Recommended by Emily Hageman

Somehow both glamorous and stylized while being raw and ugly at the same time, Christopher has woven a unique, horrifying, beautiful story about a young man who is both frustrating in his self-destruction and incredibly relatable. Pain pours off of every page--but there is also hope.

A haunting exploration of child abuse that is both stark and frivolous, both beautiful and bleak, both fantastical and jarringly realistic. Unique staging, intense writing, and a soul of hope make this fascinating piece as moving as it is.

A play of beautiful, justified fury. You will cheer for Rocio up until the end. I would love to see this performed, I am sure that it is utterly captivating. Diaz-Marcano writes a play about true courage--grit, determination, vulnerability, fear, and RAGING against that which tries to destroy us.

A tremendously darkly humorous show with a lot of zinging dialogue. It would be easy to hate Kevin and Michele--and even Mom sometimes--but instead, I found myself loving them for all their idiosyncrasies. The way the siblings treat each other hurts sometimes--but is ultimately realistic and powerful. A nestled in the middle of this dysfunctional sandwich is a powerful speech about the dangers of prescription drugs. It makes you laugh, it makes you hurt, it makes you think. Wonderfully done, Lynn.

A lovely little glimpse into the lives of two very real sisters. Tuft's dialogue is realistic and grounded with a clear purpose and engaging story line. The ending sentiment--that you don't need to fully understand someone to love them--is beautiful. Two wonderful actresses would love to dig their teeth into these meaty, nuanced roles.

This is the kind of comedy that bites in the best way. The spotlight is beamed unattractively on a generation of women who seem more interested in judging each other than helping each other. The end is cute, but the end bites too. A play that truly captures the beauty of child-rearing in an unfriendly society.

What a wonderful, marvelous play. The dialogue is crisp and timeless with stinging sentiments that leave an audience feeling gutless. Sophia is a role that any actress would kill to sink her teeth into. A regal, unflinching, brilliant examination of the culture that was once lived in--and is infuriatingly still lived in. A magnificent call to action written with both beauty and hideousness. "When will it ever be appropriate for us to reconcile with reality?" When indeed.

Just absolutely wonderful. Fantastic dialogue, beautifully created characters, gorgeous handling of a very challenging subject in a way that is both painfully real and achingly gorgeous. Bird's monologue in the middle about taking his son to a Red Socks game is the kind of writing that can change people. Highly recommended--a sensitive and stunning piece.

It's beautiful and sick and sad and marvelously well-written, but all I can say is that as a teacher, it literally felt like someone had punched me in the stomach when I was finished. A monologue I shouldn't have to write? A life I shouldn't have to live. Unflinching, sick, and powerful. Well done, Wyndham.

Stubbles has a unique writing style--and a wonderfully unique sense of a humor. The premise of the piece is wacky--and the execution is even more wacky fun. The physical humor of this piece gives plenty of room for actors to shine--and the end is the kind of end that leaves the audience with a gut aching from laughter.