Recommended by John Bavoso

What starts as a raucous night out between old friends quickly shifts to something darker and more existential as secrets are revealed and niceties abandoned. Young has a way with tempo and naturalistic dialogue; I really felt like I was in the room. HELL IS EMPTY is a powerful meditation on life, friendship, and death — well done!

I was sure I wasn’t going to want to read a play set in quarantine for a very long time (if ever), but then Rachel Lynett had to go and write this stunning script suffused with yearning, loss, forgiveness, and connection. Deep knowledge of the play on which it’s based isn’t necessary to enjoy or be moved by it. While still in progress, AS YOU ARE offers a beautiful and engrossing look at what a play about these times can be, social distancing or not. Excellent opportunities for actors of color, musicians, and designers as well!

I love when a play digs into a little-known historical event and teaches me something while entertaining me at the same time. With PREDICTOR, Jennifer Blackmer has provided a masterclass in excavating history while doing it in a way that’s funny, warm, exciting, and highly theatrical. I was riveted from page one and can only imagine how fantastic it will be to see brought to life on stage. Yes, for much of history “Anonymous” was a woman; but Blackmer has done superlative work here to give an overlooked pioneer her due. Read this play now!

I want to crawl into this play and live there forever! Adam Szymkowicz has created a delightful, escapist fantasy that I imagine would be a joy to bring to life for everyone from designers to actors to audience members. He’s managed to write into being a world that feels as warm, funny, and inviting as curling up with a big mug of tea under a soft blanket and reading a beloved book. If you need a heartwarming smile and good-natured chuckle, give this script a try!

With a title and premise this, um... juicy, this play had a lot to live up to, and Malone rises to his own challenge admirably! This is a genuinely hysterical riff on the living room play, filled with brilliant puns, innuendo, and even some real heart. I would imagine this would be an absolute blast for both the cast/production team and the audience alike. I highly recommend reading, and producing, this delightfully absurd script immediately!

With THE CALORIE COUNTERS, Molly Wagner has created a quick-moving, accessible script that still smartly gets at the many contradictions even those in the body positivity movement struggle with—the tension between loving yourself and wanting, on some level, to change; the interplay between the shame the outside world projects onto you versus the painful narratives you impose on yourself; wanting your weight to not define you, but thinking about it constantly. This is a script that should be read and produced widely! Well done.

What a hilarious and unexpectedly tender play about the romantic relationship between a mortal and a vampire! Gill’s dialogue is witty and sharp, but also delves into questions of mortality and self-image. A really fun and surprising short piece!

THE PAPER HANGERS is a deeply theatrical examination of trauma, mental illness, and reluctant motherhood and a savvy reimagining of a classic text. There are so many opportunities in this play for creativity and wit from a team of designers. And let me tell you, the musings on solitude and staying indoors hit differently during a global pandemic. Everyone should read this play right now!

A beautiful, deceptively simple play for all ages about nature, love, and prescribed roles. I would love to see a production of this piece with all the movement included. Gorgeous work!

I was lucky enough to be in the room as Andrew was working on this beautiful play, and am so happy to get to read a complete draft! At the time, we had a great discussion of the idea of “cinematic” as a negative note in theatre, and ONE-SHOT is a great example of how a play can be both cinematic AND highly theatrical. It’s a powerfully queer love story rooted in a specific time and place that’s also resonant in the here and now. Read this play!