Recommended by Adam Richter

  • Zero Sum Game
    14 Oct. 2021
    War makes for impossible situations. Dave's tale of taking a life while in Vietnam is brief but powerful, and filled with questions. The one that stuck with me the most is: Who has the right to take a life? The killers in the trenches during a battle? The doctor who decides a patient isn't worth saving? The politicians who sent them all to fight in the first place?
    This is part of a larger piece but "Zero Sum Game" easily stands on its own as a thought-provoking and powerful monologue.
  • Drive Away
    14 Oct. 2021
    "Drive Away" is a powerful, gripping play about sisters, each one trying to save the other from herself. Robin Berl masterfully sets up the situation, with great staging and sharp dialogue, so we think we're watching a play about one thing and then — WHAM! — she delivers the big reveal that pulls the audience in a completely new direction. After reading I was left struggling with the question: Why are we so bad at defining happiness for ourselves? The way Berl presents this question in this play is brilliant. Well done!
  • The Old Railroad
    14 Oct. 2021
    Reading previous recommendations of "The Old Railroad," I wondered: How did Scott Sickles tell this story in just one page? Having read it, I still have the same question. This is a lovely tale of brotherhood, Christmas and family traditions. Holiday rituals are how we remember loved ones, warts and all, and "The Old Railroad" is a warm, funny reminder of that.
  • Going There
    9 Oct. 2021
    Life is a series of tiny little decisions that have ripple effects through the rest of our lives. Philip Middleton Williams' short play "Going There" demonstrates this with such wit and skill. Sam and Gary have a complex relationship that's completely believable in both timelines. I am always amazed by the author's ability to tell so much in so few pages, and "Going There" is another gem.
  • Old Norse Love Aria (a short pantomime)
    9 Oct. 2021
    A delightfully absurd physical pantomime that will be a delight for actors to perform and audiences to see. Scott Sickles leaves no ambiguity in his description of the action, making it easy for readers to visualize the play. Well done!
  • When Cranes Cha-Cha
    9 Oct. 2021
    I read the Twitter thread on which this play is based and did not think the story could get any better. And yet Emily McClain makes it perfect! This is a laugh-out-loud play about people with the best intentions and the worst responses. It needs to be staged everywhere. It is easy to produce and hilarious.
  • Grease
    9 Oct. 2021
    A terrific 1-minute play that expertly plays with the audience's expectations and subverts them to hilarious effect by the end. Absolutely brilliant.
  • 38 Cookies, 39 Reasons [a monologue]
    8 Oct. 2021
    With his usual economy of words, Steven Martin gives us a searing indictment of our dysfunctional relationship with food and body image. The staging is so simple yet brilliant, making Terry's journey through the package of cookies that much more compelling. Anyone who's wrestled with themselves over eating — therefore everyone — will relate to this play. Bravo!
  • To Change a Tampon: How It Is, and How It Should Be
    7 Oct. 2021
    This satire, which doubles nicely as a public-service announcement for clueless men, should be staged in every middle, school, high school and workplace. I love the over-the-top (and, sadly, all-too realistic) depictions of the men and Jane's sharp reactions to their overreaction. Hilarious and brilliant!
  • Babies React To...
    28 Sep. 2021
    Social media is a toxic pit filled with the absolute worst of humanity. DC CATHRO shows us one of the most pernicious ways that it has poisoned us in his tense drama: Parents posting embarrassing videos of their kids online. What I like most about this play is it forces us to confront the question: Who has the right to post embarrassing content about someone else, and is there an age limit?
    The answer is easy: No and no. Parents should know better. Great play!

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