Recommended by John Bavoso

The Sopranos-meets-Santa Clause mashup that I didn’t realize I wanted until I read it, ORGANIZED CRIME CHRISTMAS is an original spin on a traditional holiday play. Full of sly winks to the audience, this would be a fun and unexpected stocking stuffer for Yuletide audiences!

A delightful short play about breaking the North Pole’s glass ceiling. Easy to cast and stage and full of laughs, this would make a great addition to any holiday festival!

What a fun and hilarious workplace short with lots of twists and turns! Each character feels fully developed within such a brief amount of time, and the dialog is snappy and smart. Can’t wait to see this produced in March!

An incredibly compelling and deceptively complex two-hander, THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY WAY shines a light on a fascinating historical event while simultaneously meditating on the nature of acting, deception, and identity. While reading, I couldn’t help imagining how I’d pull it off as a director or designer. A tremendous challenge for two versatile actors, I hope to see a production of this in person someday. Highly recommended!

SKIN AND BONES is such a wild ride! Neill has found such an original setting and device in which to examine the lies we tell ourselves and other when our lives don’t turn out the way we’ve imagined. Both of these parts would provide such a thrilling challenge to actors, and I hope to see it up on its feet soon. Highly recommended!

This funny and adorable 10-minute play is a master class in how direct address to the audience and exposition, when done well, can really enhance and elevate a short play. With three fun roles for actors, I’m sure this will be produced widely and often!

In Happy?, Emma Carter puts a clever sci-fi spin on the very real anxieties people have around marriage, childbearing, and losing touch with friends as you grow older and go your separate ways. In this world, the all-or-nothing nature of getting married and having kids is taken to an extreme, but it’s the genuine and relatable feelings of and relationships between Carter’s characters that really ground it and make this short play sing.

I love a play that tackles serious issues with lots of comedy, and THE JAMB is one of the best I’ve read. The metatheatrics are a lot of fun and the relationships feel genuine and lived in. I think this would be a joy to both act in and watch. Highly recommended!

A funny and original take on the “coming out for the holidays” genre. This would make a great addition to any holiday festival. Well done!

A very fun and funny short comedy that gets to the heart of how horrible dating is for the conflict-averse. I can see a cast and director having a great time with this one!