Recommended by Adam Richter

If you could meet your future -- or your past -- self, you would probably be dissatisfied. Cameron Houg's short play is a wonderful, profound and moving reflection on what that moment would be like. It's a gentle reminder that we don't see the past or the future with any real clarity.

In these terse, matter-of-fact lines describing the victims of the Christchurch shooting, Carnes delivers an emotional commentary on the mass bloodshed that come across as all-too-clinical in daily coverage. It's easy to forget, especially from a distance, that these massacres are not simply headlines; the victims are real people with real likes and dislikes. Carnes' play is an elegant tribute to them.

I love this wonderful meditation on life and what it means to find purpose at three stages of existence. It can easily be staged and should be produced everywhere.

"That Kind of Boy" is sweet, charming and hopeful in such a delightful way. I defy you to read or watch Steven Martin's short play and not come away slightly more optimistic about the state of our world.

I love this monologue. It's funny and (most importantly) it shows how cheese is at once a great luxury but also a universal leveler. No, our hero might not be able to afford some super-fancy wine-infused stilton or whatever -- but s/he can make it rain Kraft Singles! Anyone who has had dreams of imported havarti but had to make gouda with domestic cheddar will appreciate the struggles of this character.

This play does such a good job at distilling the Hurricane Maria tragedy -- and the tragic malfeasance in the human response -- into a powerful, touching and heartbreaking tale of four people. Mr. Ramirez tells an amazing story about disaster on a grand scale and how powerless we all feel to change it.

Journalism is a fraught and frustrating profession these days, and Jessica Huang nails it. Her method of using "found text" gives the play a lively voice that is all the more poignant because it's true.

This funny, insightful and easily produced play was a delight to read.

Huge kudos to Asher Wyndham for diving into the moral complexities of a divisive issue and coming up with a story that is rich, challenging and rewarding. This play had me thinking about the characters for days afterward, and I'm sure a full production would be even more profound. No matter where you stand on the abortion debate, this will have you rethinking your assumptions.

Maddening and so on point. This should be performed in front of every state legislature and every town hall given by our elected, alleged "leaders." Thank you, Scott, for writing this.