Recommended by Alexander Perez

A theatrical, thoughtful, and surprisingly tender short that makes brilliant use of living plastic to remind us that despite bleak circumstances and unplanned sacrifice, there is hope we can feel whole again.

Three Scenes in the Life of a Trotskyist is a sharply written and brilliantly paced political dramedy that acts as a miraculously didactic piece of theater that does less to try and convince you to join the good cause and more to warn of what comes when failed ideals sour into bitter fruit.

It's surprising, sad, and a bit scary how negligible the differences are between defending the choice of a lesser evil in the face of a would-be Hitler versus the actual one.

Thank You for Flying United takes aim at the increasing creep of technological dependence under the guise of convenience and lands a deadly bulls-eye. Lesser satirists would be content to relish in the hellish loop of automated customer service rounds but Fleischer's ability to escalate the conflict in increasingly creative ways keep the thematic exploration from running out of steam.

Don't forget your phone!

Few words can adequately express what watching Franky perform the solo version of this show was like. While I haven't seen this retooled version, the new draft reads nimbly, with devastating results; not unlike the howling twister that threatens everything he holds dear.

When the storm passes, all that's left is the man in the mirror, and there's got to be some way to make peace with that hard-headed son-of-a-bitch.

"I Love You, Franky."

Excellent characterization, pronounced atmosphere, and subtle crescendos of drama make for a tender meditation on survival and the bittersweet prize that is staying alive.

Metivier's insistence on restrained reaction allows for this simple setup to bubble over with sharp theatricality despite a distinctly intimate scope. While the piece retains an excellent structure it still manages to treat us to an imperfect end where there are no clear answers. A test tube triumph!

A perfectly structured short that keeps its playful premise fresh while expertly unwinding the narrative spool that leads us to a surprisingly bittersweet, if mature, ending for our starring bros. The dialogue flows with giddy ease but never undercuts its substance in the name of the gag. Bravo!

Smith's knack for silly humor imbued with serious implication is in full display here. Not only does this spectacularly theatrical adaptation of the Miller classic revels in the absurdity of our beloved art form, ever pushing the boundaries of the weight our disbelief can suspend to new heights. As a contemporary parable, The Correctable fires a silver bullet through the heart of willful ignorance, gender dynamics, and the human tendency to shrink in the face of shame instead of embracing the difficult growth it promises. No one is safe from mass hysteria, not even poor innocent YouTube.

Lanao takes on the Herculean task of adapting Beckett not only for a modern audience but for a distinctly non-European audience as well!

Waiting for Gato masterfully infuses the play, prose, and profundity the classic is known for with cutting interrogations of ethnicity, colorism, privilege, masculinity, and heaps more as our reluctant heroes wait for the eponymous Gato to appear.

Faithful and relevant adaptation aside, this piece has the potential to inspire a wider theatrical audience than Beckett’s often impenetrable musings ever could.

An achievement on a variety of levels.

A racially charged faux pas leads to an unexpected friendship which leads to unprecedented, if messy, personal growth and discovery.

Locked between the social conventions of civility, race, politeness, greed, love, and loneliness, Lanao’s characters spend less time justifying their actions and more existing as flawed yet well meaning individuals who are least better people than the people they work for: whatever that’s worth.

Not only is “One of Those Weird Days” a stellar opportunity for cross-cultural casting and storytelling, it represents the potential of what this medium can achieve when everyone is invited to the table.