Recommended by Adam Richter

You don't expect romance to blossom (certainly not in a "meet-cute" kind of way) out of an attempted terrorist attack, but Scott C. Sickles expertly subverts all kinds of preconceived notions in "Hand on Heart." This clever, concise play shows that the perceptions we have of one another can be wrong in so many ways. As usual, he accomplishes a great deal in a small space.

Short but brilliant. I loved the ending. Matthew Weaver's one-minute plays are a joy to read, and this is one of my favorites.

This was a funny, high-energy slapstick play that makes you fear for the future of the human race almost as much as any current headline. The three astronauts tasked with colonizing Mars are humanity's last hope and they are well aware they're not up to the task. I saw a production at the Nylon Fusion Theater Company and it was a laugh-out-loud romp.

A lovely and touching piece about two people who find each other in an accidental way, and what can happen when you extend some kindness to a total stranger.

Quite a lovely little ghost story that in its brief pages manages to be, ahem, touching. In a small amount of space Scott Sickles gives us three fully realized characters, each of whom we feel emotionally invested in.

David Nice takes everything you think you might know about the setup -- coworkers investigating sexual harassment, stuck sharing a hotel room -- and upends it, creating a tense, thoughtful drama about the nature not just of workplace harassment but about human sexuality. Nice tackles the issues in this play with thoughtfulness and ingenuity.

A remarkable drama about the life of one of the 20th century's best-known English authors and his doomed love life. The social norms and attitudes -- oh yeah, and the laws -- that forced Forster and Buckingham to carry on their romance in secret are not that far back in the rear view mirror of history, and Scott masterfully shows the price that they had to pay. This was a wonderful play to read.

This is a charming and funny monologue that had me grinning all the way through. It also contains what is now my favorite stage direction ever:
"WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION fails, unless performer is good at juggling."

A beautifully written, vivid and heart-rending piece that gets to the heart of our destruction of the natural world, as well as ourselves. Wonderful piece.

It seems like every line in this fast-paced play could have been lifted verbatim from some office conversation or other. The cumulative effect is a funny and unnerving short play about the confusing nature of corporate life. I recommend it.