Recommended by Abbey Fenbert

I mean, you had me at "entire ship inside the horse's uterus." The premise of this play is immediately riveting, and Craig-Galvan grounds the surreal, mystical events of the story in characters and a community that feel lived-in and fully formed. Viewers will find themselves, like the protagonist, seeking answers, daring to chase wild hopes, and longing to make sense of the past. A bold, imaginative, affecting piece.

We’re at the comedy of manners party scene, we’re at the haunted house gentrification horror, we’re at the combination comedy of manners gentrification haunted house! LIONS tells a story of power and displacement so subtly and hilariously that you’ll enjoy being lulled into safety as much as being flung into the carnage. It’s a feast for actors and audiences.

Though Sophia’s story forms the heart of the play, the struggles and dreams of many other women are layered into the narrative, creating a feminist theatrical epic about the extraordinariness of ordinary women. This rich, expansive historical drama offers exciting production possibilities, from architecture-inspired design to diverse ensemble casting. It’s enlightening and lively, tragic but full of humor.

The Ordeal of Water creates a powerful sense of wonder and magic weighted by real stakes and relatable struggles. The script is lively, careening from its first fraught moment to its final image with humor, richly layered dialogue, sudden shifts in tone and a succession of miracles. As it toys with time and the elements, it stays grounded in the lived experience of two singular women from a specific era and place. The breadth, detail and energy of this play make it thrilling and memorable.

When I heard this piece read at the Great Plains Theatre Conference, I was struck by the poetry that weaved in and out of everyday conversations, elevating small moments into emotionally resonant arias. The writer's intelligence, sense of humor and ambition shines through each scene.

Carrie Barrett succeeds in dramatizing the least dramatic of human tragedies: suffering depression. She transforms an experience of boredom and emptiness into an epic journey in a surreal world, where small steps toward reclamation take on the grand significance that often goes unseen in our daily lives. Also, it's funny as hell. (Warning: you will desire much chicken upon reading.)

Lots of plays attempt what "Bad Paper" pulls off so effortlessly: to weave together an intricate and fast-paced plot, complex socioeconomic issues and a chorus of distinct voices into a satisfying theatrical whole. Lewis' keen ear and strong sense of place allow the audience to explore intersecting themes of class, race, family and ambition in a way that feels lively and familiar (even as you may be exposed to worlds previously unknown.) I had the privilege of being part of the early development process of this play and can vouch that the playwright is a delight to work with!

This play is awesome. It is funny and geeky and full of ridiculous heart. Proof that a ten-minute play can contain real stakes and resonant characters, plus lots of madcap hilarity. A joyful celebration of geekery that gamers and the uninitiated can both enjoy.

This play is an epic distilled into moments. In nonlinear fragments, Brownell pieces together a culture that's taken centuries to build and a story as timeless as it is current. Rhymes, radio ads, classical portraits, the *ping* of text notifications and the iconography of fairytales form the theatrical vocabulary of Brownell's world, which, for all its artistry, remains painfully real. Brownell's empathy bleeds through each scene. Each character receives the full measure of humanity, with shorthand perfectly stylized for 21st-century teens. Watching them face the reality and impossibility of rape will challenge your assumptions and break your heart.

This play's structure is as artful as the experience is squirmy. The squirminess, though, is powerfully theatrical, and there are no gimmicks — the play earns each gasp and uncomfortable chair shift. Full of twists and very twisted. And it all unfolds in ten minutes, how is that even a thing.