Recommended by Doug DeVita

“Oh, sweetheart. We wouldn’t even need prayer if it wasn’t for anger.”

In a play filled with beautifully written aphorisms, the above line stands out from the others because it is not only a perfect statement of the play’s theme, but also a shockingly truthful truth. That it comes from the mouth of a Chaplain, no less, is a testament to Adams' audaciously gorgeous writing. This short play packs quite a punch in its brief ten-minutes. Highly recommended.

I’m late to the party reading this, but Oh. My. God: Better late than never. McBurnette-Andronicos grabs you from the opening monologue, and you willingly let her take you wherever she wants you to go; from high comedy to dark despair and all points in between, her script is a masterclass in story, structure, and characterization, and is whopping good fun to boot. A funny play about death? Absolutely. And oh, how I want to see it staged. So many wonderfully theatrical possibilities.

In this powerful piece, Lionelle Hamanaka tears into the cost of war and its aftermath with a ferocious energy that is enraging and thought-provoking. Expertly ratcheting up the tension throughout, she provides an excellent opportunity for skilled performers to bring the family at the core of the play to multi-dimensional life, as well as an expertly crafted story that breaks the heart.

Rachel Feeny-Williams has expanded her fascinating deep dive into anamnesis and crime scene investigation into a fuller, more detailed one act play, adding some heartbreaking background details as well as a few key characters, and it is just as exciting and provocative as her earlier 10-minute, leaving the reader (and/or audience member) sated – which is pretty much what a good police procedural should do. Good show!

Acceptance, and the redemptive powers that come with it, are at the core of Lucy Wang’s moving family drama. Wang’s characters are all complex, beautifully detailed human beings who give a universality to her story, in turn making it the kind of play that hits a nerve for anyone and everyone who reads, or better yet, sees the work; they’ll recognize themselves in this family regardless of their own personal circumstances. Touching, deeply felt, and very moving, I’d love to see this staged.

For all those times when we were children and we dreamed of our toys coming to life… Brian Cern has given us a glimpse into what might have been, and damn, I want more. Or maybe I don’t. I’m not sure. But I am sure this imaginative work is at once enchanting, gut-wrenching, and beautifully soulful.

The longing to conform, to fit in, to be the person you think you need to be when you’re a teen-ager runs through this keenly observed play like a knife; both sweet and heartbreaking, Bray brings us back to a time when everything was so vitally important, yet… not. Beautiful work.

A gorgeous piece of writing, with two exceptionally rich roles for two women. Layered, nuanced, and deeply felt, this is a beautiful play.

Busser doing Busser, and he’s killing it with this scathingly funny ten-minute two-hander. I’m still laughing.

A fascinating deep dive into anamnesis and crime scene investigation, Feeny-Williams’ aptly named MEMORY takes us on a fast-paced journey into the world of a woman with the mind of a child – who may hold the key to solving a series of gruesome murders. A police procedural that is exciting, provocative, and leaves the reader wanting just a bit more.