Recommended by Steven G. Martin

I'm crying. A heartbreaking portrayal of denial as one of the stages of grief. I enjoyed a performance during the Quaranteeny Play Festival from Fat Turtle Theatre Company in May 2020.

Gill's premise for "Top Shelf Tolstoy" is wonderful, but the execution is even better with enough witty dialogue and details that make this absurd world feel genuine. Funny stuff, with a slight bittersweet flavor.

O'Grady's one-minute comedy is sure to put a grin on your face. There's so much to enjoy, the characters' awe and joy first and foremost. Hey, if people aren't free to frolic and gambol, at least goats with Welsh accents are.

I felt a shiver of wonder when reading "The Time is out of Joint," namely when Monica Cross uses stopwatches to drive home the point. The action: slight. The results: a slight difference in expectation. But the results are stunning.

A romantic comedy with plenty of comic oomph! The concept is marvelous, the execution -- especially the dialogue -- is flawless. It's no wonder this play has a rich, international production history. I enjoyed a performance during the Quaranteeny Play Festival from Fat Turtle Theatre Company in May 2020.

The initial mystery of the situation drew me in to this 10-minute play, but Libby's skill at creating stakes, irony, and emotion kept me engaged to the final, sad, stage directions. Sparse, lonely, and oh so finite. I'd love to attend a production.

Quirky, strange, a little macabre, a little romantic, completely theatrical, and impossible to forget. Although based on true events, Horan speculates story, plot, and character to make this play emotionally complex. I'd love to see a production.

Ah, family. They mortify us, shock us, and support us. I love that the characters in Speckman's short play tumble through all sorts of emotions, but the foundation is deep bonds & family love. This would be a fun entry for a holiday-themed festival.

I attended a workshop reading of "Seneca and the Soul of Nero" through Indiana Playwrights Circle, and came away impressed by Marcia Eppich-Harris's skill. Of special note are Nero's character arc from uncertain young man to hellish despot and the subtle parallels created between ancient Roman political personalities and contemporary ones. This full-length play has a strong foundation of historic research; strong, individualized characters; and a plot that is equally horrible and inevitable.

Spare and precise. And there's just enough tension and conflict to make this play even more soothing.