Recommended by Lee R. Lawing

Most takes on "The Happiest Place on Earth" usually are about the how un-happy the people who work there are, for various reasons. Cathleen and Rebekah are two examples of circus employees, this time clowns, who show us both sides of the time spectrum. Rebekah is a life whose dreams died with each paycheck and Cathleen not quite there and who dreams of another life elsewhere. Floyd's has dealt us a sharp and insightful tale about never giving up on your dreams even if you've grown accustomed to the smile that's painted on your face.

A cry for change from an owl who has seen change through their opened eyes and seen the atrocities that they have committed and the world has committed, but in this one brief moment they see the way it should be about although they are just one owl in the world, if only all the other owls could see what they are seeing and then the cutting truth that occurs at the end of the monologue where the laws of the jungle sometimes win over an enlightened soul.

Who could resist a play with a character named Evinrude or Ghlamping as a title? This was a very silly funfest that took a turn I didn't see coming and it was so delightful for me to see this side of Sickles. I always appreciate his work and humor and continue to be amazed by each play I read.

What a play! Scary as hell it pretty much sums up the way we were all feeling when Covid started, as if we were slowly being stalked and taken down one by one by an unseen horror.

Heard this read on Writer's Block Radio Hour and it was so well performed by the actors. Sisters have such a deep bond and that continues in the afterlife with Evie and Ella as they set off on a little adventure. I could see an entire series of mysteries with these two specters.

A snappy and funny little moment in time when being too gung-ho about your beliefs can get you into trouble or at least lose you valuable time in planning a very important day.

Weaver's writing always impresses, even in the shortest of pieces. Although short, the tension builds with each line until you are standing back realizing you haven't let a single breath leave your body the entire time.

Carbajal captures so much of how the world is feeling right now, with Covid weariness and if the world will ever return to its former self and people can connect on all those levels we used to connect on with no fear or worry or of any danger other than the common cold.

I love the marking of each day physically as a grounding exercise. Like the old fashioned desk calendars that I can actually see and depose of the old day for the new. This beautiful tale of a possible new life on another planet that we hopefully wouldn't destroy over time is so beautifully simple and direct about the possibilities of new life and the reality of what space travel would be like for those on a certain mission to try and begin again when sometimes, it's better to slow down time and live out our lives day by day.

I was able to listen to this heart wrenching story in an audio recording and they did a masterful job in bringing Lermond's characters and lines to life. The thing I took away most is that no matter what life deals you and no matter the heartache you may face the universe gives some of us second chances that we never expected. Lermond capture this perfectly with her masterful tale of family and what that really means for these characters.