Recommended by Doug DeVita

  • Faked
    22 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • Ten Acrobats In An Amazing Leap Of Faith
    21 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • /ärt/
    20 Nov. 2019
    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.)
  • Where's Mom?
    19 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • Why Not Merman?
    19 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • EGG IN SPOON
    19 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • But What Am I?
    19 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • A Tree Grows in Longmont
    19 Nov. 2019
    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.
  • On the Cross Bronx
    17 Nov. 2019
    Unexpectedly funny, Daly’s short mixes a hyper mother-to-be, a broken down car, a nervous cop, a crowning baby, and the Cross Bronx Expressway into a frothy but touching little gem.
  • Misplaced
    17 Nov. 2019
    Cassie M. Seinuk’s “Misplaced” is a raw, emotional punch in the gut, a stunning evocation of one woman’s search for the roots of loss. Astutely observed and beautifully written, this is one of Seinuk’s finest works. And that’s no mean accomplishment.

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