Recommended by Doug DeVita

O’Henry, updated, shortened, and viciously delightful.

Beautiful. Moran creates an entire world and a deep relationship with very few words, and packs a wealth of feeling in each with astonishing clarity.

In “Rough Draft,” Marjorie Bicknell invites you into a world of heightened reality – the theatre, a world of already heightened reality – and one suspends disbelief willingly because Bicknell’s creation is so absurdly familiar, and her heroine so sympathetic one wants to be in this universe. The zingers fly, the punch lines land squarely, and underneath it all runs a flowing river of resentment: at being underestimated, at being brushed off, at having dreams ridiculed, at having to prove oneself over and over again – these feelings are universal, making “Rough Draft” laugh out loud funny, and seriously compelling.

A stunning work of art. Moving, haunting, and exceptionally compelling, Franky Gonzalez' "Even Flowers Bloom in Hell, Sometimes" is both a gut-punch and a reaction to systemic racism – in and out of prison – that provokes not only rage, but truly earned tears of compassion. Beautifully done. Harsh, but beautiful.

Now this is my kind of family holiday play: a heartwarming monologue from a loving daughter to her invalid father.

NOT! At least, not heartwarming, or even very loving.

John Busser’s “Under A Watchful Eye” is a terrific short play that slowly reveals the “heroine’s” true feelings and intentions as he masterfully builds the piece to its harrowing conclusion. A great addition to the “dysfunctional family holiday” canon, and yes, it IS my kind of play.

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.

Cristina Luzárraga's "Faked" tells you everything you need to know about humanities concurrent tendencies towards abhorrent behavior and inherent creativity, and how to play the one against the other to further our own ends. It's a stunning work, and a great showcase for a woman racing to the edge of her child-bearing years.

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.