Recommended by John Busser

Wow! I loved this piece. Ken's play does what good humor should do. It escalates the situation both logically and yet, unexpectedly, AND it keeps both the "supposed" protagonist of the piece and the audience off balance until the final, perfect payoff. I say "supposed" protagonist, because you think this is Ross' story when all along, it was really Rachel's. Her straight-man type reactions to his lame humorous setups is a thing of beauty once you realize she is the REAL master comic here. This would be great to see staged.

At turns touching and gut-wrenching, Emily Hageman's monologue shows how even the most broken of human beings can still have empathy for another being, even if it's not a HUMAN being. A slow reveal turns what began as an apology into a horrifying confession. A man hurt by society and his own brain chemistry can still muster up the emotional connection for the most innocent of creatures, a dog. It speaks well of Emily's writing that the character Jason can still make us long for what he wants, for someone to take can of his only friend. Superbly done.

Even at the end of the world, the most important thing to us is a connection to another human being. Scott Sickles brings this into sharp focus by showing us the bond between two men in the midst of a global catastrophe. Rather than spend time, trying to fix things, or escape, the two men share a few last minutes of intimacy. One willing, the other not, but who recognizes the need of the other and does his best to comfort his friend, it really is a story of how important human interaction is, and should be.

A creepy little ghost story that makes you wonder who’s doing the scaring. I loved the look at the situation l from both sides of the story. Fast, fun and best seen in a darkened room.

If you've never thought about Valentine's Day this way, you absolutely should. The little touches are what sends this one over the top. $14 Hallmark Cards. The song on the Radio. And the final punchline (Which I won't spill like a zombie spills brains) is perfection. Short on length but long on laughs.

I didn't think a piece of fiction could make me so furious at a made up character as I am at Estelle in this play. Paul Donnelly creates vividly real people in a ten minute piece about trying to say goodbye to a loved one and not being able to because of "well-meaning" health care workers. The fact that she was able to get under my skin so easily about a character I've never met shows how well-written this piece is. Yes, I'm affected by this, but in a way only the best type of art can accomplish.

Wow! What an interesting tableau Cathro set's up here. Weirdly appropriate, two people have the much needed conversation they didn't know they needed to have, and under a twisted set of circumstances. What should have never worked as meaningful dialogue because of the state the two people start this play in, instead takes on additional gravitas due to the honesty displayed. This is moving and thoughtful.

We sometimes forget that people live incredibly full lives, with experiences we could never have in the same combination, and that no one lives life the same way. This view should be cherished, really, as in Robert Weibezahl's "Viva", where we watch a 90 year old woman contemplate the events of her life while she gets ready to go to the doctor. It is rich in detail, even as Joni forgets past events and people, and drives home the point that most of us are actually a treasure trove of meaningful memory. This will stay with you.

Talk about an exercise in building tension. I kept waiting for the other show to drop (or ceremonial axe in this case) from page 1. It was almost a relief when things went wrong. Donna Latham has created a nail-biter here with nothing more than presenting a dark, cramped, poorly lit grave and two men clueless about higher powers. Creepy fun!

As a first-time dog... I won't say owner, because she really owns ME, I found this inside peek into a puppy's head a charmer. How I've wished my dog would communicate verbally just to see what goes on between the ears she likes having scratched so much. A monologue as full of life and energy as the subject matter, this would be a hilarious treat so see produced. Pity the actor who has to work him or herself into the frenzy of a young puppy like this. Then sit back and watch the fun.