Recommended by Peter Fenton

In 10 pages, Daniel Prillaman has, in fact, rationalized my fear of geese and for that, I am eternally grateful. A darkly funny 10-minute piece that would be incredible to see live, played with the full-energy dead-serious performances a comedy like this deserves!

Bridge to Terabithia was one of my favorite books growing up--and I feel like Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn has captured a new take on that type of story with BARN WOOD AND BLUE ROSES, in that the story uses fantasy motifs to understand childhood experiences with a backdrop of tragedy and heartbreak--but what Floyd-Priskorn has done in contrast to Terabithia is integrated the entire world into the fantasy story, and also integrated the tragedy and heartbreak from the beginning in the fantasy-escape setting. A heartbreaking story about friendship, love, and loss that all ages can appreciate. A beautiful read!

I'm not familiar with the original Greek myth that inspired Aly Kantor's radical adaptation, but trust me when I say that does not matter in the slightest--"BLOWHOLE" is a hilariously modern feminist battle cry full of clever wordplay and deliciously snarky women leading the charge. It's a perfect fit for any theater company wanting to do a charming period piece with twists appealing to modern audiences. Do it for the whales. A delightfully fun read from start to finish, highly recommended.

I don't think I would've made the connection on my own that Sherlock Holmes and Peter Pan were prime franchises for a crossover story, but trust me when I say I am so glad Christopher Soucy did! What I especially love about this piece is that it feels authentically BOTH like a Sherlock Holmes story and a Peter Pan story, presented in a very traditional, and yet truly inventive way. Excellent work, fun for the whole family. I had the pleasure of listening to the radio presentation of this show available on YouTube.

With SPLIT, Enid Cokinos has crafted an engaging ten-minute two-hander with a great acting challenge for one woman to embody three different personalities within the single scene—a charming mystery about online dating that packs an intriguing dynamic in the interrogation room when the primary suspect is a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder. A fun, deceptively simple short play with a great twist!

This monologue has a fascinating insight into a stay-at-home dad's mind rife with raw emotion—love and protection for his son. Additionally, there are some excellent darkly comedic beats to this otherwise powerful dramatic monologue. It's educational, too—the very first sentence taught me a fun new word!

Sometimes we need to just laugh in the face of grief, and what I can absolutely say about Brenton Kniess' PECULIAR PUPPETS OF PHILIP PLATT is this play made me feel for a tragic loss AND I laughed a bunch. I've never quite thought about puppet anatomy the way Brenton has made me consider it and now I doubt I'll be able to unsee it. Watch the video of this performance if you can, the puppet actors especially gave strong comedic performances of Brenton's words!

What I love about this monologue from Scott Sickles is so much is left to the imagination and yet it's such a clear picture. Scott doesn't need to beat us over the head with too many words, any reader or audience member would know exactly what's going on. It's definitely an awkward situation the guy finds himself in, but he's earnest and honest—he's clearly a guy doing his best, and it's heartwarming in a weird way to see this guy be vulnerable enough to see the person across from him. Great job!

I stand by the idea that the hardest person to come out to in the process of coming out is yourself, especially when you have gone through some, if not all, of the motions of ritualized heterosexuality. Don Baker has illustrated a moving monologue from a man who has done just that and is wrestling through coming out to himself. Your heart breaks for this guy, and to an extent, his wife—which tells me this is a successful and true monologue!

This monologue, much like the piece it was later expanded into, made me cry. It’s a profound reflection on a life well-lived and loved and a beautifully vulnerable illustration of why we should always write what we know. Allen may have left for the biggest adventure of all, but his memory lives on in his lovers’ memory and mementos of a life together. A hauntingly beautiful piece.