Recommended by Doug DeVita

Reneé Flemings does a deep dive into personal identity and family history, taking us along with her on a journey into murky waters that leaves us gasping; her use of jazz motifs throughout is extraordinary, particularly the way she conveys them concurrently through her use of language, an audacious choice that propels the play forward at an ever-quickening pace. I’d love to see this staged.

Ken Love has an unerring knack for making the poetic theatrical, and the theatrical poetic; folding in bits of noir, jazz, and southern gothic, his DANCE INTO NIGHT is an arresting, jaw-droppingly good play; a fabulous read, I can only imagine how fabulous it would be to see staged. Which it should be. Hopefully soon.

This stunning work, imagining what could have happened on January 6, 2021, is a terrifying vision of the fragility of life in a world gone berserk. Brutal and at times hard to stomach – although Bronson does allow a glimmer of hope to pierce through the prevailing darkness – this powerful short play is a cautionary tale of our times, and one that is unfortunately necessary, if only to warn us how to prevent what could have been if the rioters at the Capitol had succeeded.

What’s that saying? “Be careful what you wish for?” William Triplett’s surreal fable about the quest for eternal life is an intensely imaginative, theatrical, and darkly comic trip that, as Triplett himself says, “reveals the true meaning of life. Kind of.” Kind of, indeed – if the circle of life is really the circle of death, that is. Wonderfully creepy, with some hilarious lines and two killer roles, this would be a fun addition to any short play festival.

Alan Ayckborn’s “veddy British” BEDROOM FARCE, a darkly comic farce commenting on the sexual mores of the 1970s, is given an even more darkly comic facelift by Yvette Heyliger in this exquisitely wrought, very American circa-NOW updating. Those who know Ayckborn's work will admire how skillfully Heyliger has both honored the original and made it uniquely her own, and those who don’t are in for a treat: a perfectly pitched bedroom farce for the ‘20s with much to say both positive and negative about where we are in the here and now, and not just on matters sexual.

A magically inviting example how to tell a holiday story in theatrical terms while exploring the larger themes of mother/daughter relationships, family history and how it affects the generational dynamics, the need for honoring traditions and responsibility, and what an individual’s legacy really means. Enchanting, touching, at times a bit heartbreaking as well as just a little frightening (in a good way), this would be a terrific addition to any theatre company’s holiday programming.

My God, this is gorgeous. Brennan plays expertly with our expectations, delivers a beautifully unexpected twist, and simultaneously breaks our hearts and uplifts our souls. A perfect little gem of a play, with two wonderfully layered roles for two performers to embrace. Just… gorgeous.

Oh, this is dark. Very, very dark. Both very, very funny and extremely disturbing, Bronson paints a picture of the underbelly of reality TV – and the people who populate that world both on and off the screen – with a brush made up of tiny needles and shards of glass. An extraordinary work that provokes gasps of laughter, fright, and awe at the playwright’s brilliant audacity.

A surprise birthday party turned into a memorial service… As stories like this proliferate because of senseless gun violence, words continue to fail me. But not Lucy Wang, who, with her passionately beautiful, angry-yet-touching words paints a searing portrait of America today. As one of her characters says: “I hate the new normal.” So do I, Lucy, so do I. Let’s all do something about it. But let’s all have cake together first.

Anyone who has had to deal with aging parents knows this play. Feels this play. Has lived this play. Bittersweet, touching, heartbreaking, and yes, funny. And terrific roles for older actors.