Recommended by Arianna Rose

An honest, frank look at BDSM in a lesbian relationship, and women's level of comfort with what their partners ask of them. in KANGAROO, author Paul Donnelly has crafted a winning piece about female friendships, female romantic relationships, and what happens behind the closed doors of consenting - or hesitant - adults. You'll become invested in the lives of these imaginary characters and hope for the most positive outcome. Paul Donnelly writes with compassion and insight into his subjects and KANGAROO is no exception.

Oof! Wow! What a stirring and point-black indictment of the current state of American community theatre and the hoops a playwright must go through to get produced. As a dramatist myself, I cringed at every authentic detail in this piece, down to the 'self-produce' mandate mentioned by the Artistic Director. Playwright Brian Cern writes with an incisive hand, cutting huge swaths through all the issues plaguing the American theatre scene today, and what playwrights go through just to get read. I hope some theatre is brave enough to produce this...I'm awfully glad Brian Cern has written it.

As always, Bruce Karp bats it out of the park with his title and premise, about two elder gentleman in an assisting living center. Written with great compassion for elders, the wit and energy of Coming Back to Life will give you hope and a hearty chuckle. Playwright Karp's insight into elderly men and assisted living centers is on point and proof his breadth in dramatic writing.

Karen Fix Curry has a breadth of writing that crosses all genres and that I deeply envy! To read Ms. Curry's work is to love Ms. Curry's work, and A Perfect Arrangement hit my sweet spot as an Anglophile who loves a good period drama. Gates, Cook and Bastion will linger in your memory long past the final page. What's particularly engaging are the plot surprises and twists Ms. Curry inserts...you never see them coming, but they all make perfect sense in the universe of the story when looking back. I really appreciate her writing an agoraphobic character.

I have had the great pleasure of reading every single one of The Bench Plays and listening to them being workshopped in our writers group. Playwright Marj O'Neill-Butler has crafted a surprising, enjoyable evening in the theatre, and turned the oft-used 'bench play' upside down and inside out. With fantastic roles for mature actors, the plays range from heartbreaking to hilarious and every emotion inbetween. This compendium is sure to be a hit and staple of every community theatre and senior center. Read and produce and then go find your bench!

Another gem of a play by playwright Robert Wiebezahl. It was selected for a 2024 reading by Veteran's Repertory Theatre and it's certainly no surprise why. October Surprise has everything you want in a political thriller - twists, turns, betrayals, and revenge. Weibezahl deftly creates characters who intrigue, dismay, and surprise us at every turn. Not a word is wasted, not a moment is discarded in this page turner. Read it and produce!

Short Play Festivals all over the country are discovering what we Weibezahl fans already knew: the man can write a short play and bat it out of the park. Next Stop is a gorgeous, wistful, funny piece about how the most disparate humans can connect. I had the great good fortune of hearing this play workshopped in our writers group and it's a gem. Make Next Stop your next stop in discovering the oeuvre of playwright Robert Weibezahl and the varied and wonderful characters he brings to life.

A beautiful play about the generational ties that bind - and spellbind- us. Playwright Robert Weibezahl has crafted compelling characters that generate great compassion in us. A fan of this play, this playwright, and pistachio ice cream, for that matter. Read and produce!

Drama. Suspense. A big twist at the end. Playwright Marj O'Neill-Butler expertly delves into the mystery genre with this utterly original and gripping play. I love plays that end with a big question at the end, and SURPRISE ON A BENCH will surprise you, wherever you are seated. Read and produce!

"I can live with maybe". A gorgeous line of dialogue, and a profound one- is that what we are all doing, on a minute-to-minute basis? There is so much truth, beauty, hope and despair in Pandora's Box of Donuts. You'll be rooting for both characters long after the last page. Playwright Aly Kantor writes with unflinching honesty about depression and suicide ideation, with a great deal of humor and compassion sprinkled in. The craft in this piece is of the highest level. I wish every student could see this play.