Recommended by Steven G. Martin

An absolutely charming, glad-spirited, 10-minute comedy.

Adam Richter obviously knows the depth of Immanuel Kant's and David Hume's philosophies and rivalry. What makes "Dead White Guys on the Midway" such a winning, jovial script is placing the characters and rivalry in a fun, colorful, contemporary setting: a carnival midway.

It's really neat to juxtapose these philosophers debating while also being absolutely taken aback by corn dogs, Tilt-a-Whirls, and ring-toss games like young kids. High-concept meets mass entertainment in this great mashup. And Richter provides a nice perspective about philosophizing about life and practically applying a solution.

In this short play, wistfulness and wanting are kept in check by self-constructed obstacles that stop any chances at connection and progress.

The characters in "Snow" might be deluding themselves into feeling loneliness and desperate need are lovely, tragic but lovely, states of being. Their reasoning is beautiful like the snow that's falling during the action here. But there are ways to make it through the snow; are there ways for Chuck, Ed, Frankie, and Sara to push through what holds them back?

Credit Adam Szymkowicz for creating finely detailed characters and establishing an atmosphere so well in "Snow."

Part-travelogue, part-quest, wholly unique.

I love the amount of detail Dominica Plummer has put into "Marcus and Sextus Take a Bloody Walk Around London" -- I feel like I've gotten a small glimpse of the city as the characters make their journey. That depth of insight would make this play fantastic on its own. But Plummer doubles up by creating a life-and-death scenario for her characters, which is marvelously researched.

I'd love to attend a site-specific production of this short play. Plummer has a genuine winner here with its story, characters, and "whoa" factor.

Claudia Haas shows that when a myriad of emotions crashes through our bodies, a single positive catalyst can make everything seem so much better.

Eva, the protagonist in "A Kiss is Just a Kiss," is a wonderful role for a female actor as she has more -- often conflicting -- desires in this play than eclectic items in her bottomless purse. Feelings of longing, grief, anger, joy rapidly play off one another like microbursts. As we learn how she's lived her life, we realize she deserves some promise of possibilities.

This 10-minute play is the confessional about pining romance that you didn't expect, and it will capture you in its conclusion.

Ledia Xhoga nicely creates the barriers between Domenic and Clara, and she builds them throughout "Coincidence." The response to those barriers collapsing and the new outlooks that Xhoga create for the characters are a little shocking and -- I thought -- quite surprising.

Reading this drama, it's clear why it has professional production credits already. Genuine emotions being twisted and turned ... it's a memorable play.

Sometimes we just want someone beside us as we wonder about the world and search for answers.

"The Shape of the Unknown" is driven by Emily McClain's skills at creating sympathetic characters, especially her protagonist Hank. Very little seems to be going right for him, yet he perseveres in his hope. Credit McClain for giving Hank a voice to express his hope in what may be for the first time.

I'd love to see this site-specific play in performance, followed by hours of looking into the night skies in wonder.

I watched Miranda Jonte's reading of "Every Decapitation Serves a Purpose" on Back Porch Theater's Facebook page on February 12, 2021.

Lee Lawing has created a formidable character in Thursday Bugatti, an intense, well-researched, well-spoken young person ready to settle some scores during her class presentation about her dream job. She's factual, her enthusiasm is winning, and she's more than a little scary. Lawing has conducted research, and it serves Thursday well.

"Every Decapitation Serves a Purpose" is a terrific monologue for a female actor in middle school/high school.

There's a setup and a punchline, but Elisabeth Giffin Speckman's keen skill with character make "Nixin' Nixon" more than just an extended joke. Jane's and Maggie's friendship is richly drawn in this play.

A romantic comedy for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations.

There's plenty of good-natured humor in having one of the main characters being Father Time. And there's a sweet sense of redemption as both characters open up to what they need out of life. And with John Mabey's fine writing, audiences will cheer as they recognize what is happening with the characters in "Three Seconds to Midnight."

This play is a lot of fun, and ends with a line that will leave smiles on everyone's faces. It did mine.

From its opening line, this play spirals into negativity as teens shallowly claim their hatred of anything not remotely related to them or their experiences.

Haygen-Brice Walker then throws the friendship into a loop, and what previously had been vacuous becomes personal and pointed. "BuzzFeed, Donald Trump, & Dead Black Kids" shows what may be the first instance in which one of these characters feels like the "Other."

Walker's skill with dialogue and character is terrific. and audiences will have a lot to talk about after a production of "BuzzFeed, Donald Trump, & Dead Black Kids."