Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Some people can be strong after their lives have been touched by tragedy. Some can't. Vovos' short drama "Chuck's Mom" shows us an angry, sad, mourning woman. We think we know where the story is going, but Vovos' skill at storytelling and his humane empathy leads us places we never expected to go, but feel right in the end.

"Chuck's Mom" and Vovos' "How to Be a Respectable Junkie" are companion pieces. Alone, they are formidable theatre. Together, they are unforgettable and they leave their mark. Produce them.

Vovos presents Absurdity as Romance in "Bloody Mary." As with a lot of good absurd plays, Vovos creates a feeling of something nightmarish just under the facade of polite, everyday life: people in dire need are ignored, little old ladies are mean, and the letter of the law is preposterously upheld.

Even the romance between Mary and Joe is harrowing and bloody, but there's genuine sweetness and connection, too. Give credit to Vovos for making the audience cheer for this pair even as the world goes awry.

Within the first three lines of dialogue, Carnes escalates the tension and stakes to the max. This short play is unsettling. This short play is nerve-wracking.

Rinkel has written a tart comedy that targets the hierarchy of the art world: those who create are at the mercy of those who promote, and those who promote are at the mercy of those who purchase. "Just One" creates a world of rules and power that three well-observed characters navigate, each believing they are in charge.

If ever there were an epic 1-minute play, this may be it. Pithy, witty, and self-aware, "The Longest Opera Ever Written in Just One Minute" is a comic winner. A side benefit: It'll make Saturday matinee broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera that much more enjoyable. Well done, Rinkel!

I enjoyed a production of "Replay" at Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette's 10-Minute Play Festival in 2018. At the start, Dietsche provides just enough information to pique an audience's interest in the setting, the characters, and their relationship. Slowly, as more details provide answers to the former questions, the audience's interest will be piqued about how the characters will move forward. "Replay" is a charming, understated play.

I enjoyed a production of "Vintages" at the Academy Theatre in Hapeville, Georgia, during its 2019 short play festival, Tapas IV: The Great Divide. Whitehorn sensitively writes about aging, self-worth, and self-acceptance in this short drama. It's biting, sad, funny, and very honest.

I enjoyed a production of "Buckle" at the Academy Theatre in Hapeville, Georgia, during its 2019 short play festival, Tapas IV: The Great Divide. Bray has created a terrific contrast of characters in Star and Jen. Bray respects them and their differences -- neither is an archetype, both are flawed and human. And what probably started as a prank ends with a stronger bond formed between these young women.

I enjoyed a production of "Hamlet's Revenge" at the Academy Theatre in Hapeville, Georgia, during its 2019 short play festival, Tapas IV: The Great Divide. Patterson has written a fun parody of Shakespeare with plenty of nods to modern life, dramatic theory, and just plain silliness.

The aftermath of mass shootings is immediate, catastrophic loss. But there is insidious loss, too. Kaplan's short play shows this with its focus on tone, action, and coincidence. Very well written.