Recommended by Scott Sickles

Silently encapsulating how those of us who have isolated, quarantined, socially distanced, and filled safety protocols feel during the pandemic, AIR HUGS is a heartbreaker.

Regardless of the specific relationship, friends, family, significant others, etc., it’s hard not to be in the arms of the people we care about, even when it’s dangerous. And sometimes, well... danger be damned and hope for the best.

Even if it weren’t SO relevant to the times, it’s a great piece on the universality of yearning and the torment of separation from those we need to be close to.

Children in their mid-sixties...

Anyone who, as an adult, has had to deal with parental infirmity and impending death, will feel this story in their bones, and anyone who hasn't will know know what to expect.

FAVORITE SON gives us two brothers with a complicated history. They're what I call "close at a distance." They get along but small details trigger a reexamination of their relationship and their lives. There are resonant familial and brotherly truths in FAVORITE SON as well as a sense that nomatter how much has happened, there's more to come.

I’ve always wanted to go to Reykjavík but now I’m not so sure! But when this play is produced on stage, I definitely want to be there!

There’s a consistent feeling of menace throughout but the level of darkness between vignettes varies depending on the humor, romance, passions, and predelictions of the characters. Yockey writes bold stories and introduces us to people we would otherwise never meet or have been at some point in our lives. (The story about the magazines is a heartbreaker.)

An epic journey in the shadows of a mysterious, dangerous, romantic city.

Part vigil, part quest, THE GOOD DELI is delightful play about parents and children, brothers and sisters, newfound friendship, and the search for the perfect sandwich.

What’s makes this especially special is that the characters are people rather than archetypes from the get-go, and the relationships are as unique to turn as they are relatable to all (especially if you have a complicated relationship with a hospitalized loved one).

The story is well-paced and just when you think you know where it’s going, it takes gentle, unexpected turns. It’s also moving, hopeful, and very funny!

Nicely done!!!

Just because you know the story it’s telling doesn’t mean you know where it’s going to go or how it’s going to get there. Indeed, the play follows a diabolical little path! Equally funny, sharp, and ultimately disturbing, this SATAN is a satire that's timely and (sadly, probably) eternal. Satan and Clarence are terrific roles for actors with a subtle comic flair. An ambitious short play festival can have a lot of fun with costumes and makeup. It's a fun take on a holiday favorite that leaves you wincing through your smile.

What an adorable play! Not to mention fraught with sexual tension!!! And judgment. So much judgment! Heathy communication...? ehhh...

Fortunately, a repairman is on the case!!!

As far as anthropomorphized appliance plays go, this one's a well-oiled machine. The titular Dishwasher in DISHWASHER has many models to choose from, including: Voice Over, Puppet, Pantomimist, and Actor in Dishwasher Costume!

It's as much an LGBT story as it is an advice-from-a-stranger friendship tale about desire, standards, and what we should and should not be willing to settle for regardless of purpose or appeal. Take it for a spin!

This family never fails to move and surprise me. As ever, global subjects and universal themes are made deeply personal. These are very specific characters with their own relationship, carried through several plays that span decades. Their turning points are often quiet but always significant. Williams makes Dan and Clyde easy to care about and relate to. You feel their joys and struggles like they’re part of your own family. While you’re experiencing the play, they are.

Tricky, tricky, tricky. Like Soviet!!!

Bonafede’s ostensibly straightforward satire starts out like a Cold War send-up of La Carré or The Americans, while shrewdly commenting on our current state of affairs. The more comically relevant it becomes, the more he traces an evil plan back to its insidious source. Great bait for a clever comic trap.

I’d tell you more, but then Bruce would have to shoot me.

What we know and when we know it can be crucially important. The timing of the disclosure and discovery of information can make all the difference... to a childhood, to a relationship, to a life.

We often don’t know how much our parents do for us, how much they sacrifice, how hard they work. (Even bad parents!) Amy’s mom was a very good mom. This lovely remembrance transcends nostalgia and becomes a profound tribute: from a child’s-eye view of the world, viewed from a distance, to the clarity of adulthood and loss. Funny, charming, and utterly beautiful.

A effervescent as it is scathing. Much like the teacher Sally refers to, Speckman pulls off a neat trick in this comic speech that evolves into essential cultural activism before our eyes. As her protagonist learns and changes, we learn and change with her.

Read it aloud. If you have kids, have them read it aloud. If you’re a teacher, have your students read it ALOUD.

Men and boys NEED to read this aloud!

This should be required reading for producers, artistic directors and literary managers, and educators.

An essential introduction to a vast reading list: MAKE IT KNOWN!