Recommended by Kate Danley

Historically in the time of King Henry VIII, there was this belief in "instant love." That one could look across a room and lock eyes with someone and KNOW (it's why things went south with Anne of Cleves). This period play takes that idea of courtly love (that seems so believable in a Shakespearean play) and, with wit and deft dialog, gently deconstructs the notion and then reconstructs it into a more realistic view of what went down between couples of the era. Very, very smart!

One of those rare gems that takes truth, pushes it to the edge of absurdism, while never crossing the line into fantasy. Everything in this script rings with cutting edge honesty and wit.

A fun piece that explores all of the recognizable drama that swirls around any wedding, with a surprise twist at the end. Great dialog with natural and distinct rhythms.

I had the pleasure of seeing this at The Phoenix Theatre "Summer Shorts" festival. A warm hearted script that explores every pet owner's deepest wish. The "transformation" provides a comedic actresses with an opportunity to steal the show.

A fantastic piece full of heart about a friendship between two older gay men. Devoid of tropes and cliches, it explores the bonds that still exist after romance is gone. A really lovely portrait of two very human souls and a great piece for older actors.

I had the privilege of seeing a reading of this play at the Drunken Owl in Seattle. I was struck by its complexities and Hoke's ability to examine the viewpoints of all of the characters from every angle. She takes the cliches and turns them on their head, causing the audience to examine their own bias. There are no "good guys" or "bad guys", just the swirling shades of grey. She does not condone any of the viewpoints, she just presents them for the audience to examine and consider. A terrifically thought provoking piece!

I had the privilege of seeing a reading of this piece at the Drunken Owl in Seattle. It is a heartwarming, tender love letter that acknowledges the realities of missed time, while also providing a message of hope that it is never too late. It is a powerful two-hander for older actors (70+) and a total crowd pleaser. The audience reflexively broke out into a collective, "Aw!" at the end before the applause.

HILARIOUS! Quinn D. Eli has such a gift for dialog and characters. Add on top of that Quinn's sharp examination of latent misogyny and racism disguised by misguided "woke"ness. This comedy resonated deep with me. A total gem that brilliantly brings the laughs while still holding up a mirror to society.

What a delight of a play! Covering a period of British theatre history rarely discussed, it is chock full of fascinating facts and colorful characters. The wit and wordplay is as joy-filled as Moliere. It makes for a fantastic Restoration theatre option outside of the standards audiences may have seen a million times already. Lovely roles and opportunities for women abound. It honors the everything that makes Restoration theatre so appealing while presenting an original story. It would be a GREAT addition to a classical theatre's season or university's repertoire.

Beautiful prose and rhythms, rich with imagery, and filled with powerful ideas that will leave you thinking long after the play is done.