Recommended by Philip Middleton Williams

Rand Higbee's dry wit and subtle sense of character interaction is on full display in this short play about a mom, a daughter, and a goldfish. The deadpan humor and droll delivery that make this play funny on the surface reveal the relationship between mother and daughter to be much more complex than you first think. It's one of the many reasons I am a huge fan of Rand's plays.

I've heard a lot of recordings of Fanny Brice, and D. Lee Miller gets it right; the tone, the nuance, the humor, and the truth.

It's moments like this -- a heartbeat of time -- that resonate for life, marking this time and the memories. Asher Wyndham's skill at capturing this moment is in full force in this monologue, and the pain, sorrow, and loss that this diver feels in this moment is touching and powerful.

Why, yes, the title tells you the set-up, but you have to read this gem to really appreciate Emily Hageman's insight, humor and shiv-like skewering of the superhero v. supervillain trope. A delight from start to finish.

You must remember this... a love story with all the passion and heartbreak of the inspiration -- one of many -- for this play. Harry and Jim seem made for each other, but when cruel truth and reality as intractable as time intervene, you will see that even if they are destined to never be together forever -- if indeed that is the case -- love has a powerful hold. In this case, however, it is a painful grip. Scott Sickles creates a world of hard truth and fierce passion.

Timing is everything. Cady's baby is arriving at a confluence of events; real, philosophical, and zodiacal, and at that moment there comes a realization of truth and commitment. Scott Sickles gives us a remarkable situation that could go sideways in so many ways but manages to find humor, tenderness, honesty, and understanding. This little girl arrives at exactly the right time for Cady and Wolfgang, and for us it's a very good time to be with them.

There's a new kid in town... Actually, two new kids, but one's been around the block a few times. This hilarious take on learning about life from the very beginning is a great piece for actors and would be a delightful fit in a short play festival for any audience.

Marj O'Neill-Butler's considerable talent for creating characters and situations is in full force in this short piece that is delightful and insightful. Never giving in to stereotypes but clearly going after those who breed them is fertile ground, and this play does a fine job. This would be a wonderful piece for two actors to have fun with at any festival.

Two candidates go head-to-head as they wait their turn, and the velvet brass knuckes are out in this funny, insightful morality tale that ends with a perfect twist.

What happens when teenage love and lust run headlong into technology in the form of an overprotective sedan? Hilarity ensues, and in this short piece, amorous intentions are thwarted by Siri. A great play for student actors and inventiveness. (PS: Kids, next time, borrow the old station wagon.)