Recommended by Adam Richter

One of the birthrights we inherit from our parents — aside from eye color and mental health — is cultural tastes. In Philip Middleton Williams' poignant two-hander, (late) father and son come to terms with the former's collection of fantasy novels. "Twelve Books" is a short but profoundly moving drama about what we keep, what we let go and what we find for ourselves. In doing so, Philip indulges us with one last fantasy: A conversation with the dearly departed.
This is an exquisite piece.

I don't think anyone writes with as much empathy about the fragility of relationships as Sam Heyman does. Mia and Faryn are both sympathetic yet flawed people, and their relationship hangs by a thread that is almost past the point of breaking. The way these two struggle to decide whether or not to let it finally snap makes for a riveting 10-minute play. Bravo, Sam!

Votes have consequences. Even the votes that go to the losing candidate have consequences — if not for the country than certainly for the people we know and purport to love. Scott's blistering monologue is a powerful reminder that the right-wing march to strip Americans of their rights did not begin in 2016.
Read this. Perform this. And remember that your vote is often a declaration of your moral code.

These days there's a fine line between satire and forecasting. Philip Middleton Williams has given us a deft, funny satire of life in Florida where enjoyment of anything remotely artistic is an underground act. Want to see what life under big-government authoritarian wackos would look like if the MAGA crowd gets its way? Produce "How About Them Dodgers."

You have never read a vampire story like this one.

You might think you have, but you haven't.

If you want to give audiences a horror treat with unexpected twists and tricks, produce this play.

You'll never look at vampires the same way again.

You're welcome.

The choices people make in their 20s reverberate well into their 50s, even if they don't foresee it. The beauty of "What We Cast Off, What We Keep" lies in how Molly and Janet both strive to undo the damage to their friendship caused by relationship choices made decades before. The frankness of their conversation resonates, as does their mutual effort to correct past wrongs.
This play will leave audiences thinking about their own lives well after the lights go down.

As a dude, I have never had these conversations. As a father, brother and friend, I have been adjacent to many of these conversations, and Monica Cross nails it. "Birth Plan" is compelling, nuanced drama that shows us that every pregnancy journey is different yet relatable. All three women have the best of intentions, even if their words don't land the way they want.
This is a terrific short drama.

A terrific monologue for an older actor about the brutal reality of aging and how circumstances — sometimes internal, sometimes external — can limit our potential. I loved this piece.

Well, that escalated quickly.

What starts out as a sweet tale of a young couple struggling to afford their dream home morphs seamlessly into a horror story in Debra A. Cole's compelling and ultimately twisted play. I don't want to say too much about the plot, but this is a play that would be easy to stage and would give audiences something to ponder and discuss long after the lights went down. I had a blast reading this play.

"Fold" is a beautiful, sad and touching portrayal of grief and the fear of forgetting someone we love. I so loved the dialogue but also the intricate choreography of the stage directions that make this a powerful play and a wonderful piece for two female actors. Bravo, Steve!