Recommended by Dave Osmundsen

Romero has such a way with poetic language and symbolism, making his plays both literate and theatrical. Reading this particular play is like stepping into another world that is both weird and wonderful. A script that tells a simple story of an elderly woman trying to grasp onto her memories, it is a joy to read for both the elliptical dialogue and the stage directions, which are worth reading their economy and poignancy. Check this out!

This is a big, bold, confrontational, messy, complex, and thought-provoking play about the epidemic of gun violence in our country. Romero bravely takes many disparate elements from classical theatre, pop culture, and politics and blends them into a relentless and powerful short play. This is not a play that you will walk away from without a reaction, which to me are some of the best kinds of plays. Check this out!

I saw this play read at the Inge Festival. A tender, warm, and compassionate coming-out play. You feel Matthew’s frustration as his attempts to have a meaningful conversation with his grandmother continually fail. Beautiful work here!

What starts out as a sassy monologue from a middle school girl quickly becomes a touching tribute to her grandmother (and of course her grandmother’s fanny pack). It will have you laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. A charming monologue with a strong, believable voice about the things and people we carry with us.

A beautiful, intimate slice-of-life play about two characters who deal with their feelings for each other in contrasting ways, making for a fascinating conflict. Well-paced and vivid, you learn a lot about these characters and who they are over the course of ten minutes. A lovely piece!

Wow! I love the vivid and poetic imagery and language used in this piece. I can also clearly HEAR it being spoken. Sabrina walks a tight-rope between desperation and desire that is heartbreaking and compelling to watch. Check this monologue out!

An epic and intimate play that explores gender identity, faith, and how we deal with a world in pain and destruction. Diaz-Marcano's writing is beautifully poetic and economic, and he gives the director a lot of opportunities for creative staging. The message of the play is important, to: That we may want an entity to ease our burdens, but ultimately we are enough. Gorgeous play.

This is a fantastic play that explores the early days of the internet. Dwyer writes her characters with such depth that you can't help but be engaged by all of them, even the ones who aren't as savory. On a deeper level, this horrifying, hilarious, poignant, and intimate play is about people on the edge of something. The play takes place in 2000, when Y2K paranoia was overtaking the world, but it's also about people on the edge of something that will soon become a dominant cultural force. Highly recommended!

A bleak, nightmarish depiction of a capitalist America. Jacobi writes sharp, incisive dialogue and characters that do their best to make the most out of a terrible situation. What's compelling in this play is the conflict between people who want to get out of their situations and improve their lives and the ones who are so used to things that they've convinced themselves they cannot. While the world this play depicts is one of despair, it ends with a glimmer of hope. Check it out!

This play aims right for your heart and hits it with a bulls-eye. From the heart-wrenching opening to the shattering climax, this is a play that moves rapidly through the life of a seriously troubled teen. However, the drama manages to not feel cliched or like an after school special because Hageman knows her characters on a deep, personal level, and is not afraid to show them at their worst. The play's message seems to be that there are no easy answers in life, and all we can do is our best. Bravo, bravo, bravo!