Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Kris Thompson is awful to her character Amanda in this short monologue. Oh, the things that poor woman has to put up with on the speed dating scene: awkwardness, frustration, shock, and disgust -- and all of it her own. The great thing is there's nothing like seeing a character rapidly devolve into a baser version of themselves, and this comedy does it well.

This is what makes Evan Baughfman such a damned brilliant writer. Yes, he gets audiences feeling absolute horror, disgust, and revulsion. But at the same time, my sense of sympathy and care for these characters is so high because this is a nightmare situation none of them sought. It feels like all three were placed in this predicament against their will, and I feel awful for all of them.

This short comedy is a prickly satire about religion as commerce and parishioners as as customers. It's a funny concept, comparing religion and salvation to Taco Bell and burritos, and it's got just the right cast of characters -- the young, the pious, and the player -- to pull it off. Well done, Cam Eickmeyer.

I love that Adam Richter flips expectations that time travelers from the future are more advanced than the people they visit. Mark is such a douche that I hope Sally gets what she wants at the end.

This short political drama is fraught with tension from the opening line through the climax and beyond. Everything in "Permanent Ink" matters: the location, the time, every word of dialogue. This is a terrific short play.

Herbert-Taylor has written a funny and fantastical character-driven play that's as much about differences in personalities as wish fulfillment. There are plenty of visuals and a lot of action, and -- again -- the characters are nicely defined. "Beans, Please" will delight audiences and actors alike.

Georgia Xanthopoulou is a singular writer, as Narcissus shows. This monologue adds so much depth to the Greek myth that I always associated with surface-level obsession. I have new considerations for why Narcissus behaves as he does, which piques my sympathy. And the ending lines of this monologue leave me worried for him -- something I wouldn't have felt previously for Narcissus. He feels so much more human thanks to Xanthopoulou's monologue.

I love that Susan Shafer brings together strangers who are able to offer someone to one another during a stressful time. Rebecca and Sidney are strong characters with their own voice and perspective, and "Pass the Horseradish" gives the feeling that their friendship will change their lives.

Baldwin boils down American Revolution history in this one-minute comedy that roasts Paul Revere. It's good, quick fun.

I love plays that shows not only a change in and of itself but when a character becomes aware that something has changed. The realization that something is gone, of being aware that there was something there and it's no longer there is bitter and sour. The audience gets that in "Forgetting."