Recommended by Olivia Matthews

A lovely exploration of the lifelong friendship between two determined women. Their respective points of view are strong, making their moments of contention suspenseful but also heartbreaking. While religion versus science may be up for debate forever, Puckett skillfully shows how they not only co-exist but are co-dependent. However, what is not debatable is the need for friendship and sisterhood; Puckett shows they necessary for Zoe and Sofía's survival.

A play that carefully weaves faith, science, and technology while being a platonic-romance. Any theatre would be happy to bring this

Skye Robinson Hillis masterfully paints these sympathetic characters who are wonderfully charming, sexy, and complex. Despite any complications that may arise, the foundation of Corinne and Michael's relationship is love and respect, which is exciting to see with such smart and mature characters. Allison is also compelling. She enters with her own life, giving her a grounded sensibility that was refreshing for a character her age. A great read but Hillis' poetry and characters DEMAND a life on the stage!

The speaker, Felice, gives a lovely, powerful monologue about the ramifications of love. The ideas in this play are evergreen; the pleasure and pain in love are that its power is ultimately transformative. How does a woman of a certain time keep her personhood? Can she?

Robinson Hillis’ use of language is a perfect match for the speaker’s musings. It’s romantic, and each line is more personal and poetic than the one before it. With the right actress, the poetry and the humor in the piece would vibrate even more than it already does on the page.

In times like these, it's easy to rage. Rightfully so. But as Rachael Carnes points out in "What We Are Not..." is that there is optimism within the anger. To protest, to speak out is to look forward. Carnes' protagonist says "Where I'm going is beautiful" and I'm so glad to have read a piece that is so hopeful. If I were to run into protesters, I hope to run into one like Niki. So short yet so poignant and speaks directly to #metoo and the women's march.

Honestly one of the most thrilling moments of theatre I've had the honor of witnessing. Egdorf plays with fire through language as she creates a woman trapped in the cycle of domestic abuse contemplating burning her husband and home down to the ground. She mixes the woman's musings with the familiar sound of sitcom laughter, which enhances this examination of domesticity in a small town. The words read like the beginning of a great novel but seeing it live is where this becomes magic.

A twist on our current state of affairs. Feels otherworldly but within reach, that's why it's so relevant- I often feel we're not too far from this kind of state-level control on the bodies of women/non-binary folk. Rachel Bublitz has captured that feeling perfectly in this short yet compelling piece. And for those not hip, the subversion of gender makes the absurdity of the culture's current power dynamics even more accessible.

With social media and the (unfortunate) advent of "ghosting," this is an all-too-relevant look at dating. What seems like a desperate encounter turns into a fight for power that is joyfully achieved by the speaker. Or is it?

Would LOVE to see this in performance.

I've had the privilege of seeing a reading of this well-crafted one-act twice. Each time I've been entranced by the determined and conflicted characters Brayden has thoughtfully created. Despite the harsh realities it presents, compassion is at the heart of this play.

This play gorgeously navigates a relationship between a mother and her teenaged son. Stuck in the car for a cross-country road trip, Mateo and Diane's interactions are, at times, contentious and bumpy, but they are smoothed over by Jordan's ability to graciously explore the identities, politics, and longings of two characters who seem worlds apart in the same car.

I had the privilege to see a reading of this play and I feel even more privileged to review it. How to Bake... is a wonderfully constructed tale that balances the realities of mental illness and the passion of a young woman baking her way to her dream school. Never have I seen a play explore mental illness and young adulthood with such empathy and imagination as this one.