Recommended by Jackie Martin

"The Maltese Walter" is a blast to read and would be a true delight to see performed - it's no wonder it's been produced so often. This play is both familiar and original, funny and surprising.

In this powerful short play, Sharai Bohannon explores questions many of us find ourselves asking these days: What happens when the people we love have beliefs that completely diverge from our own? When our loved ones are not simply of another political persuasion, but actively engaging in behavior that we see as morally corrupt, can they still be our loved ones? This play wastes no time in getting to the point, and each line of dialogue packs a punch. "What About the Children?" is both real and relevant.

I had the pleasure of seeing "Interventions" performed as part of the Open Theatre Project's SLAMBoston in 2018, and I still find myself occasionally thinking of it and laughing out loud. A clever, fast-paced play, "Interventions" also gives its audience quite a bit to think about - like, what are the unintended consequences of each choice we make? With smart, funny dialogue and a storyline that feels fresh even as it plays with repetition, "Interventions" is a delight to both read and watch.

The journey of "Screen Play" is masterfully crafted, with each moment building momentum right up to the end. The scenario is real and relatable, and I imagine audience members - male and female alike - asking themselves many of the same questions they encounter through what begins as a simple conversation between HE and SHE. This play will stay with me for a long time.

With "Healing the Heart," Ray Arsenault manages to tell a big story in a short amount of time. Exciting and inventive.

How do you share family moments when you're no longer family? Both funny and sad, "Commencement" is a fresh, realistic take on how the end of a marriage might affect the people usually considered to be on the periphery.