Recommended by Liam Castellan

Nelson takes a simple premise like the office lottery pool and spins comedy gold. His fast-paced witty sensibility both satisfies the reader's expectations and also surprises us with two great twists. Easy to produce, and very very very funny.

Hilarious send-up of the season selection process. I'm sure lots of artistic directors wish they could come up with a season in an hour, but they might rethink that after this laugh-out-loud cautionary tale about rushing through an important task. All four characters are totally cracked in a variety of ways. I'd pay money to see this.

Starts as a very relatable skewering about the audition process (with characters we've all definitely shared an awkwardly quiet hallway with), which was already funny enough to keep my interest for ten minutes. But then it goes WAY off the rails in a way that made me laugh out loud multiple times. Get yourself a few folding chairs and produce this hilarious play!

The inevitable clash of good and evil gets a candy-cane twist. Very fun, with an ending that is equal parts satisfying and surprising.

A caustic class satire wrapped in absurdist comedy (like a bacon-wrapped filet). The main characters attempt and fail to have empathy for the servant class they are clearly reliant on, as they push forward with a ridiculous narrow-minded "business as usual". They pay lip service to being aware of their new circumstances, but their hilarious denial and selfish needs are made of stronger stuff.

The Secret Lives of Non-Player Characters! I laughed out loud several times, and I don't especially consider myself a gamer. It's a delightful "what if" premise the writer has spun into a story of agency and self-determination. Recognizable personalities dropped in a world familiar and entertaining to a wider audience. Well done.

Theatrical, spooky, tense, thrilling exploration of family and the dangers outside. When a community fails its young people, they have to make their own decisions in an attempt to survive. I hardly ever stand during applause, but in 2024 I stood for this script (and it was for just a reading!), and I would LOVE to see a full production.

Hilarious sendup of the tension between art and commerce. It stays funny throughout, but the humor grows more bite as you empathize with the protagonist's breathless overwhelm (while part of you might still want to be in her shoes?). Nelson pushes the pace but knows when to let the audience catch our breath (or 80% of our breath) before shoving us forward into the next grinding wheel of artistic capitalism. Sharp, smart, easy-to-produce 1-act.

Fantastic blend of action, suspense, comedy, and plot twists. I really love action/heist movies, and this is one of the best plays I've ever read or seen that scratches that itch. Great payoff at the end of Act 1, and an ending with surprising (but earned) heart. Simple unit set. I really really want to direct this someday.

I feel seen.