Recommended by Lee R. Lawing

153 pulls at you in so many ways. As others have said, it plays to every audience member in the house, but also just holds a mirror to some of us even more closely. As artists we hold that mirror so closely to ourselves that it sometimes gets too fogged up, but plays like Martin's 153 clear away the fog and allows us to see all too clearly that inner self that we sometimes tuck away too tightly.

What a wonderful tale set in the library! It not only plays out its magical story to a satisfying conclusion, it inspires hope as any good magical journey should! I for one have been a fan of Michele's work since I read my first play by her and this only continues my appreciation for her charming and engaging work!

Searing rip on the superior race crap and funny as hell to boot. There should a law that mandates everyone have their DNA tested and made public record! Gross delivers with this sharp ten minute spotlight into the corner of the ever present race war.

The thing I love about Hovanesian’s work is the element of surprise with every play I read and Wilderness does not disappoint. I was caught up in this tale of murder and jealousy till the very end. As humans, we are always patting ourselves on our backs at how far we’ve come through time and space and we try so hard to hide the basic animal we’ve stepped away from but Wilderness brings us back to the reality of how far we have to go before we can actually celebrate our evolution.

Whenever this play is staged, sign me up for a golden ticket because it will truly be a magical experience. Most probably love the original book and movie and I'm definitely one of those, but Hayet has created a sequel that is so heartfelt, and in his own words, "Creativity with Consequence." This sequel, set 15 years later had me looking at those things that we want and the price one can pay for wanting them. I'm too much like Chuck for my own comfort, but I still believe in the ability to change the world just like him.

This play I experienced first hand at the Inge Festival last year in Kansas and was my introduction to Diamond's work which I have enjoyed so many times since this first play Hello Ocean has all the key elements of Diamond's work that I so enjoy, a passion for her characters, humor that is subtle and spot on for every situation and a respect for her characters no matter who they are--you feel Diamond lift them up to show them off, flaws and all which translates to well written theater.

What I love about Diamond's writing is in full force here, the subtle humor that sparkles throughout, even with such serious action and one of the most defining loves for me about Diamond's work is the dignity she gives her characters. This play is so full of tension that I realized I was holding my breath the entire time just hoping that the outcome would be what I thought it to be, but that's the power of Diamond's writing that shines through, setting up this tense interaction between the poet and her detainer. Bravo.

Carnes is a master of her craft and with every subject she takes on. This small play is no different There is such poetry in this two minutes that it leaves you wanting more, yet knowing that just the right amount of words has been used. Written for the CodeRed/Faith project this play would stand on it's own it's just so touching and haunting.

A beautiful monologue written for the Code/Red/Fairy project and oh so powerful. Minigan packs so much weight into this short piece. Truly heartbreaking as you listen to Dominic talk, but what resonates so much with the reader and those listening is the simple truth of light and remembrance for a person/people now gone.

Menefee has created a wonderful play for the Code/Red/Faith project, and it tears right into that value that we all rely on and that value that we keep coming back to. Family. It's around us with our blood kin, but also those families that we create and this play gets to the heart of just that kind of family. Some beautiful lines but the last line is a true gem and really puts that idea right to the forefront. I loved Wednesday Night Fellowship better than church growing up because it zeroed in on just this idea.