Recommended by John Bavoso

This brisk comedy begs the question: What would happen when an affable serial killer meets a true crime fanatic? The answer is a lot of laughs and some surprising twists and turns. I can imagine this being a really fun two-hander for a pair of actors to tackle, and I’d love to see it realized on stage some day. Recommended!

This is an incredibly fun one-act for young audiences that I can only imagine would be a blast to produce! Filled with lessons about not underestimating those who are different from you and some wild superpowers, THE SECRETARIES is a winner for sure.

A beautiful short play that uses a (wisely) unspecified apocalyptic event to grapple with ideas of love, loneliness, and mortality, but still features luminous moments of tenderness and levity. A great addition to any short play festival that’s looking for something a little more earnest. Recommended!

Telling the tale of pretty much the worst camping trip ever, LOOK UP feels like a dramatic ‘90s TV show — in the best way possible. Vaughn has created characters that are recognizable yet unique, and who banter easily just like long-time friends should. Full of dramatic moments and exciting design challenges, I’d love to see this produced.

This short monologue achingly captures the disorientation of experiencing the death of a friend at a time when it feels like your lives are just beginning. Timms raises some very real and painful questions about who gets to “own” grief and subtly highlights the painful sting of regret. A great challenge for an actor to show true vulnerability, this should be produced often.

This sweet, short play takes me back to many a drunken night spent on a cold beach in college having philosophical discussions with good friends, simultaneously understanding how unique and special these moments were and not having any idea how rare they would become as I grew older. A tender, introspective scene for two actors with great chemistry, this piece would make a delightfully low-key addition to any festival.

A heartbreaking meditation on the nature of art, solitude, technology, and utility, LONELINESS WAS A PANDEMIC tackles some very big themes on an intimate scale. Haller does a remarkable job portraying the futility of attempting to explain the value of creativity and importance of empathy. Both timely and timeless, this play gets you invested in its characters in a way that sneaks up on you. Highly recommended!

I saw a production of this play a couple years ago and still think about it often. Great setup, great characters, great dialog, great specificity. A wonderful addition to any short play festival where a little humor and romance would be welcome!

A darkly comic play, THE WISH offers a brutal update to the “be careful what you wish for” genre. Adaway invites the audience to the worst birthday party ever, complete with cake, booze, and biting one-liners. With a brisk pace and recognizable characters, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

I was lucky enough to see a production of this play this weekend and absolutely loved the script! Hilarious and relatable, with a deceptively poignant core, PRESENT TENSE would make a great addition to any 10-minute play festival.