Recommended by Adam Richter

In a few short pages, Robert Mattson packs a great deal of thought-provoking issues: race, class, the elusive American dream, aging and of course, lawn care. Oh, and it's funny. Vincent and Frank are two friends who've seen what suburban life has done to them and they are powerless to resist the siren call of lawn maintenance. This terrific two-hander would be easy to stage, indoors or out, and would delight audiences. Bravo!

I had the honor of presenting "Cleaning Gravestones" in a televised staged reading for Reading Theater Project.

This is a brilliant two-hander about the complicated relationship between a woman and her parents, whose relationship has, it seems, always been fraught. The father tells painful but necessary truths that propel the action, and the mother, though unseen, looms large as a character in her own right.
Beautiful and heartbreaking. Someone needs to stage this play.

I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I've seen the title of a Scott Sickles play in the dialogue of a Scott Sickles play*, and it is totally worth it. This sendup of tired writing tropes is so spot-on and funny, I'm going to wince even harder the next time I hear Elrond declare, "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring!"
Produce this play. It is laugh-out-loud funny, clever and a third complimentary thing!

*Technically it still isn't, since no character says the phrase "Tropes I hate."

The snappy dialogue and genuine warmth among the couple and their child make Marcus Gorman's play about genetic modification, the quest for immortality and how far we go for love an absolute delight. This is a funny, funny play that would be great to see on a stage. The actors would have a blast. Bravo!

When your mind wanders during meditation, it probably goes to a place like "Envision." This funny and ultimately uplifting play is a clever examination of the "happy place" we try to create for ourselves in our heads, and what can happen when other people wander in. The staging is simple yet absolutely brilliant, and the dialogue is pitch-perfect.

An editor I used to work with often said, the only kids who should play sports are orphans. Asher Wyndham's monologue of a beleaguered youth referee reminded me of that saying. If the monologue were just about the awfulness of hockey parents, that would be enough; but Wyndham smartly moves past the obvious to explore WHY parents are so awful at youth sporting events. It's not just about wins and losses; something is broken in society, and Wyndham nails this sense of hopelessness and rage. This is a brilliant piece.

When you start with a soaking-wet business suit, it's easy to assume that nothing that follows is predictable. Even so, I was not prepared for the sweet and inevitable surprise ending. "Birthday Beer" is a funny, laugh-out-loud play that takes the audience on a delightful and unexpected journey. I would love to see this on a stage.

One of my joys of reading an Alice Josephs play is in learning about small slices of British history — in this case British film history — that would have gone unnoticed by these American eyes. "The Continuity Girl" is a wonderfully theatrical play that tells the tale of British cinema (and of the 20th century) in an engaging way. The details, particularly in Tilly's opening monologue, are so vivid they jump off the page. I would love to see this on a stage somewhere. Bravo!

Forget the songs about Santa knowing if you've been bad or good. "The Yule Lads" by LEE R. LAWING is THE definitive object lesson in staying on the jolly old elf's good side. This was a delight to read, with loads of dark humor and an antagonist whose larger-than-life presence would be a joy to see on stage. "The Yule Lads" would be an excellent addition to a night of holiday shorts.

I don't want to give anything away in this recommendation of Daniel Prillaman's exceptional short play "The Comfort Zone" except to say that I laughed uncontrollably through most of it. Prillaman, as he often does, takes a conventional character setup and turns it on his head, skewering our expectations and taking the action to insane and entertaining extremes.

"The Comfort Zone" will wrench you out of yours but you'll enjoy the trip.