Recommended by Bethany Dickens Assaf

I was enthralled with the theatrical and wonderful places this play took me! Vansant is always so adept in using the stage to tell complete and well-structured stories about millennial angst, and Ray's journey here is a true delight to watch. The moment where Cron suddenly appears is sure to bring the house down!

An empathetic and beautifully-crafted conversation between two people that evolves into something much deeper, broader, and challenging. Vansant wisely conceals Jess' job for the majority of the play and the subtle reveal of what it is caused a catch in my throat. The question of whether or not it's safe to bring children into the world we've created - with all of its violence - provides a deep undercurrent of hope and dread, raising the stakes on the conversation, and causing it to linger in our minds. Masterfully done.

WOW this play had me absolutely HOWLING with laughter! Prillaman's work is so bold in its opening, so clear-headed in its purpose ("out of the mouths of babes," cast in a totally unexpected setting), and so crisp in its pacing - I enjoyed every moment. Each of the four characters feels necessary and gets a lot to do in just ten minutes. Highly recommend!

From the opening pages, I was so taken with this play's honesty, humor, and warmth. Barrett gets so much right here about hospitals, social media, grief, the critical mental health needs of caregivers, (hospital-centered TV programming! I could go on!), and does so through the lens of three well-crafted and well-balanced characters. This is top of my list to recommend to any theatre, particularly high schools, since the play provides rich material for young actors that never becomes shallow in its depiction of teenagers' anxieties, identity, and desire to connect in an authentic way.

I am so taken with this witty play and its protagonists. The playwright has taken a delightful and unexpected point of tension for two roommates, raised the stakes, and developed the deeper reasons for their argument (who among us hasn't navigated personal autonomy in a shared space?). A master-class in comedy writing!

I am completely enraptured by this play and Sickles’ ability to navigate multiple storylines at once, blending multiple tragedies, timeless love - and excellent dramaturgy on Shakespeare - into a piece that is so unified in its theming, so meticulous in its execution, so rare in its earned beauty (yes Fletcher deserves justice from Tommy - to go on without it is a brave choice). There is no paucity of excellent roles here: each one - including a climactic, unexpected appearance by a survivor of gun violence - presents a layer of the thematic heart of the play. Highly recommended!

And absolutely lovely piece of short theater with an undercurrent of science fiction that develops naturally and with great integrity: Hageman's characters are warm, relatable, and would be a treat for the actors to play. I particularly love the atmosherics of the work, which are heightened in the plays gorgeous ending. This is a rich work that is sure to be discussed and felt deeply.

A treat from start to finish: from the first few lines, I found myself completely enraptured by Szymkowicz's confident and colorful world-building. I also appreciated the oxygen the play gives each moment to develop into something hilarious and human (examples abound, from a wildly funny scene between two nurses to the "doughnut" conversation). These are not digressions; rather, they sum up to a very fine exploration of the joys of life: ever present if we would only embrace them.

A engaging and rich meditation on the intersectionality of science and faith, told through the lens father/daughter relationships, and the miraculous echoes they leave in the world. Willett tells this story masterfully and with empathy for her characters, as they try to make sense of the world through the prisms of religion, relationships, and the universe, only to find answers in their own being. An absolute pleasure to read and a refreshingly authentic perspective on tense political and cultural subjects.

Clever and sweet, with one heck of a delightful twist ending, "The Jinx" would be a welcome component of any play festival. Audiences will immediately connect to Joe and Mike (and Gracie!) and anyone who loves sports - or loves a sports fan - will empathize with their plight. A gem of a short play!