Recommended by John Busser

What a nice little reminder that despite the wrapping, inside we're a lot more alike than we think. A street seller and a minister are both working the same side of the train car. Their methods may be slightly different, but they both exist to sell something. I liked Ken Green's slice of life piece here. I could relate to both sides of this particular coin. He's sold me on this play!

What a ride this play was! So simple and yet dazzlingly complex in what it had to say about human interaction. I was stunned at what I learned about the characters. I want these to be real people. Hell, they ARE real people to me now. Someone should produce this so audiences can meet them the way they should be experienced. Scott Sickles has written something beautiful here.

I laughed multiple times out loud at the clever wording in William Downs comedy of etiquette. "There's a lot of information there!" may be the funniest thing I've read all week! I'm not brave enough to tackle this side of the process in my writing (although I've more plays involving peeing than I probably should), but I'm certainly glad Mr. Downs was. This is some hilarious sh*t.

A darkly funny skewering of our suspicious, judge-first-ask-questions-later society of today. The punchline alone is worth the price of admission here.

A touching look at family dealing with death. I was moved by O'Doherty's characters and how they battled the cancer that was consuming the daughter. No parent should have to see their child pass before their time and the way this is explored is done in a way that brings the audience into the story. Desperation and resignation both show strength of character in mother and daughter. The librarian offering, if not a solution, then at least a way to help deal with the inevitable. Beautiful.

I read this with a sense of dread knowing how it would end. It's to Gacinski's credit that he makes you feel for this doomed pair in such a short amount of time. It's interesting that so many people express their artistry through self destructive behavior like that chronicled here. I gut twister to be sure.

For once, a trip to a drive-thru that actually leaves you feeling satisfied. Just what the audience member ordered.

It's a true testament to Ellen Koivisto's short but severe writing to say that I was genuinely moved by her story of two children caught up in the worst of human experiences. I wanted to know that these two fictional characters would be alright. I've gone back and reread this three times now hoping to find a happy ending here that I might have missed. Powerful stuff.

This "Everything-including-the-kitchen-sink" play was a blast to read. I'd pay good money to see it produced for it's sheer audacity. This hit me right in my genre-stuffed heart. The best part however, would be seeing what actors could do with this. The audience for this wouldn't know what hit them. They might THINK they'd be ready, but they wouldn't be. Like Roger Rabbit on Asteroids.

What an interesting idea I took away from this; the idea that trying to avoid conflict can still create conflict. David Hansen's short piece boils down human interaction into a few short pages that points a mirror at everyone and our sometimes knee-jerk responses to others.