Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

Matthew Weaver has a delightful touch in telling the story of the nativity from the point of view of three flies in the barn, and it is both reverential and hilarious, which are by no means mutually exclusive. If anyone thinks this play is sacrilegious or blasphemous, they are missing one of the elements of good storytelling. Whether or not you're a Christian, seeing something from different points of view is essential to understanding it. Amen!

Time may be a universal concept, but the consideration of its impact on our lives and our perceptions is elemental to the understanding of what makes us human and sentient. Franky Gonzalez puts this philosophical question in the hands of two people who have nothing else but the time to think about it, and in doing so gives us insight to both them, ourselves, and what matters, large and small. It's an amazing play.

"Room 27" is funny, sad, insightful, and winsome, all in a very pointed and loving tribute to the lost geniuses of rock 'n' roll. Greg Burdick sets exactly the right tone and atmosphere for these characters: nostalgic yet satirical, and for those of us who remember these legends, especially Janis and Jimi, it's both a tribute and a verdict on what they were to us and who they were to themselves.

After reading this play, I had to look up to make sure I was still in a safe place, that the lights were on, and that the sounds I was hearing were from my normal day, not the unearthly wail of whatever it was that provides the riveting horror in this story of doomed explorers. The beauty is the truly honest way Lindsay Partain depicts these characters in what they know are their last moments. A masterpiece of tension, suspense, and humanity.

This is a fun and imaginative romp into the minds of stressed-out and inebriated wannabe poets working on deadline... and more than a few bottles. Kudos to Chris Gacinski for letting his imagination -- and theirs -- run with it.

There's a tenderness in the love of a father for his son that is captured in a way that will touch you deeply. Eytan Deray's skill lies in making his characters touch you without being maudlin or treacly; just honest. This would be a fine audition piece or a stellar moment in a night of theatre.

This is the way a good horror story should be told: suspenseful, terrifying, and blood-curdling in the Grand Guignol tradition. It's short and succinct and would be a perfect curtain-raiser for a horror-fest.

Asher Wyndham captures the true essence of adolescence in this monologue: false bravado wrapped in the insecurity of facing the harsh realities forced on boys not quite ready to deal with what nature and peer pressure imposes on them. A very well crafted piece.

For those of us familiar with the desperation and demands of addiction, this short piece captures it without pity or patronizing do-gooderism. Straton Rushing's characters are all too real, and the battle between Ozzy and Amy is heartbreaking for its starkness. When life comes down to a literal roll of the dice, we know what is at stake, and we cannot look away.

This is more than just a play. This is a man telling us with all the honesty and directness he can muster and more about the life that shaped him and nearly took him from us. With unvarnished passion, love, and courage Franky Gonzalez holds nothing back and brings us closer to him, and through him, to ourselves and our own reckoning. This is a work on the scale of Billy Crystal's "500 Sundays" and has as much heart, soul, and directness. A stunning work.