Recommended by jose sebastian alberdi

I saw a reading of this play at the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference and I can't stop thinking about it. What I think is so wonderful about Pluck is that Jan is tackling so many topics we think about every single day in a single, tight, never-confusing play. My favorite through-line? The way our society's obsession with youth and size and sex is skewered during genuinely hilarious/upsetting online chatroom scenes. What can I say? You had me at Baby Hotel and Gaydar. Can't wait to see this play produced!

God, I freaking love this play. I saw a phenomenal reading of it at the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference and it had me cracking up, gasping, and genuinely just enjoying the ride that live theatre can be when it's really, really good. The casual cruelty and love these women have for themselves and each other... whew, I could watch it night after night. Produce this play NOW!

A really funny, sometimes-sexy (with Samantha/David only!), and ultimately moving play about the ways in which the student/teacher dynamic can so often be an avenue for reciprocal learning. There's so much to love about the play, but so much of it is sort of spoilery, so I'll just say read it. It reads quickly, and it would be a delight to see this play on its feet--I mean c'mon, there's a Gender Elephant!

An absurdist, deeply funny take on the dreams we hitch our wagons and life purpose to—so that we never have enough downtime to think about what our life actually is amounting to! Here's my take on the play with a cake metaphor: if the humor and unpredictable verbal sparring in this piece is the delicious, plentiful frosting slathered all over, the poignancy in its exploration of purpose and loss is the subtle but necessary flavor found in the just-right sponge. One-acts are hard, but this one is great.

The intriguing, spooky premise of a child who remembers his past life gives way to a play about two women who realize they may be more similar than they initially thought. CIRCLE FORWARD explores abuse and its half-life (if it has one), unspeakable secrets (it's a big one!), and the expectations children place on their mothers (and what happens when they’re shattered). I enjoyed the twists and turns throughout and I think all the roles (Ethan especially) would be exciting for actors.

Hilarious, mysterious, terrifying. I finally saw this at THE POOL NYC and it only made me love it more. The laughter in the audience was non-stop. But the growing sense of tension and unease as you begin to wonder what’s really going on is the real star of the show. Like many Brenda Withers plays, one of The Ding Dongs' greatest delights is how it demands to be turned over in your mind long after you’ve left the theatre—it's a play that definitely follows you home. (Whatever "home" means...)

This play rocks. Like, it rocks so hard. Reid’s created a world that effortlessly flits between stage & screen & drag & not-drag that hit my heart in places I wasn't expecting. The storytelling and thematic wordplay is so, so strong. It’s also incredibly funny and written with a really specific wittiness that makes you immediately fall in love with the characters. Additionally, there are opportunities for some really joyful, rich moments of drag performance. And honestly there's this extended theatrical moment at the end of the play that in my opinion would be worth the price of admission alone.

Damn, this play is spooky, gripping, and sad as hell. Tanya O’Debra’s storytelling is so taut and the time jumps in the narrative work so well to set up a relentless sense of dread and moments of real emotion for the characters. Aside from the plot, Them What Brung You is also just a wonderfully theatrical play that I would be excited to see on a stage—I think it’d be a blast to work on a production of it. I hope I get to see it soon.

This play is so incredibly tight in its writing. I’m still thinking about the ways in which family backgrounds, identities, and institutional roles come into play as the characters in this play interact with each other. And that last scene is just… really, really effective in driving the play home. Great visual/digital design opportunities! Plus the fact that it’s a play with four great roles makes it’s a no-brainer—produce this play!

Just a really gorgeous play. The poetry in the piece and the way that meaning and love and connection is created from the simple, every day acts presented in the play, is—to steal a repeated phrase from the play, orgasmic. I would love to see a production of this play, and if I feel so much sitting here after reading it, I can’t imagine what I’d feel post watching it in a theatre. I’d probably be crying happysad tears, that, I know, for sure.