Recommended by Ben Rosenblatt

So much depth, pain and need for two actors to sink their teeth into. For all the difficult words that are spoken in this short play - of which there are a lot - there is subtext in triplicate. Young has a knack for exploring difficult conversations between characters with opposing value systems. My heart still aches, as I replay this scene in my mind, down to the last stage direction, in which one character is still trying to connect. But sadly, no happy outcome could possibly ring true and Young had the courage keep it real.

This piece kept me on its toes, the path getting darker with each barbed exchange before reaching its ill-fated conclusion. These are two people who simply aren't compatible but clearly have real love for each other, even if they aren't able to show it anymore. You get the sense they've had similar conversations over and over and that it breaks their hearts anew each time. All this pathos while providing some genuine laugh moments as well. A very sincere play that rings true in every moment.

Mabey has an excellent sense of rhythm. His crisp, clever dialogue with well-timed punchlines had me chuckling out loud numerous times. This is a charming play about the lengths we'll go to find and preserve love, and it wins bonus points for its insightful comedy. So much fun!

This is a perfectly captured reminder of a specific time in any theatre kid's life. I am so jealous of New Star. Ha! What a fun opportunity for a cast of High Schoolers, or a cast of nostalgic adults to relive a treasured time in life. I'm still smiling.

This piece is both funny and thoughtful. Written about a specific and important environmental issue, it also calls gentrification and early American land expansion to mind, as it explores humanity's Greed. There's a refreshing casualness to the energy of the Alligator and the quirky rhythm of Corey and Cameron's relationship is written to perfection, highlighting it's superficiality. This would be so fun to see on stage. Well done!

A tense and painful drama which looks back at the ugliness of racism in the 1950s. The terribly sad and infuriating part is how it feels it easily could've been written about the present. This is a vital piece about a man trying to exercise restraint as he's needled and pressed to the limits of his patience. Lean into the hurt of Before the Fire and don't look away. Excellently written and powerful.

This monologue of a man processing a miscarriage is lush with pure, heartfelt, vulnerable honesty. Palpable pangs of regret, confusion and the self-loathing that comes from being unable to feel. Malone's use of repetition is powerful. Impressive in being poetic and heightened but real and conversational at the same time. Heartbreaking and healing. Relatable to anyone who's ever grieved a loss of any kind.

Right out of the gate, we are introduced to the scathingly funny but woefully intolerant Cathy Cloony-Collucci, an exceptionally fun character for a middle-aged actress to explore. She proves 1000 times more evil witch than all her Wiccan tenants combined as she attempts to drive them from their home. We sympathize with her over the hardships of being an aging actress in Hollywood, but by the end we realize that maybe she's exactly where she's supposed to be. I recommend this play for its zany, finely formed characters and deftly written dialogue.

This was a laugh-out-loud funny read! A chance meeting between a Panda and a Penguin turns into an Abbott and Costello routine, while exploring the dynamics of a first encounter with someone who doesn't look like you or anyone you know. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly and audaciously honest, this play is odd and clever. Very fun!

This is a hilarious play! Carnes is so intentional and clear in her rhythms, giving actors and audience alike an abundance of clues. Join the Movement sweeps you up in a whirlwind, the same way character Alison is swept up by her peers. A cheeky short play about leggings, this piece lampoons consumerism and is a fine study on the infectiousness of group-think.