Recommended by Emily Hageman

Nobody writes men like Bublitz. They should all be lining up around the block to thank her for allowing them to speak in all their machismo and vulnerability without ever disrespecting them. Bublitz's understanding and love for these frustrating, emotionally stunted men is on every page of this script. The spotlight she shines on their ridiculous, real, irritating, and redeemable behavior would make men squirm in their seats. The end is perfect and left me feeling relieved. Maybe Andy isn't fixed. Maybe the problem of toxic masculinity isn't fixed. But this play is a good start.

Wow, wow, wow. This is one heck of a play, one of my favorite pieces of realism I've maybe ever read. The dialogue is so real, the characters are so real, the story is so real. Kras is a fantastic playwright and he is redefining the way we think about dialogue and theatre. High school kids will get this in a real, deep, profound way. Kras says a ton with a lot. He really, seriously, truly gets it--what it's like to be young and to be screwed up in ways you can't even verbalize. Wow. Read this right now.

"Bug Juice and Stoli" is a charming and realistic play for six meaty roles (and one great male role) for women to really bite into. I especially appreciate the age range that Weems provides for these roles. The story is an engaging and fully relatable one--who we are when we are young is rarely who we are when we get older. Everyone's dreams are different. Some things never change, and then some things change profoundly. Will we let those things define us forever or will we ever break the mold? Weems doesn't answer the question, but it suits the play.

Funny and poignant, Lockhart has carefully created "Page Count" to be an absolute dynamite dark comedy. The dialogue is fast and clever, but there is so much beneath the surface to unpack. Joe is a deeply tragic character who we are never allowed to feel as sorry for as we maybe should. The true tenderness of this play isn't revealed until one of the last scenes, but it's unforgettable. Not only that, but the old-timey dialogue is too much fun. A very well-done period piece.

"Say Goodbye to Hollywood" is an unapologetically snarky comedy about an idealistic young writer who learns quickly that fame and fortune is rarely what is seems. Tony and Angel are wholly unlikable, but you can't help but feel the smallest bit of sympathy for them. In their jaded and unpleasant ways, you can see beneath that they both once had a dream of being great. The narrator squints and can see the remains. And then, Tony finishes the play by reminding us that he is a garbage person. Bonafede unearths something poignant while never sacrificing laughs.

It is no wonder that this play has won so many awards. It is a sweeping romance full of gentle lyricism, beautifully rounded characters, fascinating structure, and tremendous heart. O'Grady is unflinching, but loving as she paints a picture of the eccentric Charlotte in all of her courage and brilliance and fear and foolishness. The character of Heger is absolutely lovable. This could be seen on stage, but I could also easily see this as a movie! It's stunningly romantic and tenderly subtle. What a wonderful play, especially beautiful for women. Highly recommended.

A man who is labeled by his friends as one thing and one thing only falls into a deep, dark despair. Guidroz unflinchingly guides us through a modern fable, acquainting us with a man who is neither likable nor is he unlikable. He lives. He doesn't want to live. He is thoroughly depressed. He hides it. The people around him use him carelessly. Cameo Friend is funny and dark and miserable, and is a tale about the consequences of using people.

This tiny play is sweet, self-aware, and more than a little sad. It's funny, but it bites too. Noll has done a lot with a little and it doesn't surprise me how well this play was received. Perfectly executed--and a great way to get audience members and performers talking about something important.

Wyndham, how do you do what you do? If you are looking for someone who can truly, genuinely move you in a very short amount of time, look to Wyndham's monologues. Wyndham's characters talk frankly and honestly--we definitely get a piece of Chuck's mind more than once--but there is so much more in what they don't say, in what the people they are talking to do. The man listening to Chuck laughs at him throughout the monologue. Part of you can see why, and maybe the audience would even laugh a little, but there's nothing funny here. Another winner.

An absolute delight from page one on. This is a perfect play for upper elementary--and it would be a delight to perform with some adults in the cast as well! Each kid has their own personality, Zella is absolutely precious and hilarious, the adult characters are silly and well-meaning, but beneath the surface of this incredibly sweet, lovable play is an important message that Guyton clearly believes strongly in. Why shouldn't we love and protect those who are different than us? Guyton has written this TYA play tenderly. It is funny and accesible, but also important. Highly recommended.