Recommended by Dave Osmundsen

A lovely piece about a young woman confronting her past both literally and figuratively. Esposito deals with a variety of heavy emotions in this piece, such as grief and angst, yet does so with such a light touch so that the piece never feels bogged down.

This shot-in-the-heart of a play depicts a heartbreaking encounter between cousins. Rushing writes painfully accurate and real dialogue between two vivid characters with a pulsing sense of desperation and angst that sustains itself until the very end. Love it!

A confessional, a rallying cry, and a powerful gut-punch of a play. Fascinating exploration of cosplay culture and its more disturbing elements.

I saw this read at the Midwest Dramatists Conference. Such a lovely, intimate moment between two twins, one of whom is dying of cancer. Webb crafts affecting dialogue and a real relationship between these two characters. The final moments are heartbreaking. Check this out!

I saw this read at the Midwest Dramatists Conference. SUCH a creative use of masks to satirize the frustration of searching for a job, this play is a great exploration of how the masks we put on in our daily lives affect how we’re perceived. Check it out!

Saw this read at the Midwest Dramatists Conference, This play is hilarious and compelling. Carter takes various fantasy/video game tropes and turns them on their head, making them fresh and funny. This would be an incredibly fun to stage and act! Perfect for young audiences.

An incredible play that starts as a warm, funny story of four generations of women that draws the audience in, takes a sharp left turn, and indicts the audience. The dystopian elements are both subtle and disturbing. And it all feels so real and accessible, which makes it even darker. Check this play out!

A need and a jock meet, connect, and very possibly fall in love. This is such a compelling, yet tender piece bursting to the brim with subtext. I was rooting for these two young men to get together for the whole play, and Larry Rinkel paces their meeting so beautifully. I love it!

WOW! Rich, vivid, elliptical language that is by turns funny, witty, and devastating. Also a powerful look at what we don't see behind the lives of legendary historical figures. Carnes allows the audience/reader to piece together what's going on until in finally comes together in one disturbing crash, creating a brief play that has a large impact. HIGHLY recommend this play!

A simple, yet complex poem of a play about how the stories we tell evolve and change and deepen and darken as we age. Quietly devastating, BLUE plays fast and loose with time and language, making for a wonderfully theatrical experience.