Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Sickles's one-act play "Badger and Frame" is about secrets, memories and stories not told. It's about loss and consideration for others who have lost more. It's a coming-of-age tale as well as a letting-go-of-the-past story. Ephraim's life-altering, unforgettable summer is juxtaposed well by Mary Kate's lifetime of sameness. Subtle, wonderful dialogue and actions reveal these -- and other -- characters.

With 72-year-old Ruth, Blatt has created a dominant character who knows exactly what she wants throughout this short play and will use every tactic at her disposal to get it. Whipped, manipulated Cort is constantly kept off-balance by Ruth, who deftly shifts from antagonist to predator to confessor to sage. Blatt keeps the audience off balance, too, in this terrific play.

"Or Or Or & & &" is a startling, awe-inspiring, deliriously imaginative, full-length play that blends biography, history, mythology, meta-theatre, realism, and a whole lot more to explore highly personal, ultimately intimate stories: the relationships between a man and his mother, his friends, and himself.

Isaac loves theatre and the process of creating theatre, and he celebrates theatre by writing this impossible play that shows the multitude of possibilities within theatre. "Or Or Or & & &" has quickly become a personal favorite.

Minigan tells a story that showcases what theatre does best. The dialogue and setting are spare, but the audience infers the patterns and ironies of the family's journey. It's also wildly theatrical, and Minigan uses its theatricality as a storytelling device -- something as simple as an actor walking to a clothing rack has emotional impact. Supremely well written.

Bohannon has written a tone-perfect dark comedy. These characters are the personification of selfishness and shallowness, and the setting (with all of its implied jollity and goodwill) is perfect for the action.

Vance has written a short play that is rich with a combination of life-and-death consequences, gallows humor, earnest friendship, and contemporary issues centering on healthcare and family. The story and theme are as human as they come: Is there a limit to what friends do for one another, even if it endangers them?

In this monologue, Weaver creates a compelling character an audience can empathize with and understand -- her history and her circumstances are nicely laid out. Even better, Weaver grants the protagonist with conflicting emotions: anger, yes, but also a wish to be heard and understood by God. She is not easy to define, which makes her all the more human.

McGough's emotion-filled short play unfurls its way from sadness and grief to a bittersweet recognition. Black and Navy may not be a perfect match, but there's something positive to be said about being together.

Bultrowicz presents Absurdity as relationship & revenge drama with a comic overlay. That's what you get when the role of the antagonistic, selfish, two-timing lover is a loaf of sourdough. Or maybe pumpernickel. Or a baguette -- the casting options are broad. Credit to Bultrowicz for writing to the reality of the situation as Carol and Sophie are suitably surprised, offended, enraged, and -- ultimately -- revenged. Even more credit to the playwright for the concept. This would be fun to direct, to act, or to watch.

Kaplan's script is laugh-out-loud funny. The plot, characters and dialogue all lend to its joyous lunacy: a combination of "Let's put on a show" pluckiness, after-school special melodrama, "The Mystery of Irma Vep" theatricality, and insight into what makes drama students, their parents and teachers oh so special.