Recommended by Adam Richter

This play confirms everything I ever suspected about a cat's thought process, particularly around the holidays. It would be fun to see this on stage; it's a great physical piece for an actor.

I really don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that this two-hander had me hooked from the first line. Daniel Prillman's horror plays tend to linger, to leave you thinking about them long after the last page, and this is no exception. An outstanding play that needs to be put on a stage. Well done!

Well, that was devastating.
"A Conversation About Mom" is. a powerful two-hander about family, mortality and marriage. Busser's short play also expertly explores what it means to be a good father (or not) and a good husband (or not). Both characters are so well written and nuanced, this would be a treat for any actor. Bravo!

Monica Cross has written a brilliant adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's famous short story. Considering the original has exactly one paragraph of spoken text, she had to do some heavy lifting to convert the all-descriptive prose story into a stage play. The result is a seamless retelling that adds some clever humor to a horrifying and (sadly) relevant tale that still resonates today.
It's also a dream assignment for a set designer, lighting designer and makeup artist. Someone get this on a stage near me!

"Teacher McClelland" is another masterful monologue that brings to life so many of the problems in modern American society without devolving into a polemic. Mrs. McClelland is a wonderful character, full of life, complexity and humor as she brags about the many, many items she bought for her students (receipts so long "I can wear 'em like scarves"), putting her own family's finances at risk. Absolutely brilliant.

This play was a delight to read and would be more of a delight to see on stage. Scott Sickles sends up art and the people who navigate the art world in this hilarious short play. The plot is brilliant but what I really loved was the exaggerated "heightened language." The characters speak in prose so purple it's nearly ultraviolet. "The Rodins Are Here!" is a riot. Please someone get this on a stage.

Parents don't care for their kids in a vacuum. Steve Martin nails the contradictions inherent with easing a child's fears while putting our own demons aside. This short play just nails the complexities of loss and parenthood. Fantastic.

"It Couldn't Happen Here" is a terrific and frightening speculative play that in just four pages gives us a vivid, horrifying picture of a dystopian Britain in the not-too-distant future. If you think tribalism and sectarian, vigilante warfare are unique to poorer countries, Alice Josephs has a warning for you. This is a powerful piece that would captivate audiences in Zoom theater or on a live stage. Well done!

There is so much to explore in these three characters that would make "A Work of Art" a delight to stage. Abuela and Isabel are two strong-willed, determined women who bear the battle scars of a difficult life and are fighting for the future of the same man: Javier, Isabel's son and Abuela's grandson. Though the question at the center of this drama will sound familiar to any playwright, actor or other artist, T.L. Jacobson approaches it in a novel way that keeps the story fresh and the action lively. Bravo!

This is a sweet and laugh-out-loud comedy that would be perfect for any holiday-themed 10-minute play festival. The dialogue crackles and the relationships among the three characters are incredibly well-drawn. Bravo!