Recommended by Asher Wyndham

Michael Perlmutter 's short play The White on the Page showcases what theatre does best -- the playfulness of play, the spectacle of theatricality, the power of bare-bones theatre. In doing all that, with intelligence and some humor, he holds up a mirror to what's most uncomfortable and unsettling about race relations today.

This haunting account of a farmhouse fire by a young woman is riveting. Her account is far scarier than most festival horror plays. And that account is riveting more for what it reveals about herself, her family life and relationship with her father, and her interaction with the Fire Marshal than the actual fire. The character feels so believable from a perspective of naturalism but also unlike any girl you've met before because the play comes across as this Midwestern Gothic-meets-Horror play. What Salsbury achieves in a few pages, her ability to create such a compelling personality is outstanding.

Make-out sessions on stage are usually just that, and without any drama at the climax. Vaughn's short play with its drama and its believable sexy talk leads to a startling revelation. I would love to see Josh and Nisha in a longer play.

"...her breath poured over me like the smell of hot garbage after a summer rainstorm." Amazing description. That's just one example in this radio play that builds in intensity, creepiness and suspense. It's wonderfully complex in structure and diabolically smart in its execution. If you ever consider getting a tattoo, read this play!

A spot-on, hee-larious satire that smartly critiques patriarchal Western/American society. In a real matriarchy everyone is equal, obviously, but in this play matriarchy appropriates the violence, cruelty and language of patriarchy. I laughed for most of the play and then I stopped because the 'collar' that is worn by the male character was a powerful symbol that references that invisible collar that many women wear in suppressive societies across the globe.

Does being a successful artist - whose art is viewed or purchased -mean you're significant? A little play that's an intense dialogue on commercial art vs. personal art, success vs significance. The playwright does a fine job capturing the dilemma for some artists: feeling like a fake, a fraud when one's art is sold.

Are there some people -- like those on their deathbed -- who don't deserve forgiveness? Are there limits to forgiveness? Are you a terrible person if you can't forgive a terrible person? This powerful short play leaves you asking some important questions on forgiveness, empathy, and responsibility for family members.

How long should parents/adults withhold the truths about the world? When should story-telling "get real" for children -- when should it be used as a teachable moment on tough issues? What starts as delightful turns into a thought-provoking play, a bit disturbing actually.

If you enjoyed Rajiv Joseph's Gruesome Playground Injuries, you might enjoy this short play. Adult actors play both adults and kids, switching back and forth many times, brought together in an unusual setting, exploring the past and dealing with the present. Its sometimes silly, sometimes serious. A wonderful challenge for actors and a director.

Communication via "telephone" cans on a string, separated by a chain link fence, is an effective way to show the difficulty for people of different backgrounds to connect. Without being heavy on exposition about time and place, this a play that can be produced again and again, on stages today and in the future.