Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

This is a tense and traumatic moment in this relationship that could end it or start it off in a totally new direction. Scott Cantrell brings all of it, challenging us to find the way for these young men as they become aware not only of what they mean to each other but to their families and friends. Tautly written, it is a great piece for actors.

This is a fun rim-shot at Samuel Beckett, employing his own style and deftness of dialogue to gently poke fun at his absurd masterpiece. But you don't have to know the original work (although you should) to get the dry and droll humor of it. I think even Mr. Beckett would appreciate it and maybe even make a counter-offer.

A fun moment of fractured history and science based loosely on the premise that Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson had no idea what the heck they were doing when they tripped over the phone cord. This would be a great curtain-raiser for the district-wide school science fair... or any other short play festival.

I have a soft spot for memories like this, having had the friendship of Sam for his whole life. In this wistful reminiscence of a dog that never was a part of the family, Michael wonders what his family life would be like if they had been blessed by a four-footed friend and companion. You can't help but feel a twinge of sadness that Michael never got to have a dog as a child, and that the dog missed out on something. Thank you, Robert, for reminding me how fortunate I was to have a friend like Sam.

I believe we live a lot of our adulthood trying to reconcile our past, even as we make it day by day, year by year. In this short and sharp two-hander, Bruce Karp's characters settle scores with each other and themselves with a twist at the end packs a punch.

The set-up is right out of every domestic comedy/drama that ever graced the stage from the classic Greek through countless sitcoms, so we are all familiar with the conceit. But that makes this play all the better because while we may think we've seen it all, the simple truth is that we crave this kind of story as a reassurance that love is eternal. The back-and-forth between Michael and Will does a very good job of telling us that they are deeply in love, and that is always a tale worth telling.

When we dream, when we imagine, where do we go? What do we become? The line between reality and fantasy becomes wider, perhaps even an abyss that we cannot cross without a leap of faith. In this lyrical and imaginative play, Dave Osmundsen gives us a transformative lesson in showing how wishes and hopes -- and fears -- can become real. At the same time he teaches us the danger of staying grounded, literally and figuratively. This is a truly transcendent story.

Sometimes the connection between two people is based not on friendship or even things they have in common. In fact, it's the lack of those things that can spark a moment where we realize our own humanity: its limits and its possibilities. In this short but very poignant play, DC Cathro's two souls find things in common to reassure each other -- and themselves. A very gentle yet powerful story.

I got to read this with friends in a group and enjoyed it thoroughly. Marj O'Neill-Butler has fun with the modern dating scene: the ups, the downs... sometimes the sideways... and through it all keeps the searchers hopeful but not naive. And the twist at the end is spot-on. Good fun!

Far be it from me to mock someone else's faith and practice. For one thing, I can't do it as well as John Busser does in this hilarious riff on the legendary nun who, we are told, devoted her life to the poor. But even saints have their limits, and Sr. Teresa, seen here bucking for sainthood by hook or by crook, shows her very human side. And if that offends your sensibilities, well, dems da berries.

Saint or cynic? You decide, but I guarantee you'll enjoy the inquisition.