Recommended by Emily Hageman

Talk about a roller coaster of a play. Just when you think you know what's going on, Bavoso yanks the rug out from under your feet. It's real, it's genuine, it's sweet--and then it's something else entirely. There is so much going on in this play--relationships between men, grieving, isolation, the longing for something gret that seems unattainable. A true retelling of the Adam and Eve story, only instead of a red apple, there's a red button. A pretty brilliant short play that gets more done in ten pages than some plays do in fifty.

A hilarious short play that any young actresses would love working on. The girls get to be catty and vicious and silly. Both characters have such wonderfully distinct personalities--and it's not about a boy, it's about their friendship and whether or not it will endure. A wonderful short scene that ties physical humor perfectly with witty banter that never stops flying. Chipman clearly understands teenagers.

This is such an interesting play. I love when I finish reading something and I'm not quite sure what to think about it. Are the two men in this play forward thinkers? Almost. They're so close. They almost touch on something real and frightening, but they don't quite get there. There's a lot of really interesting themes covered in Burdick's short here and what I really appreciate is that while it's funny, it really isn't. There's something dark under here, something worrisome, but we never quite touch it. It's a lot like life. Thank you, Burdick, you got me thinking.

One of my favorite one-minute plays of all time. An absolutely savage take down of the hypocrisy of American people. Everyone knows a woman like this and everyone wants to see her put in her place. I hope this play is performed a lot and leaves people feeling outraged on both sides. This play does so much with so little. Gonzalez is a true master of economy and storytelling.

Nothing but absolute sheer delight here. Martin is so incredibly clever--the premise in and of itself is enough, but the execution is flawless. Every line is absolutely hilarious. But more than just the silliness is the tender heart in the center of the play--a gentle mocking at the way adults tend to take things too seriously and put too much pressure on children. I love that the two little girls, without hesitation, become friends at the end. Martin infuses every play he writes with joy, hope, and sweet humor. Read this if you need a pick me up.

Really lovely and sweet play for a strong older actress. There's a tender fragility to Lawing's language in this short play. There are brittle family dynamics defined carefully and deftly all wrapped up in a painful situation. Lawing doesn't answer the question of the play so neatly--should Jenkie's desire for magic be crushed in favor of reality? Both men love their mother--and they act in love for her by the end. A careful and loving portrait of a very real family with an element of wonder. Well done.

Just beautiful. Gonzalez is one of the most emotive playwrights I've ever read. Everything on the page is so beautifully felt. We know these brothers and their beautiful bond. A gorgeous, unique monologue made for a talented actor. The story that this play tells is incredibly powerful and the emotional impact is huge. Check out Gonzalez's work if you want to learn how to write powerfully, but truthfully.

A delightful fourth-wall breaker. Audience members will chuckle--and it's quite possible than many of them had had similar conversations themselves before the beginning of the play. The dialogue is snappy and we feel like we immediately know the characters. Funny, tongue-in-cheek, witty, and a strong choice for any ten-minute play festival.

Extremely funny, timely, and well-written, this ten-minute play is a trip (pun intended). Just when you think you know what's going to happen, Bavoso sends you reeling off in a direction you never expected. Full of snappy, witty dialogue, great roles for both actors, a strange little truth that many of us have felt but never expressed, and a wicked ending that will leave audiences talking about it for days. Great piece!

Wow. This is a really fearless play. I've never read a play on this topic before and it's totally unapologetic. There's no judging Annabel for thinking the way she does--in fact, her unpopular reasoning actually sways Kay. This play isn't around to make friends and make people feel good, and that's what I like about it. It's uncomfortable, as reality so often is. I'll be checking out more of Gartner's work.