Recommended by Emily Hageman

AT HIS BEST is a play about the truest horror--horrible people who refuse to see their ugliness. Rose is a master at creating characters who are layered, but who have something true at the core of themselves--nobility, bravery, goodness, and pure cruelty. Thickly but expertly placed supernatural elements make this play truly leap off of the page. I find myself affected at the end of this play--both angry and hopeful. Rose is unforgiving in her portrayal of Sam Brogan, but he is believable and wholly real and perhaps that's what makes this show truly disturbing.

This play is an absolute marvel. I was hooked from the first page on. Timely, wise, heart-breaking, funny, sharp while never removing her tongue from her cheek, Goldman-Sherman has created a magnificent play that transcends theatre--this play is art. It is art for our time. It is a clear reflection of what is like to live in this day and age--and what this day may lead to in our not-so-distant future. Ron and Missy are both completely believable and completely unbelievable, much like the world that we live in. My gut is wrenched with laughter and misery.

Haas has created a family drama as meaty as the bones that the family devours in SUNDAY SAUCE. This delightful dark comedy about an eccentric family takes us through their unique manner of grieving. Complete with full-out screaming fights about nothing that anyone with a tight family can fully relate to, Haas creates five fully fledged characters who drive each other crazy, but are there for each other at the end of the day. Adding a taste of the supernatural at the end is the perfect spice to make this charming play complete. A heart-warming winner.

This steamy and luscious piece takes a typical monologue prompt--I'm leaving you--and completely turns it on its head. Margot is nowhere near having an emotional breakdown--in fact, Margot is confident, self-assured, and completely in control. Partain's silky and evocative language is incredibly sensual and daring. It's refreshing to see a monologue that praises a woman's strength as opposed to her emotional fragility. This would certainly sizzle as an audition piece.

What a delightful little show. The opening monologue is enough to have an audience rolling, not to mention when Laurie Goldberg enters. Kaplan's hilarious dialogue snaps along with incredible wit and charm, and both characters get their moments in the melodramatic spolight. This play is a model for how a ten minute play should be done! Highly recommended for any ten minute play festival!

This beautifully understated play may appear tiny on first glance, but grows larger the more you think about it. Bernadine has constructed something remarkable in the pages of YARD WORK--a play that doesn't need to shout to be heard. Neither Dani nor Wilson are perfect--they've got problems falling out their ears--but Bernadine draws them together unpredictably and masterfully. An interesting little show that would be a delight to see staged--and an important work that questions human motivation, genuineness of relationships, and how ugly things can be painted into something almost beautiful.

This is a very unique short play that would be beautiful to see staged with two strong actors--preferably from the Caribbean themselves. There is a sweet simplicity to the dialogue and the plot--two genuine, real people sharing parts of their lives. There is opportunity for beautiful costumes and nuanced acting. Gentle like the sea breeze, "To Walk By the Fire" is a tender love song to a place that many don't know about.

It's rare to find a play that would work so well for young audiences. Not only would they marvel at the incredible spectacle that this show requires (which would be the dream of any ambitious designer!), but they would be encouraged by the strong and beautiful message--that anyone of any age and any size can be of great importance. Sweet, sincere and never pandering, Hansen has crafted a quality show that would be the jewel of any children's theatre.

A powerful piece for a courageous young actress. This unflinching monologue will challenge a young actress to dig into the depth of her emotional honesty while speaking an important truth. What I love most about this monologue is how it focuses on compassion and empathy for everyone involved in situations like this--and there could not be anything more beautiful to teach children. Robert writes with a tenderness and a care for young people that will immediately endear this piece to any student. Audiences will ache, but they will understand--because who can deny love?

Weaver shows yet again that he is incredibly self-aware and doesn't take himself too seriously. I couldn't help but cringe at lines that are TOO TRUE--"the writer is discovering as it unfolds." This would be a hilarious follow-up to another one of Weaver's plays--or maybe after a night of his short plays! Trippy and clever, I can see this play looping into eternity. Heck, why not make it a post-modern piece where it just repeats into perpetuity? I'd watch it.