Recommended by John Bavoso

Horrifying, compelling, and at times darkly funny, The Wild Boar of Chernobyl is a play that wasn’t written in 2020, but perfectly captures the politicization of public health and the tension between religion and science we’re currently immersed in even as the number of COVID infections continues to rise. Pazniokas has created a timeless fable that I imagine would be a joy for talented actors and designers to sink their teeth into (no pun intended). Highly recommended!

A taut, suspenseful script that tackles Internet culture, policing, and gun violence in bold ways, while more subtly touching on issues of race, privilege, and personal responsibility. A timely play that will leave audiences with lots to discuss long after they’ve left the (physical or virtual) theater!

This short play gets at a hard, shameful truth with lighthearted humor and crackling dialogue. What really elevates it, however, is the genuine, loving sibling relationship at the story’s heart. A terrific script that packs a lot of commentary into 10 short minutes, everyone should be reading—and producing!—this play.

This is such a fun, family-friendly Halloween play full of absurd twists and turn, right until the very last second! It would make a terrific addition to any all-ages seasonal short play festival.

This is the perfect play for right now, as more and more individuals and companies are paying lip service to diversity and inclusion, but infrequently backing that up with real action or change. Beardsley has a deft hand in portraying microaggressions without turning his characters into easily written-off cliches, and he lets the silences and actions carry as much, if not more, weight as the dialogue. This should be added to every holiday short play festival this season!

This is such a fun short play about getting into a marital spat at the worst possible time. Mabey’s dialogue is both realistic and absurd, taking the idea of the “little white lies” we tell when we’re first dating someone and taking them to the extreme. Easy to produce online or in a socially distanced setting, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Garrett David Kim has created such a vulnerable, theatrical, and funny portrait of the milieu of lust, shame, self-consciousness, and ridiculousness that is gay sex and dating in this internet age. By choosing such a stereotypically “perfect” gay-for-pay porn star as the embodiment of desire and othering, Kim is able to look at race, sexuality, and gender from a highly theatrical and contemporary perspective. This play is a great read and one that I imagine would be a blast to see produced — on stage or, perhaps more appropriately, in a digital format!

I was lucky enough to be in the room as Shannon was just getting started on this powerful play, and have gotten to read several drafts since—each better than the last. The script is suffused with striking imagery and ritual, deftly tying together Christianity, transness, and sacrifice. Body and Blood is a vitally original meditation on faith and identity that everyone should be reading—and producing!

A short, sexy spin on a classic story that draws a modern connection between vampirism, NSA hookups, and consent. Perfect for a Halloween and/or queer short play festival, this horror-infused tale will leave audience with lots to think about!

This is a gem of a dark comedy—deftly skewering work, monotony, drudgery, and the banality of mortality, all encased in a recognizable white-collar workplace drama. Prillaman’s writing is snappy and the structure perfectly complements the themes. I imagine this would be a blast to design, act in, and watch!