Recommended by Peter Fenton

As a producer I’ve literally had this nightmare before! You know things have gotten bad when the stage manager has to step out on stage. David’s charming comedic 1-2 minute play, THE 8TH SWING, would make for an excellent amuse bouche-type opening for a production of the play in question.

This is an incredibly vulnerable piece. Thank you, Christopher, for inviting the community into such a raw and honest confrontation of the uninvited guest. A powerful, versatile monologue any actor could pick up and give a strong performance—the emotion comes pouring out of the words.

The mugger definitely made off with something in this quick, delightfully funny 5-minute piece! I always love when a piece can essentially hit the pause button a high-stress situation and cut through to something raw and vulnerable. Rachel manages to do this in a black comedy sort of way. Worth it? I say yes!

Sam Heyman has opened some incredibly intriguing philosophical discussions about the nature of writing, ownership, and power—SECOND BOOK SYNDROME is truly a play for writers. It's a little bit "Stranger Than Fiction" (which is meant entirely as a compliment!), but what I especially admire about this piece is how questions are raised to both the author and the agent, serving as commentary on both the writing process and the publishing process. A fun, thought-provoking read!

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!