Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

This is not deja-vu; I have recommended this play before in September 2019. But in this finely-tuned revision, Doug DeVita brings the scalpel and sharp focus on the characters to the point that it's a breathtaking trip through the past and present in the lives of these friends and family, lovers and rivals, bringing out the past joys and pain in exquisite and sometimes excruciating detail. The growth of the characters through the years and the regressions to past hurts makes it all the more compelling to watch and hold them to your heart.

This touching and artfully done allegory for the circle of life -- as seen through the eyes of two pigs whose destiny is predetermined -- has a lot of moments that make us laugh so that, in the words of Lord Byron, we may not weep. Taylor Sklenar tells his story with affection and honesty.

Not all of the wounds inflicted in war are visible, and the scars do not heal. In this intense session at a support group, the three men come to grips, if not to terms, with the after-effects of their own battles. Charles Ranum's characters are deeply drawn, avoiding the stereotypes while giving us portraits of men we can all recognize and traits and faults we can see in ourselves. This is a powerful story that must be shared.

Marj O'Neill-Butler has such a way with words that she can convey in a single sentence -- sometimes even a word -- what takes another playwright a tortured monologue to say. In this wry and smart short play, she brings down someone who thinks he knows who he's hitting on, and gets handled deftly and with a twist at the end that makes it all so, so good.

Anyone who has shared a living space will know this scenario and the issues it raises. This is more than just negotiating the space and the personalities and the hopes and dreams that come when an errant piece of hosiery is the symbol of that relationship.

But it goes beyond that. I live alone. Last weekend I did my laundry, but on the way to put the clean clothes away, I found a single sock on the kitchen counter. And now I have read this play.

There are no coincidences.

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.