Recommended by Lee R. Lawing

"Do what I say , not what I do" has been heard by so many children from parents who have not really been nice human beings and unfortunately they keep passing the actions and game-playing down generation after generation. Christianity has certainly provided us with so many examples of bad behavior going un-punished or forgiven even though it goes against the teachings of christ. Hansen's play is gut-wrenching and raw and that's as it should be because here humanity has left the building as it has in our own society and been replaced by animals in human skins.

Twisty, funny and an inventive take on the old Bluebeard tale that's a great read and would be amazing to see live on stage.

I love Hageman's work for so many reasons including the fact that she just touches on reality with such realism and feeling that you know you are in for something special every time you start in on one of her works. Suicide is such a touch subject to broach, but this play is one of the best I've read on that subject. You are drawn in from the very start and this friendship is so real and such a needed force for both of these characters as much as it is for us reading it.

I am reminded so many times on FaceBook back in the day when that phrase "My Thoughts and Prayers are with the families of the victims" and I was like what the hell. Feeling the need to say something just out of the feeling or need to do so, isn't always the best line of action or even one that needs to be taken. Dakutis makes us all step back and look at the bigger picture about guns, religion and so many other aspect of our society as it is today. Let's pray that it all changes tomorrow!

Such a perfectly crafted monologue about giving optimism a chance. We are all, I'm sure, a little self-proclaimed pessimists at some point in our lives, but there do seem to be so many who just have swallowed the pill for a life-time membership! Lermond takes us down the path of just maybe giving into a bit of hope now and then can change our lives for a better tomorrow.

What a dark and funny comedy about such a heavy topic. I love so many of the lines here, but one of the best was "Keep your biracial fantasies out of my uterus." Asante gives us two good friends at Planned Parenthood and their conversation about the baby that one of them has come here to possibly abort. This conversation is so very real and there's not a false note among these pages to be found.

A powerhouse monologue that should give us all pause on how we treat others who are going through health issues or major life altering moments in their lives. Jenny is angry and funny and says so much about herself living life as a person with cancer and we should all take her words to heart.

It's one of those discussion that can end friendships and cause family members to split apart. This play puts you on edge with Rachel and Alisa' conversation about to vaccinate or not to vaccinate their children for school and coming from someone who trusts science after most everything else, I would have the same reaction as Rachel does at the end.

A world without music would definitely be a hard one to live in and Weeks sets up such a futuristic world with his short play and Garbage City Heroes One can only hope that Pandemonium and Lex can fine tune their act enough to bring that sweet sound back.

A funny play about Covid Burnout and a great therapy that you do to relieve some of the stress that has been building up in all of us. Sexton presents a great set-up and delivers on it all the way through. If only dogs didn't cower when they heard that word, I would definitely try this therapy.