Recommended by Reinette LeJeune

A wonderful, moving, and insightful retelling of forgotten truths about the bible and the savior. Seeing the lesser noticed side of Christianity - the very women who are responsible for its continuance, but have been all but cut out of the stories we tell today is so refreshing when it comes to this topic. Shualee Cook has revised the mythos to show the very lifeforce behind the movement turned religion, and it is much needed as much now as ever. Also - love that the real names are being used rather than their anglicized versions.

A tender exploration of masculinity - a homophobic bro taking care of himself and his closeted gay brother through gay sex work is such a rich field to sow in. The two brothers have a wonderful development throughout, and all the characters balance the script with nuanced wit. I read this play for the first time many years ago, and just like then, I am taken right back to the comical memories of my misadventures as an escort. I very much respect the honesty with which Duncan shapes these character's world, and the willingness to mine humor with the humanities.

This play terrified me - I’ve been in that position before, waiting out a tornado and my mind racing across a wide spectrum of emotions. Just like that very unnerving feeling of every second possibly being the last, this play leads us along - our unreliable narrator always keeping us on the edge of our seats until the explosive finale. There is wonderful material here for an actress to explore, with an unyielding pace in steady increase. I can only imagine experiencing this play in person must be like being swept off your feet by a gust of guilt.

Such a tender and witty 2 character play. Gina Femia’s poetry is at the forefront and underbelly of this achingly haunted play; it works it’s way inside as you’re reading (and I assume experiencing in person) and plants it’s flag right at the summit of your mind. The subject matter is handled with a strong sense of responsibility for those seeking to survive.

I absolutely love Rachel’s work - and this play is indicative as to why: with extreme simplicity she seamlessly weaves two lives into a complex tapestry of human emotion. The two characters are well balanced and have been written in such a way that gives actors some real emotional, spiritual, and mental weight to work with and challenge themselves, both as artists and as human beings.

I'm always ecstatic to find other writers who are dedicated to telling honest stories about people who live on both the LGBTQ+ and autistic spectrums. This heartfelt play rides naturalistic waves right onto the shores of fantasy, before diving back into the vastness of life's ocean. The love story between Nora and Stephanie is so tender and warm, but is not without the natural rough edges we all have to work with. The puppetry is a nice little bonus fun that everyone will enjoy - actor, designer, audience, all!

A haunting dark comedy about the desire for success vs the desire to help your "friends," along with even more difficult questions. The ways in which the characters desperately fight the white patriarchy but only wind up tangling themselves further into its web is dizzying. I read this in one entire read - the flow of the action kept me hooked up until the last word. I'm so happy to have been introduced to Rachel's work with this play. Can't wait to read more!

As someone who both experiences dysphoria and memories of growing up with tornados, this play was such a magical read for me - I'd love to see it performed. The way in which the internal feelings of self mix with the abstract imagery that Britt Willis creates would truly feel right at home up on a stage. Their creativity is in full view here.

This play resonates so much after this last year of isolation and quarantine; we can all relate to the two central characters who desperate ache for connection as I’m sure many of us these days often are. The writing is wonderful, empathetic, and balanced amongst the characters. Even with the tallest mountain of melancholy and sadness, Gina Femia’s characters always retain their hopeful airs as they ascend its gradual climb. Empathy is the ink with which she pens her plays.

A disturbing piece that I hope to one day see in production! The characters are flawed humans, who could maybe find their better selves in other circumstances, but like many toxic relationships - it can be a hurricane swirling from two directions to create extremely dangerous conditions. I commend Donna Hoke's handling of the subject matter with an empathy and emotional depth that is sure to lead audience and readers alike to question where they may have equally succumbed to patriarchal conditioning.