Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

The course of true love is often messy and painful. At least for a moment. But as Beauregard and Zeke continue to explore their brave new world, even if it's paradise -- sorta -- by the dashboard lights, their caring and passion for each other overcomes the awkwardness that only experience and understanding can overcome. I can't wait to read more about these lovable lovers.

The difference between being intimate (to put it politely) with someone and being able to express one's feelings is a chasm that doesn't always narrow with age. For some, it's unbridgeable and they go through their lives together unable to say even the simplest words, even though they desperately want to. Watching Beauregard and Zeke approach the event horizon of true expression, even when they are finding their way, is so well explored here, even if it is done in silence or shortness of breath.

The way that these two boys interact at the drive-thru is both adorable and cringe-worthy, thereby making it the most honest way to depict what happens here. The discussion about the dipping sauce is as important as what comes after, and the bravado that masks the nervousness makes this more than just the beginning, however awkwardly, of the intimacy that they crave.

The breezy dialogue in this opening salve of this promised and promising series belies the intensity of feeling on the part of these two young men, and that is what makes it so real and captivating. We go along on this journey, this moment, and for me, it is a vivid reminder of being that age all too well.

The set-up -- two friends seeing each other years later after a traumatic incident -- could be played for melodrama, horror, or tragedy. But Scott Sickles makes this more than just a set-up: it is a realistic and powerful moment of recognizing the distance and wanting to somehow deal with it. Both characters suffered wounds, but both know that the only way to heal is to find the love and the bond that lies beneath the scars and start again to at least try to heal.

History is a record, but the best history is in the telling by those who were there. I had never heard of Roscoe "Sputnik" Monroe until now, but Everett Robert has given us a tale of a character who made history, and we get to feel it and sense it through his recollections. It is enlightening, entertaining, and meaningful all at once, and a great role for an actor.

There are things we can share with a friend that we dare not share with those who are supposed to be the most intimate person in our life. Margaret's conversation is casual but quietly intense as we eavesdrop on her side of a Zoom call, leaving us to fill in the other side and knowing that we're sharing a secret. I saw it performed in the LGBTQ+ Online Short Play Program from Almost Adults Productions, and it left me hoping to hear more about this journey.

Nothing that John Mabey writes is trivial, so when you see the set-up for this short play, you must be prepared to see beyond the surface of the roles. In this powerful piece, we find friendship, consolation, a touch of confrontation that recognizes the love and respect Sister Agatha has for William, and he for her. Presented by LGBTQ+ Online Short Play Program from Almost Adults Productions, it was a fine performance by both actors and should be seen again and again.

I saw this performed with an achingly beautiful sensibility for the delicate nature of two young men finding out about themselves and each other through the auspices of the Almost Adults LGBTQ+ Online Short Play Program. Anton Dudley's ear for the feelings of these introspective yet searching souls is exactly right, and the roles counterpoint each other so well. Memorable and, in its own way, joyous.

The phrase "the less said the better" is often used in a negative way, but in the case of this one-minute play by Greg Lam does exactly what it needs to in very few words and packs a punch.