Recommended by Scott Sickles

I'm furious! I do not read John Busser plays to FEEL THINGS! And if I so ambushed, I expect, nay REQUIRE, those feelings to be horror, dread and/or outrage. The last thing I want is an elegant, simply rendered story about living with unexpected reminders of profound loss couched in the ironic hope that those souvenirs will keep surfacing over time, keeping one in a suspended state of love and grief as life moves on. Nor do I need him making me cry in under 60 seconds!!! I feel so betrayed.

BEEN THERE!!! Donley concisely captures the agony, both unavoidable and self-inflicted, of an all consuming straight crush. And while unrequited love is always torture, there's a specificity to this dynamic that's beautifully rendered here. There's nothing more attracting than the unattainable especially when the unattainable loves you back differently. It's impossible not to root for the friendship and hope it brings healing. A lovely piece.

Even with certain death counting down right next to the condemned, Carbajal lights a spark in the darkness and ignites the soul. I know my heart, spirit, and imagination are richer for experiencing these two pages. Bravo!

Utterly exquisite in its simplicity, poetry, heartache and loss.
The monologue evokes its setting so perfectly you can hear the water below, feel the moist air on your face, see the rocks and sky. Most of all, you feel the friend's loss and sorrow. It fits easily on the reader because it's already well worn, soft and creaseless like a favorite shirt you borrowed but don't have to return because... reasons. It's an honor to be missed and remembered like this. A beautiful tribute.

It's an extraordinary two pages. Reminiscent of the heartbreaking prologue in the Pixar film UP in which we get an entire life/love story in no time at all. Here Byham lets us glimpse the end of such a story through the lens of its aftermath. With light touches of humor and courtroom banter, he gives his actors and the audience a play that requires a simple trust fall: lean back and let it catch you in its pathos and heart.

No one writes snapshots of American life like Claudia Haas and this piece is no exception. Here, we find intergenerational conflict - about beliefs scientific and spiritual, factual and optimistic, local and global. A simple request to do chores is weighed against ecological endangerment and the approach to a solution is equally logical and poetic. Lovely characters, beautifully delineated, with great realistic dialogue and an ending that sticks the landing perfectly.

Sadly, I have been both of these people.

At least on the occasions that I've been Harold, I'll say something like, "Sorry, I'm an idiot. Thank you so much for your time." I'm much more polite when I'm Harold. When I'm Nadine, the words are professional, but my subtext… is difficult to hide.

Kudos to Sam Heyman for this delightful slice of truth.

Two virtual assistants looking for a third for online menage a trois. Interested, HAL?
(How about you, John?)

Herein, IRL John presents dual evolutions as a sketch about the frustrations AI error manifests into a philosophical play about how subjective evaluation of art may evolve when devices meant to regurgitate digital content begin to digest it. Michael Crichton would be proud, though he'd never be this silly. More's the pity. Fast-paced, fun, and full of surprises.

When you've got a dad who dad jokes, sometimes the dad need not even be present... he has instilled the jokes within you and they will make their presence known in his absence.

A beautiful two hander about the complexities of familial love when that family is growing far from where it began. There are important hopes going unrealized here, yet joy prevails through nostalgia, love, and terrible plays on words. An elegant snapshot distilling two families into one timeless gift.

I won't tell you where but at one point I had to stop reading because I had to wait for my own laughter to die down. For a solid minute!

Beginning with a wonderful play on the title, Norkin wisely sets this contest in the most competitive environment on Earth: a Japanese elementary school. Failure is not an option! Fortunately, he's gentle with his young contestants. High-stakes fun throughout, folding and shaping itself into a starburst of hilarity and woe! Plus: roles for East Asian actors!!!