Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Lucy Wang's short comic monologue is a perfect response to that first moment when you realize other people see you as old and, as a result, less than. I would love to see "My Preferred Pronouns are Miss and Empress" in performance. [24/10/23]

Rex McGregor has built a perfect world for the setting of "The Mama and the Papa." I love that the era and the location lead to the central conflict and influence these supernatural characters' decisions. I also enjoy plays that put extraordinary characters in everyday circumstances, and these are two of the most extraordinary characters ever. [24/10/23]

Aaron Murphy's short drama set in the 1990s humanely shows multiple sides to its controversial issue: the philosophical/theoretical side, the loving/emotional side, and the side with matter-of-fact, lived experience. Murphy finds a balance between them, neither judging nor treating them as mouthpieces nor sentimentalizing them.

"One Final Caller" has strongly identified characters, amazing opportunities for a sound designer, especially, and a thoughtful, encompassing perspective. [24/10/22]

Terrifying, the violent act. Terrifying, the seething rage exposed after the mask falls. Terrifying, the visuals and sounds in this play. Daniel Prillaman's play, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, will shock and upset audiences. It will stay with you awhile. [24/10/17]

If want to see a person's true colors, put them in a stressful situation. Wren Aubrey Latham does exactly that -- to an extreme -- in "Apocalypse Roadtrip." The world is a mess, but I like that Latham focuses on the drama in Quinn and Mitchy's friendship. There's even positivity in this short play, which I love. [24/10/15]

DC Cathro has written a fun twist on the haunted house trope in this short play -- the benefits of living with ghosts! Mandy the homeowner and Corrine the houseguest are terrific foils who play off each other well, there are plenty of opportunities for stagecraft with the ghostly shenanigans, there's a Gladys Kravitz sighting and a nice bit of subtext about the ridiculousness of housing costs. This is a pretty rich horror-comedy. [24/10/15]

Lee Lawing has created art that expands our knowledge of artwork, that shows us the subjects of the George Platte Lynes photographs were people, not merely icons or, worse, objects in a still life. The theatricality in the telling of this terrific, the backstory and affection between these characters equally so. [24/10/13]

"Good Vibrations" is the wish-fulfillment play I'd love to make manifest for every hypocrite out there. It's a nice tart retort to those that doth protest too much. [24/10/12]

Come for the bawdy humor in "Manes Before Dames," stay for the highly emotional core. The boys-will-be-boys humor among anthropomorphized lions made me laugh out loud, but Sam Heyman knows the true impact of this story is that Dave makes a choice to stand up for himself and what he needs. [24/10/12]

Sometimes when you're trying to get through to family, you've got to screw around a bit. "Guardian to Be" is a terrific example, and includes one of my favorite lyrics ever: "But you’ll be dead so c’est la vie." This play has screwball comedy moments, over-the-top characterization, and a heartwarming core. [24/10/12]