Recommended by Sarah Fenner King

Not only a great concept as a loveletter to language, but also great execution. Some of the shorts have the quick comedic punch-lines you'd expect, but some are tender dramas that inspire emotions. Also, now I can't stop thinking and speaking in alliteration, so there's that.

What fun! Lavinia's eventual terrible fate brings a well-earned element of gravitas to this playful pop-culture farce. A quick-witted comedy with pith and just enough heart. The banter would sparkle on stage, and so would all that much-anticipated blood.

Inventive abstract imagery enhances the bare lyricism of this piece. Goldman-Sherman has crafted an incisive display of the cruel traps laid for women in our society, past and present. Takes on the political issue of abortion rights with intimate pathos, exacting a weighty, arduous pace that is exhausting even though the playing time is so short. A steadfast declaration that must be made.

The banter between mother and daughter is rhythmic and fresh, with nice authentic interruptions cutting in and out. This strong female duo would be a pleasure to watch onstage.

Saw this performed as a staged reading by Ignition Arts at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma in March 2019. Smart and delightfully perplexing, Zubel undercuts the dude-bro caricatures and laugh-out-loud absurdist humor with the claustrophobic scenes of Alex and her quest for survival. An unexpected, thought-provoking take on zombies about gender and rules and the importance of BBQ.

Watched this performed as a staged reading with the Ignition Arts Reading Series at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma in January 2019. Zito crafts a modern worst-nightmare situation that viscerally unfolds like a car crash in slow motion before your eyes. It all escalates as the initially likeable protagonist digs in her heels and digs her own grave, and makes you wonder what you'd do in a similar situation.

An abstract parable with weighty simplicity - the narrative device gets the plot flowing smoothly, with minimal stoppage for detailed specifics like setting or exposition. This brisk pace and generality give the play a universal, ancient feel. I enjoyed the ride.

Poignant portrayal of two former lovers who have a heap of undisclosed baggage behind them, doing the best they can to move forward into a new pattern of life after separation. The old bond between them shines through the old wounds, and as the viewer you feel so tempted to long for a reconciliation, even though that's impractical and unfair. Also, I love the device of the kid sleeping on stage the whole time but never waking up - creates the tension without having to cast an actual child.

A surprisingly tender duet, with some solid space jokes and a healthy gnawing fear of the abyss pressing in from all sides. I enjoyed being heartbroken by the ending.

This jab at sexism in media has a comfortably old-fashioned tone, with the sexy secretary gag and phrases like "dollface" and "sure as shimmy." The modern interjections of crass cock jokes make for some laugh-out-loud moments and shocking visuals.