Recommended by Doug DeVita

Whoah! This is an absolutely riveting work of art; in the hands of a gifted actor, this gut-wrenching monologue will be a stunning theatrical experience. Give it a read; it’s jaw-droppingly good.

Utterly devastating. Utterly savage. Utterly stunning. And heartbreakingly beautiful from start to finish. READ THIS PLAY! PRODUCE THIS PLAY (AGAIN!)

Oh, how I love this play. As a fan of 19th century British literature, and the Brontës in particular, reading this was a treat. Elegantly written and beautifully spare, O'Grady captures both Charlotte Brontë's spirit and character, and puts forth her supposition regarding the genesis of "Jane Eyre" with remarkable clarity and a sure sense of the dramatic, licenses notwithstanding. A superb, magical, wonderful work.

Universal themes, gorgeous writing, and vividly drawn characters all in opposition to each other fuel Yussef El Guindi's "Ten Acrobats In An Amazing Leap Of Faith," a rich feast of a play that looks at the ways religion, faith, culture, and tradition can both divide and unite. Truly stunning work.

Anyone who's had to have their creative work evaluated by pompous, know-nothing, intellectual snobs may suffer from a slight attack of PTSD reading Steven G. Martin's /ärt/, but will also relate to the savagely hilarious truths he unleashes with malicious glee. A wonderful miniature, the ending is sublime. If only the adults could behave as gracefully as the children.

(Full disclosure: I won my first grade art competition. A boy. A boy won. So put that in your Chablis, Mrs. Crull and Mrs. Notting.)

Who hasn't tried telling a family story, with other family members present? That's the charm of Bruce Karp's "Where's Mom?" a comedy in which one of the most hilariously dysfunctional families ever put on a stage (or a page) try to tell the story about the night mom disappeared. Even the dead and the divorced members of the family are there to weigh-in, contradict, correct, interject unwanted opinions, vent... you name it, this family does it, and does it with gleefully bitchy insouciance. Laugh out loud funny, with a vein of rueful remorse running through which keeps it grounded.

Ethel Merman is irresistible, and so is Bruce Karp's "Why Not Merman?" Karp places the ghost of Merman front and center – where she still belongs – in a coming of age story that is by turns hilarious and touching, and gives dimension not only to the great star herself, but the beautifully written characters of Uncle Ronald and teenaged Tyler. Great roles, great lines, and a great premise; once read, you'll never get away from this play.

Metaphorical stream-of-consciousness is Rachael Carnes’ forte, and she's in fabulous form with "Egg In Spoon," a pointed, humorous, and politically apt take on sexuality. And as is her wont, she takes us on a journey we think is going in one direction, then stuns with hairpin turns that we should – but don't – see coming.

Vinecia Coleman takes the "dark family secrets" play to a whole new level with "But What Am I?" Her premise is straightforward, her writing gets right to the point with minimal fuss, her dialogue is crisp and clear, and the emotional toll is devastating. Beautiful and heartbreaking.

And by the way, Coleman's stage directions merit special mention for their delicious brilliance.

Lovely and loving, Philip Middleton Williams' "A Tree Grows in Longmont" is a memory play that zings the heart with its depth of feeling. A beautiful tribute to a lost, and ardent, love.