Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Lasher's lovely monologue doesn't deny there is harshness in the world: fear of abandonment, death. But "Stay" doesn't dwell on those. Instead, it's a gentle reminder that being in the moment, that being with someone or something beloved is not just worthwhile, but is everything. This play is as soothing as softly petting a dog's fur.

Vovos' one-person play shows that no one is "just" a junkie. Brian's story is horrifying, heartbreaking, rage-inducing, frustrating and so complex.

He is a complete person -- not merely a type that can be cast aside as "just another dope fiend." Very highly recommended.

A deep, longstanding friendship is at stake in this short, historic drama by Frascone. The stakes are raised when John no longer has to only imagine about moving to California, but actually has the opportunity to carry out his plans. Add a looming deadline and an understanding about the difficulty of life during the Great Depression, and "Days of Plenty" offers much to actors, a director and audiences.

Partain's one-minute play "When I was a Child" is extraordinarily well written. It's so taut that the audience infers everything it needs to know about the given circumstances after the first line of dialogue. It's short, yes, but the dialogue, action and characters will stick with audiences long after it ends.

This short play is a terrific single serving of comedy. King crafts a complete story, creates strong conflict between polar opposites of characters, and adds just enough details for quirkiness. King achieves a lot in four pages.

I watched Kansas City Repertory Theatre perform this comedy during its Online 10-Minute Play Project in May 2020, and it was just as quirky and funny in performance as it is on the page.

How difficult is it for damaged people to connect, trust, and open up? Ben Firke's humane, full-length drama "spoons" is a thoughtful examination about contemporary loneliness.

Firke's empathy for Molly and Brad runs as deep as their complexity. Through their actions and dialogue, the audience's perceptions about them shift and evolve -- they're more than just the initial impressions of "loser" and "savior." And Firke puts them through a lot, including unforgivable betrayals, soul-bearing revelations and the awkwardness of needing more than just transactional intimacy. Strong characters, strong dialogue, strong story.

Sophisticated humor -- through wit, wordplay, and charm -- infuse this light, one-act comedy set in 1950s New York. Hatfield clearly understands and enjoys the high-brow charm of shows of this period, and has created a group of characters -- world wearing magazine writers, a misled wife, and a tortured editor -- that fits right in. Stylish and enchanting.

This is one of Hageman's most playful scripts, but its core is the story of a young boy whose world is changing: his friends think make-believe -- which he loves -- is for babies and his father -- whom he loves -- hasn't been the same since becoming unemployed. "Sir Theo and the Swamp Boy" is a wonderful glimpse at the importance of friendship and imagination when you feel uncertain about the world.

Audiences will laugh during the madcap start of this short comedy and the playwright character's writing process. But tables turn and -- while still respecting all the rules she has created for this world -- Hageman, indeed, delves into something profound: that playwrights want to affect the audience, playwrights want to be understood and there is an audience for everyone's work. Very theatrical, very funny, very empathetic.

This is an entertaining farce about music, an insight into performer/critic relationships, and a reminder that the youngest often are the wisest. Rinkel's one-minute "The Minute Waltz" packs a lot into a small, joyful package.