Recommended by Dave Osmundsen

Sickles plunges into some dark territory with this piece! Fusing both social horror (the devastating impact of society's apathy towards the death of gay man) and psychological horror (the inner workings of a sociopathic serial killer), this terrifying short play cycle explores innocence, desire, homophobia, trauma, and revenge with economic and delicately-formed language. Most effective are Ellen's monologue (a mother's desperate plea for answers) and Basyl's monologue (a chilling rumination on revenge).

Barsanti shows an incredible gift for creating compelling, relatable, and complex characters. She lovingly satirizes the foibles and anxieties of millennials without cruelty, and you feel so much empathy for the three friends at the center of this play. This play also makes a bold statement about the millennial need to change the world, and how efforts to ameliorate the world can prove futile—but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. Part female buddy comedy, part millennial satire, and part environmental allegory, this is a rich and satisfying play that I want to see produced!

How do we move forward when the past seems to be always holding us back? How do we deal with scorched-earth family relations? Considine doesn't offer easy answers, but she does provide us with dynamic characters and relationships. Isabella's interior monologues especially are hilarious and heartbreaking.

Reminiscent of family dramas such as "Next to Normal" and "Ordinary People," this compelling and rich play explores how one family copes with a devastating and traumatic event. Their journey towards healing and reconciliation is heartfelt and realistic. Halton is a playwright who loves his characters deeply--everyone is flawed, but no one is the villain, and everyone is believable. There is also a healthy dose of humor and laugh-out-loud lines through the play.

Spectacular, poetic, devastating, thrilling, gut-wrenching, moving. These are only a few adjectives I can use to describe this incredible play. Centering on four boxers all fighting for their version of the American dream, this hard-hitting play asks what dreams are worth fighting, striving, and ultimately dying for. Intersecting bloodsport with cosmology, this play aims high and smashes its target. This play also contains some of my favorite monologues from any contemporary play—the poetry contained in them will stun you. Bravo!

A dark, spirally, and heavily theatrical odyssey exploring one woman’s journey in coming to terms with her sexuality, Neurodiversity, and identity. The fantastical elements are a blast, heightening the theatricality of the play while giving you insight into the protagonist’s mental state. This isn’t always a pleasant play to read, but it will put you back together in the most satisfying manner after putting you and it’s protagonist through the ringer (and there is plenty of brilliant dark humor along the way!).

What a lovely, lovely play! Cathro gives us a believable father/daughter dynamic. Amanda and her father don't have a contentious relationship, exactly, but there's the question of how much they're willing to give each other, and their conversation here compellingly explores that disparity. Cathro doesn't condemn Amanda for being less giving. Much like Dad, he is very sympathetic to the child who may not be aware of how selfish she's acting. You're left with the possibility that both of these characters can learn and grow from each other, and the play ends on a hopeful note.

Very charming, very silly, and ultimately very sweet play about two siblings who will protect each other at all costs. Bray gives a few stray clues as to what their right-wing environment is like, and it's clear how much this environment of fear and paranoia has impacted the two children. Despite this, Bray keeps the piece lighthearted, and it's easy to fall in love with these two characters. Sweet play!

A fascinating pas de deux between two characters, both of whom want justice in the world but want to achieve it in two completely different ways. Should they each stay in their lane, or be more radical in their response to social injustices? Perez skewers SJWs and sellouts alike, and portrays a couple who, as their relationship unfolds over several years, can't live with or without each other. You know that these two probably shouldn't be together, but it's devilishly fun to watch them turn on (and to (and on)) each other.

How do we define what we want out of a movement while holding onto our personal beliefs, and how do those beliefs contrast and confront one another? In this wonderfully engaging and bittersweet dramedy, Boyd gives us five well-rounded and believable characters who each want to see a change in their country--but are the changes they want to see compatible? In less than 70 pages, Boyd gives a complex and comprehensive exploration of why revolutions are so difficult. Highly political without being didactic, this play is deeply emotional and deeply human. Great work!