience, Burdick trains a bright light on the elusive nature of healing, as his well-developed characters move backwards and forwards from the traumas of the past, towards an uncertain future. Featuring parts for mature actors, with powerful imagery and themes, this work feels both raw and yet totally accessible. Wouldn't it be amazing to see this performed for — or by — clients in V.A. or rehabilitative hospitals?

Empathetic, compelling and all-too timely, this short piece gets at the heart of the questions we're all asking ourselves right now. Hoke does an incredible job setting us up to peer into abject horror through the eyes of a small child. Without being ham-fisted or maudlin, she creates depth, warmth and resonance. This could be any kid anywhere, asking simple questions. This play underscores the writer's finely-tuned craft — serving at once as a beautiful eulogy and a call to action.

Writer Villanueva has a beautiful ability to create realistic, connected dialogue that centers on tremendous emotion — Without it feeling too pushy or preachy. This piece is artfully-crafted and all-too timely.

This lively play feels so real in its portrayal of siblings — The way they store these memories, for good and ill, and enjoy bantering, chiding, teasing. Writer Hageman's voice is clear and *hilarious* — With snappy dialogue, chockfull of zingers, and a humane, connected throughline. This would be a playground for performers, full of humor, emotion and charm.

Just saw the world premiere of this fun play at Oregon Contemporary Theatre. Stolowitz builds comic momentum from the get-go, with delightful, engaging characters stuck in a tasting room of a vineyard in Oregon's Willamette Valley. There are plenty of laughs, but the writer doesn't shy away from the 'what does it all mean' stuff, too. I like her sense of place, the development of her female characters and the way she brings in the unexpected. Brava!

Are you reading and producing Asher Wyndham's work? If not, why? His voice is a clarion call — Sensitive and forthright — And his plays offer genuinely new ideas and carry the action and energy necessary to sustain them. This play's no exception. Here Wyndham captures — with a breathtaking economy — the absurdity of arming children with defense mechanisms against terror in their classrooms and the noxious routines of hyper-masculinity that creates that need. Not sure how he even does it. Just read it!

I had the opportunity to see this play's world premiere at Portland Center Stage. With humor and grace, Szymkowicz takes a gentle approach to developing out deeper themes of love and loss and longing, in this character-driven ensemble work. It's an accessible piece, centering on a friendly narrator who drops us in on the lives of likable townsfolk. We'll be seeing more of this play soon.

From the very first moments of this devastating play, Wyndham sets us in the hands of reality through subtle, relatable action and revealing, universal imagery. A child holds a Ziplock baggie full of coins — Chore money — And oh, those blinking shoes sure are neat. Here Wyndham departs — Pulls tight at our emotional sinews — Making raw and uncomfortable and all-too present the conversations parents have with their children every day about living defensively in this world where gun violence is an ever-present threat. This piece, featuring a child actor, would be a profound gift to any stage.

I had the opportunity to read this play aloud in a workshop setting and I'm struck by how natural the language feels, how richly detailed and deep the characterizations are, and what strong themes Hoke develops, in just a few pages. The premise will feel familiar to anyone with children or teens involved in any competitive activity — Hoke takes on big tropes and doesn't shy away from big questions. This one-act would be a dynamic piece for any creative team to explore, overhanging with possibility and nuance. Hoke has the chops to write characters who seem so very real.