Recommended by Ken Love

Hyper-realism is a form of theater that we don't see enough of. And I wish more playwrights (including myself!) would experiement with it. Lindsay Partain's "Monsters Beyond the Midnight Zone" adds an essential chapter to this overlooked "genre". Gripping from beginning to end. Kudos!

Heartbreaking without a single note of artifice or mawkishness. The playwright gets his point across with brevity and grace. A lovely snapshot following a horrofic event that needs to be seen and heard. Nice work, Mr. Dzubak!

With a nod to Kafka, this is a parable for all time. Any adherent to Gordon Gekko's facile "bromide" of "Greed is Good" should read this piece. And while they're at it, it wouldn't hurt to read Kafka as well. But do start with Mr. Guyton's monologue first!

Sex and comedy, when mixed well, can go down like a sweet cocktail with a tart aftertaste. Mr. Plumridge achieves this with "Cleo's Clients", a slice-of-life story dealing with the sex trade. There's a twist toward the plays end that should be devasting, yet is handled with such aplomb from the author that it lands with bittersweet humor. I'd give anything to see this work staged.

A history play inspired by real characters and real events. Wholly engaging . . . and, yes - deeply disturbing. I do not use the word "disturbing" lightly for the fact that the ordeal & situations which serve as the plays backdrop - if you will - are so striking & fortelling. History does, in fact, move cyclically, not in a straight line. Vivid characterization gives this work momentum. Nice job, Rich!

Emotionally and psychologically gripping from beginning to end with not a single note of artifice or pretension. Yes, it was wholly believable. And that was the problem! Kudos, Bruce!

Impeccable storytelling from beginning to end. I'll always be a sucker for plays with three dimensioned characters that pull us through the journey of a play. My only regret is not seeing an actual performance of this work! Darkness, violence and wit! Quite a package!

We can never, ever have enough of such slice-of-life/end-of-life plays as this. Never! Beautifully rendered and incisive. What would seem tragic is actually life affirming. Thank you, Mr. Alterman!

With a nod to Kafka & Harold Pinter ("One For The Road"), Arianna Rose has crafted a parable for our time. Were it not for the current socio/polical dilemma, I would not have found it so unnerving.

The stories of Jim Thompson & the films of Sam Peckinpah are brought to mind in this gripping parable set on the southern border. The dialogue is at times stinging, at other moments lyrical. The characterization is amazingly solid for such a short piece. Highly theatrical. Kudos, Mr. Hodges!