Recommended by Audrey Lang

  • Man and Moon
    18 May. 2022
    A powerful story of finding human connection in a place that is at once the worst place to be, and also the most normal place to be, at least for Luna. “Man and Moon” does a phenomenal job of making the universe small and the people in it enormous.
  • The Very Furious Kugel
    29 Oct. 2021
    This is such a fun piece and so delightfully Jewish! As a lover and frequent maker of kugel myself, "The Very Furious Kugel" had me smiling and enjoying myself the whole time I was reading it -- as well as craving some kugel!
  • Image May Contain
    29 Oct. 2021
    "Image May Contain" is the kind of play that takes you on a surprising and unexpected journey, but one in which each piece makes total sense and is a perfect fit once you've seen it. I was constantly leaning in, waiting to see what Pearl's next move would be, wondering where her journey would take her and filled with enthrallment that I got to follow her along her way.
  • the bandaged place
    27 Oct. 2021
    What a beautiful, tender play about finding healthy ways to love and to be loved. I did not want the play to end because I genuinely did not want my time with these complicated, tug-at-your-heartstrings characters to end. Each one is so skillfully rendered, each line and action is vital in leading the reader through this gorgeous and moving story. I would absolutely love to see this play performed onstage.
  • comment below
    27 Oct. 2021
    Emmy Kuperschmid's "comment below" asks what it truly means to be yourself, online and off. It is at first humorous and then verging on scary to see the way that Kitty's internet journey balloons out of her control once her mother gets involved, but the intensity of that trajectory makes her quirky, tender friendship with Jess that much more of a relief -- and that much more joyful.
  • The Elephant Play
    25 Oct. 2021
    The unique and surprising circumstances of this play pulled me in instantly, and I could not stop reading. Its comedy mixes nicely with the deep emotions and serious past that Sasha and Jill share. I was constantly engaged as a reader, and can imagine that seeing "The Elephant Play" come to life physically would be an even more exciting experience - what a compelling challenge for directors, designers, and performers.
  • Frankenstein
    22 Jun. 2021
    Danielle Mohlman's adaptation of "Frankenstein" depicts a heartbreaking and remarkable story of love, womanhood, and family, especially mothers and their children. So often we only get to see the devastating effects that toxic masculinity can have on female characters; this play does a great job of touching on its ramifications for each and every character. With so many characters, it's especially impressive that they are all truly and deeply explored in Mohlman's expansive story! I also appreciate the exploration of women who create dark stories and have dark thoughts, and how they are (mis)treated by society.
  • BREAK
    9 May. 2021
    BREAK is a powerful play about the responsibilities and struggles that come with being a teacher. Its middle school setting feels particularly appropriate as an in-between time in life for a kid, when it's incredibly hard to know where you stand - and these characters, too, though they are adults, grapple with where they stand in their lives, professionally and personally. The relationships, both the ones we see onstage amongst the teachers and the ones that are referenced with their students, colleagues, and family members, are complex and strong and really well-written. I would love to see this play performed!
  • ABCD
    21 Apr. 2021
    ABCD is a brutally honest depiction, even indictment, of the major flaws and inequities in the American public school system, even as it maintains a remarkable degree of care for the individuals stuck inside of it. No character is portrayed entirely as a villain, but no one is let off the hook either - it is always complicated. I saw the virtual reading of ABCD in the Playwrights Realm's INK'D Festival and can't wait to see this play make waves onstage and/or in classrooms across the country.
  • Holy Virgins
    6 Apr. 2021
    This play is thrilling to read. It has so much respect for its teenage characters - Kathryn de la Rosa lets their thought and dialogue flow authentically and so cleverly. Sam, Marina, and Jesse explode off the page and leave me deep in thought and eager to instantly re-read (or better yet, to see onstage), to catch the new intricacies I'm sure I would find with each foray into their world.

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