Recommended by Alexander Perez

A charming and vulnerable story that takes care in fleshing out every member of it's ensemble. Osmundsen does a fabulous job at imbuing this small community with sentimental value to the point where we as an audience feel every shift and tilt as the power dynamics and social hierarchy of this group of volunteers. Never has an honor so seemingly unimportant as usher of the year led to such a sense of betrayal and loss. A spectacular showcase for older actors which takes into account their wisdom but lays bare the myriad of ways we never grow up.

A fast and furious piece that transforms what should be an unbearable reckoning into a deeply empathetic and frequently hilarious portrait of a family navigating an impossible circumstance. The detail present in Dellagiarino's characters is ridiculously impressive, allowing for explosive exchanges and supremely uncomfortable moments. Comfort is tough to give when it isn't accepted. Closure is hard to achieve when you're not satisfied with what you know. Familial love in all it's contradictory splendor is here in full force and what an experience it is to witness in this magnificent dark comedy.

A brutal depiction of addiction, codependency, and the tragedy of good intent. Cato's language shines even in the darkest of alleyways allowing prose to give way to poetry as characters plug in and out of reality. Love is equally capable of destruction as it is salvation, but when all is said and done, and the inferno has consumed creation in all it's splendor, life springs anew from the ashes thanks in part to the very love which brought forth the calamity.

An absolutely phenomenally written short that manages to adorn a difficult conversation with humor, pathos, and care. It's the sort of piece that stays with you long after your initial read, in part due to the compelling and deep questions addressed over the course of the story but also it's impeccable construction and artistry. A must read.

Herrera treats us to a compelling meditation on interpersonal relationships in tandem with a playful take on presentation and structure not unlike The Flick wherein the audience stands in as newest exhibition in a dying museum. We're treated to snippets from their own stories as they pop on and off stage each overlapping conversation acting as layers of gossamer lovingly glossed over the scene that precedes it. Through it all we're anchored to a central arc that serves as the thematic spine that tenderly ushers us across the finish line. Clever, concise, and a refreshing exploration of the theatrical form.

A marvelously elegant, simple, and potent play that explores identity and the dynamic between parent and child as the latter decides to take hold of their autonomy. Cathro's characters are finely realized, allowing for even unspoken moments of action and decision to convey rich multitudes about who they are. Truly a wonderful read and a gift to theaters looking to captivate their audiences with theater that manages to invoke moments of deep drama, tenderness, and love; oftentimes all at once.

Reilly has a serious knack for exploring loss and it's lasting effect without trading the ugliness of guilt for sentimentality. This boardwalk leaps out of the page not unlike a pop-up book thanks to the vivid set descriptions and characters that feel like people you've known forever. It scoops you into it's world while simultaneously dancing between time periods with the precision and grace of a dancer. The narrative unfurls like a spool of film from your parents' home movie collection; bittersweet but filled with comforting memory and hope for what is yet to come. Endearing, heartfelt, and true.

Boyd's bittersweet analysis of political movements, intersectionality, and social cooperation is a heartfelt, grounded experience that courageously gives itself over to the complexities in our collective philosophies that make working together for a brighter tomorrow more difficult than we feel it should be. A play that makes sure to acknowledge the often discouraging absence of simple solutions without allowing itself to succumb to despair. Funny, sweet, and frustrating, everyone everywhere should read/watch this play.

Malakhow's exploration of community, trauma, and eating disorders is wildly inventive and versatile. What begins as a peek into a niche online forum blooms into a full blown spectacle as threads leap off the screen and onto the stage. A fascinating analysis of the psychosocial effects of online camaraderie from the genuine to the performative and it's awkward transition into meatspace. The characters are carefully understated yet bold in their convictions and live deliciously contradictory internal lives. Watching them tumble through two parallel yet extraordinarily distinct journeys is a delight and a testament to the author's narrative prowess.

Fernandez displays a mastery of pace and tension in this ridiculously tight piece that straddles the line between our world and the hereafter. Finely crafted characters and grounded dialogue allow the gradual flourishes of paranormal pandemonium to hit all the harder as all hell breaks loose at Laurie house. This play deserves to be produced to its full potential; a feast of theatricality on all fronts.