Recommended by Patrick Gabridge

Wow. An incredibly powerful, lyrical look at a moment of flux in the West. In a way, it's a Western in the truest sense of the word, examining the complexity of dreams and interactions and fate of Native peoples, former slaves, Mormons, soldiers from Mexico, white American explorers, and clash of past and future, dreams and nightmares. The language and rhythm really helps give a sense of what it's like to be on the high desert prairie, under the sky. Wish I could see this one on stage.

What a sweet short play. So poignant without being maudlin. A piece like this takes a delicate touch, and Donna handles it so adeptly.

I've gotten to both read and see a production of this play, and it's absolutely delightful. It's a pleasure to watch a playwright as skillful as Cefaly send these two characters on the journey towards love, with plenty of bumps along the way, and surrounded by so much humor and rich language. Masterfully done.

What a fun, lively, and lovely play. Cefaly’s use of language and translation and music makes this a love story that you really want to listen to. The trick to great dialogue isn’t writing like people really talk, it’s writing verbal music that the audience wants to soak up/soak in. Great playfulness in this piece.

This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.

This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.

It’s easy to see why this play is getting the huge rolling world premiere it so well deserves. We get deep, deep into these characters, and their wounds and their longing, and loss. There is hope. And even more importantly, it’s one of those scripts that when you read it, you think, “I really want to see this fleshed out on stage, in three dimensions, and see what a great cast and team will do with it.” I hope to see it someday soon.

I love how fierce and smart both women are, as all three of the characters are struggling to make sense or find footholds in the world. The relationships are complex and feel so real, and the pace of the piece keeps on moving forward, even as Beverly fades away. This feels like a piece that I expect to see done again and again.

Oh, this one is a lot of fun. And I’m a sucker for any play with good number play in it. Funny for everyone, but a special treat for puzzle lovers. I can see why this one has been done a lot.

What a lovely piece. There's not a false note in here between the two sisters, who have such a strong, caring relationship. It's tricky to write play about grief without tipping too far into sentimentality, but this Laura Pittenger pulls it off with this short script. The audience is along for the entire ride, pulling for the future.