Recommended by Christopher Soucy

There is a very “oof” sensation that plays out on this short comic piece. A familiar pang of unrequited love. The strange moment when you have taken one step closer to the adult you are destined to be. Bethany Dickens Assaf addresses a coming of age dilemma in a bold new way, going where no one has ever gone before… well… local cable access tv of the early to mid 90s. BRIDGE TO REALITY, COME IN REALITY is a funny play with a solid representation of an awkward time in life before the internet allowed 24/7 video access to everyone.

Fantastic, simply fantastic! That there are times when we can keep secrets from ourselves is a marvel. I love that this play explores how someone might follow the interpretation of deep desires to a misguided attempt to fulfill them. How frustrating life is without a roadmap. Lovely and weighty, The Oktavist is a stellar short play.

Homunculi! Homuncula! Homunculi! Homuncula-ha-ha-ha! I love a good mad scientist romp! This is a fun play that highlights the best tropes of the mad scientist genre while giving us a lovely spin on hostage negotiation!

There are so few great roles for women in this age range, and this musical gives us two! A fun, endearing, funny piece that challenges how society thinks about older women. I would love to see it produced.

That Charlotte Cushman isn’t as well known as Sara Bernhardt is a crime! Jillian Blevins skillfully conjures a world where Cushman’s struggles, passions, and talent are on full display. This would be such a rewarding theatrical experience whether one were on stage, behind the scenes, or in the audience. 10 out of 5 stars!

So, apparently, Scott was brilliant in the 90s too. If I didn’t love his work so much I’d hate him. This was such an easy read. The characters were so alive on the page… screen… you know what I’m saying. To me, this was slightly reminiscent of Falsettos. Only I liked this much more. You win this time, Scott Sickles.

Bittersweet and anxiety provoking. Joe Swenson has constructed a taught piece rife with grief, annoyance, and the slightest hint of the supernatural. The pace is perfect and the revelations come at exactly the right times.

Well, now I want Sappho to intervene in all of Shakespeare’s romances! This is a fun, funny play that perfectly subverts the expectations of loyal Shakespearean fans. I want to see more of the trio of characters represented here as they adventure through the familiar terrain of Midsummer dreams.

Kindness, empathy, decency. It doesn’t sound like asking for much, but you would think we were asking for Fort Knox. Dana Hall pants a portrait of a frustrated mother who simply asks for a little positive interaction instead of harsh judgement for her child. A gripping monologue.

I have never gone from cringe to laugh to cringe again so often in such a short expanse of time. This truly disturbing, yet sweet, yet disgusting, yet endearing, yet horrifying short play is bound to get a reaction… multiple reactions… from any reader. Daniel Prillaman has given us a horror movie in a bite sized morsel that may or may not make you vomit. Which is a compliment, regardless of what it sounds like. Kudos!