Recommended by Bethany Dickens Assaf

"Incorrigible" makes a compelling argument for forgiveness and grace, but without pandering or suggesting that those virtues erase the past or make for an easy future. Robby's journey is gripping and relatable, as the well-meaning but sometimes-stifling intentions of those around him lead to scenes of crackling tension. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Robby and his distant father: the conversation where the two finally white-knuckle their way through a confrontation is as a powerful as it is heartbreaking. I sincerely appreciated the piece's humor, wit, earned optimism, and well-crafted, well-informed depictions of students and administrators.

An authentic and fascinating examination of three lives, thrown together in unexpected circumstances. The concept is immediately engaging and opens up to reveal fascinating intersections between three personal worlds. The manifold tensions in whether or not to accept help once it arrives leads to some of the most heart-wrenching and gorgeous dialogue I've read in a good while.

Utterly enthralling: Malakhow's four characters bring out multi-fold layers of tension in questions of race and equity gripping a majority-white school. The play utilizes a fully engaging to story to grapple with issues of white fragility, micro(and macro, frankly)aggressions, and the emptiness of certain symbols and rhetoric, to devastating and convicting effect. These characters are impeccably-sketched with empathy and authenticity, but nowhere does the play lose sight of the toxic, white defensiveness that the character of Ben begins to question whether or not we should still be listening to. Malakow's welcome answer is so striking and so needed.

Enough cannot be said of the play's brilliance in weaving together the arc of its engaging protagonist, layered conversations about neurodiversity, and 19th century themes, scholarship, and references. Each inform and enrich the other to heartbreaking effect. Henry is an instantly effective and affecting character: his connection to 19th century British literature is deeply authentic, personal, wonderful, and uncompromising, even as the playwright brings an empathetic lens to the characters grappling to connect with Henry's singular passion. A desperately beautiful work that demands to be performed.

I love the multiple ways to read the final line: it reflects the myriad of approaches Matthew Weaver uses to tell the piece, balancing the urge to present our 'best selves' in dating with the authenticity of an artist. Weaver deconstructs each point in a familiar 'list' of qualities, bringing his true self - and some wonderful humor - to each until we receive an empathetic portrait of the speaker. A terrific concept, well-executed!

This play is a sheer delight: a slice of heaven in ten minutes. To select a single favorite line would take ages: I'm a personal fan of Aunt Betty, but with dialogue this relatable, sharp, and well-paced, there's a lot to love! Eddie's rabbit hole of concerns about his upcoming wedding are authentic and hilarious without ever becoming pedantic, and Richard treats him with unremitting grace, kindness, and good humor. I'm not sure I've ever loved two characters more in a script!

A gripping, theatrical work that demands to be performed: Jodi Antenor deftly weaves separate and shared experiences through dynamic poetry. So many of these lines challenge, assert, and take the reader's breath away. The theatricality, particularly in the final moments, is stunning and will be exciting to see onstage.

A wonderfully bizarre piece with sharp theatrical elements and fantastic absurdist dialogue (as well as some seriously amusing uses of silence!). Underneath the shenanigans, there are some sincere meditations on growing up and the pressure of having a 'purpose.' A great pick for any theatrical group open to experimentation and high-energy antics.

Wonderfully surprising and subversive at every turn. While the play's central conceit - a man tries to bribe an admissions counselor NOT to accept his daughter into a prestigious college - is a wonderfully satirical premise, there's also a rather sad subtext at the play's core: the role financial constraints, perceptions of elitism on all sides, and parental jealousy often play in deciding a whether or not a student attends college. Moran has balanced these relevant ideas in a tonally impeccable piece.

WOW. I cannot say enough good about this piece. The gender dynamics alone are striking, startling, and yet effortlessly authentic. The characters are drawn with great care and depth and the dialogue is sharp and well-informed, without being dense or overly expositional. The parallels to Elizabeth Holmes add relevance to the piece but "Burst" has a great deal more on its mind (environmental consumerism, female-female relationships, the myth of white male tech genius), which come together to form a melancholy, aching, and urgent tone.