Recommended by Scott Sickles

“Behold the power of cheese.”

That was an ad in the late ‘90s. Twenty years later, Matthew Weaver has harnessed that power, combined it with the power of dreams, fueled it with unrequited love and conjured Jesus. Again.

No one dissects the yearning for connection the way Weaver does. There is a boldness that in lesser hands could come off as maudlin or pitiful, but is tempered with such intimate honesty, one can only feel empathy. Milton’s loneliness has not compromised his standards for happiness. He just needs a little help. What better than cheese and Jesus?

A delightful little confection about romantic and familial love, and the pursuit of the perfect moment.

Sixty seconds of proximity, assurance, trepidation, hope, and the potential for love, lust and romance. Lovely two-hander. A guaranteed smile.

A gorgeous play about the disintegration of a friendship and so much more! Osmundsen economically spins a tale spanning close to a decade in ten lightning-fast minutes that never feel rushed. The struggle of these high school friends growing apart due to disparities in talent, ambition and opportunity is starkly realistic and deeply painful. It depicts the push-pull of friendships over time – the patience, frustration, honestly, vulnerability and forgiveness – in all its messiness. By the end, it feels like you've gone through it with them. Great parts for three actors; easy to stage; powerful!

One of the dangers of writing political "message" plays is that so often they should be essays. Burdick deftly avoids that trap showing us the story behind the statement (and it is a literal statement delivered by a VA oncologist to Congress). AGENT OF CHANGE brings up facts and history, all compromised by the fallibility of memory, especially from a mind simultaneously abetted and hindered by morphine. The play also confronts larger themes of legacy, accountability and redemption. There are several moments of simple yet staggering beauty. Great roles, especially for two older actors and an Asian actress. Kudos!

A lovely and quietly harrowing time capsule back to the days where homosexuality was a studied pathology. Two very different men simultaneously arrive at what's supposed to be an anonymous solo interview. One is EXPRESSIVE while the other is much more guarded. In a very short time, we learn lifetimes about these men, their struggles, and their fears, for themselves and possibly for others. Malakhow creates distinctive voices that sound like human beings more than any archetypes. A gentle piece whose power is derived from that very gentility. Bravo!

You can practically smell the woods when you read it. The characters are both unique individuals and familiar enough to be your brothers in addition to each other's. Just when you think you've seen this before, it hits you with a jawdropper or two. A staggeringly honesty portrait of the strength and fragility of brotherhood. The suspense is sublime and the ending is exquisite. THE FORT is now branded on my heart.

Cheeky, cheeky, cheeky.
This play really enjoys messing with you.
First it kinda tells you it’s about to mess with you. Then it explains how it’s messing with you WHILE it’s messing with you. Then, knowing you know it’s messing with you, messes with you one more time for good measure.
I read this a few days ago and decided to sit with it. Now, when I think of it, I can’t help smiling.
Easy to produce. Fun roles, even the ones who don’t speak. Twisted in a very special way!

Part of the suspense is the situation – two women stuck in highway gridlock as traffic crawls toward the accident that’s slowed everything down. Another part of is how the play keeps you guessing. Are these regular people who just have a macabre fascination with accidents? Do they seek them out like storm chasers? Do they enjoy causing them? It’s a riveting piece that slowly ratchets the tension as it builds to a great payoff. Incredibly atmospheric.

A story of great warmth and humor about the joys of friendship, affection, and security in one’s sexuality that also tackles the age-old question, “what are dogs thinking when they’re watching us do it?” A joy!