Recommended by Dominica Plummer

Jillian Blevins' short play starts out as a nod to annual Christmas rituals, but make no mistake, there's a war brewing over the Christmas family photo. Siblings Jen and Jason have a fairly typical teenage relationship, but what complicates things is their mother — who insists that the family Christmas photo is always done her way. The tension between Jason (the pleaser) and Jen (the iconoclast) ramps up until a wonderfully unexpected denouement brings brother and sister together in a united front against their overbearing mother. Christmas will never be the same in their house again!

A satisfying prequel to the story of Scrooge, the lead character in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Adam Richter gives us not just Scrooge's backstory, but his partner, Jacob Marley's as well, and we see how the relationship between them grows. There are lots of unexpected twists and turns in "Jacob and Ebenezer" before Scrooge becomes the man at the opening of Dickens' classic tale. For the first time, we get to see how Scrooge's heart froze, and how, if the conditions are right, it might unfreeze again. Well done!

Steven G. Martin's Untimely is a timely reminder that there is all the time in the world to complete things, even when you've missed a deadline. Chuck is the one who worries about Ginny's inability to get her work done, but who can resist her sunny positivity, and unwavering belief that everything will turn out as it's supposed to? Audiences may sympathize with Chuck's anxiety on his girlfriend's behalf, but there's laughter in discovering that Ginny was right all along. Procrastination can be a joy, indeed!

An incredibly moving and fully alive short play about losing a partner. Miranda Jonte gives us an in the moment account of what it's like to navigate such treacherous waters. Once Upon A Smorgasbord is not a monologue as might be expected in such a personal piece, because Zelly's dead husband is right there to help her mourn and move on. The language is poetic, cinematic, and powerful. Beautiful.

Philip Middleton Williams' satirical look at how Christmas ads are created is the perfect antidote to all that syrupy sweetness that usually accompanies the holiday season. Copywriters Barney and Judy get stuck into an impossible assignment, and the result is lots of laughs for the audience. There's music and dancing as well!

Christopher Soucy's Great Tinsel War of 1979 is a spot on skewering of Christmases past that we'd love to be able to say we don't recognize, but.... Instantly recognizable characters, snappy dialogue, but best of all, an "academic" on site to provide analysis into the developing "situation" and provide more than a little background on the developing crises. I particularly loved the leap into the future that comes at the end. Let's just remember that tinsel wars can have far reaching consequences, and that we'd better watch how we load that tree. Well done, Christopher Soucy!

This is a terrifying tale of child abduction told from child's perspective. And it's the child who comes across as the reasonable one in this chilling scenario. Part of a series of scenes in Joey' life, Swenson doesn't hesitate to expose the part played by predatory adults in a vulnerable child's life. Good roles for all in this short, and a great jumping off point for discussion after. Recommended.

I probably shouldn't say this about a play that contains MULTIPLE REFERENCES TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE, but Daniel Prillaman's play is absolutely delightful. He captures the voices of the parents and horrified teen so perfectly, and still manages to make this piece gently hilarious. Another hit in his lovely How To Talk To Your Child series. This one will be a winner with actors and audiences alike.

Cross has crafted a heartfelt piece all dressed up as a shiny robot. Isaac Asimov this short is not, but ON ROBOTS AND RAINDROPS is definitely in the tradition of exploring human/mechanical companion interaction. As we all look forward to a future where our memories may be more present than the people we created them with—isn't it time to acknowledge that even a robot could be a good friend in healing loss and loneliness? A short play to make an audience think. Well done!

Flawless. Mark Harvey Levine's Surprise had me laughing almost before it began, and you don't have to be psychic to know that this play is a sure fire audience pleaser wherever it is produced. Can wait to see it on stage!