Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Ultimately uplifting, empowering, emotional theatre about identity with some cultural icons mixed in for literal world building. The dialogue is tremendous, Fatso's character arc is outstanding, there are plenty of visuals. This is just an excellent play.

A large part of the joy of reading scripts on NPX is being surprised by what other writers/creators make, being invigorated and energized by it, being influenced by it. "no worries lol :)" is arresting because it does all of this to me.

First, to label something "impossible" piques my interest and leads me to ideate how it can be produced. Second, there is such wonderful language in Emmet L.F. Cameron's stage directions that plucks the heartstrings. Third, there is visual magic in this onstage moment, startling images that cascade on top of one another. This is gorgeous.

The breadth of this one-act play is stunning. Daniel Prillaman has successfully incorporated horror, teen romance, philosophy and spirituality into a summer camp setting and it works. I love that "Kudzu" is character-based, it's about the people who are responding to the situation rather than the situation itself. It's a glimpse at humanity ... for the time being, anyway. Great stuff -- chilling, sweet, thoughtful.

This is a perfect character-based comedy that audiences and actors will love. Maximillian Gill brings to life the frustrations felt by supergeniuses and young tots alike. I also love the its subtle message: Enjoy being a kid while you can, kid. "Mature Audience" will be a crowd favorite wherever it is performed.

This monologue is a blistering indictment of powerful men whose public persona and private activity are at odds. And I love that Asher Wyndham makes those men the subject of "Rent Boy" without allowing them to appear onstage because all they would do is evade, deceive, or politick.

I love plays in which motivations and agendas are exposed only at the end, forcing an audience or reader to reevaluate everything that came before. Samara Siskind does this to great effect in "Strangers Off a Train" with Chris and Charlie's interactions. I also love the tension that builds in the scene because the audience doesn't explicitly know what is happening. It's a terrific buildup and release.

Allegorical, emotional, thoughtful, tender, uplifting. "Tearjerker" is sensational and trusts the audience to catch up to a given situation that is macabre at the very least. I love that Aly Kantor literally puts the power of empathy -- and the costs of using it a lot -- on stage. I also love how Kantor shows that caring for ourselves and our loved ones sometimes has to come ahead of caring for the entire world.

Alicia Ana Hernandez-Roulet has written an over-the-top, jaw-dropping satire with "Captain Murica and the Right Wing Squad." This play is broad, it aims and and hits its targets -- the irony of the demise of the characters is hilarious and apropos. I enjoyed multiple performances during a short play festival in Lafayette, Indiana, and audiences were howling and stunned and uncomfortable throughout.

David Lipschutz and Dana Hall funnily contrast sweet naïveté and cold, harsh truth in this one-minute comedy. Abe's endearing innocence and Shannon's no-nonsense practicality both would be fun to play, direct, and watch.

This one-minute holiday play is great fun from its opening image of a young astronaut in costume to its logic that leads the final line: an iconic, pop-culture moment. David Lipschutz's comedy will bring a smile to all audiences.