Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

The title should have been a giveaway, but the play took me by surprise, and I credit Mathew Green for leading me along and setting it up so well. This would be a great piece in any short play festival, and I feel sorry for the plays that come after, having to live up to what they've just seen.

This haunting piece will stay with you long after you leave. The setting, the pace, the tension are palpable, and Kenny's internal monologue spoken out loud bares his soul and the intense connection between him and his wounded comrade. If war is truly Hell, this is where it is proven true with the relentless pain and suffering; not just from the battle wounds but from the sense of impending loss. You will not forget this, and you should not.

Yeah, I've been to that holiday party myself. (Myself. Get it? Ha ha.) But seriously, folks, this is a lot of fun and very true, more's the pity, for singles who see the world through the lens of loneliness at a time when we're told relentlessly to be jolly and merry, dammit. I give Rick high marks for making the best of it, and Eileen for being the gracious guest right to the very end. It's the thought that counts, and we know what she's thinking...

Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend channels the spirit of Samuel Beckett as well as a soccer star in this delightful tribute to friendship and fandom in the snows of Monterey. The conversation between Tiffany and Jessica as they await the appearance of a legendary soccer star is fast, funny, heartfelt, and hallucinating in the best way. Their friendship is based on much more than fond memories of the past, and the future is assured.

It is amazing what the mind can do when confronted by grief, loss, and the world seemingly spinning out of control. Ian Donley captures that feeling well in this non-linear exploration with humor, pathos, and genuine heart for the characters in this story, told to us by them and The Player as our guide. Faith and love come under this kaleidoscopic microscope leaving us to think about all of it.

I have to admit that I had trouble reading this play. I had to stop and let the feelings of loss I've felt since losing my parents catch up with this story of a father and daughter trying in their own ways to get past their loss at a time of year when memories of the past come back. There is so much to love here even for those of us who have trouble enduring the season, and the re-connection for Walter and Cassie is anything but sappy sentiment. It is beautiful.

Sometimes a story leaves it up to the audience to fill in the gaps, and if it's well-crafted, there's no need to add narrative. This tale of Ingrid and Josiah is just right in leaving it to our imagination and our inner thoughts to make it work, and it does. No two people will see this play the same way, and that's the beauty of it.

The story of a grandfather and grandson making a connection through gaming is a wonderful way to open the world for both. I was not surprised that Darrin J. Friedman shared this story with us. His writing always touches the heart and soul of his characters and thus the people who see and read his plays, and this one is done with grace, love, and just the right sense of humor. Thanks.

When the world is seen through the eyes of children, it's all so easy to understand. Primary colors and rules of engagement are plain to see and follow. It's only when age and the outside world intrude that things get complicated, and in this morality tale of toddlers battling for the things that matter, such as a red crayon, the nuances of diplomacy and compromise give way to the honest truth that we never really grow up.

The set-up for this story reminded me of Willy Wonka: lucky winners all vying for the prize -- this time it's cosmetics -- but as we go along on this roller-coaster of a trip, the scenery changes with every turn and soon we're contemplating why we need to make ourselves more attractive on the outside and yet knowing all along it's a charade until... WOW, we go from Willy Wonka to Carl Sagan's Contact, all with great insight to humanity as seen through the eyes of visitors. Surprisingly touching.