Recommended by John Busser

A gut punch of a short play that runs the gamut of emotions and genres. Starting out as a possible(?) meet cute over a phone, it quickly turns strange, then unsettling as the calls persist, no answers are found, and more questions keep coming up. Then terror sets in as the implications of this being a global phenomenon come out. Most upsetting is the identity of the caller is never fully explained. Sure to give an audience the creeps. Really effective!

The risk of time travel and changing paths is skewered in funny fashion by Mark Harvey Levine in this fast-paced, but smartly written ten minutes. Having a man meet multiple future iterations of himself doing the opposite of the preceding version adds to the frenzy, and then, just when you wonder how he can reconcile things in a satisfying manner, Levine manages to pull a solution out of left field and tie everything up in a nice Moebius shaped bow. You never go down the wrong path with this guy. Great stuff.

Talk about method acting, this hilarious short piece soars better than Icarus in a catapult thanks to Rand Higbee's zany premise, inspired dialogue and an ending that kills, so to speak. Really fun stuff here. Would love to see this staged.

I know that Vivian Lermond gives the option in her play for it to be done as a live (snicker) production, and it would work well there, but this piece would certainly go over the best as intended, a radio play. A spooky, old-time-radio production with sounds and music to chill the blood while the dialogue provides the laughs. What a fun piece this would be to see, but even better to hear.

This is a much more thoughtful play than you might imagine given its title and lead character, and Rand Higbee does a tremendous job bringing some intriguing subject matter to the fore. Questions of factual observation vs peer pressure, meaning vs motivation, and emotional connection vs practicality are all evident here. The play works remarkably well in making us laugh and think in equal measure. This is clever writing.

What a fun way to spend on a cruise, whale-watching and groundhog-daying (can I use that as a verb?) in this goofy little piece from Jack Levine. A married couple goes through the same scene over and over in confusion until the author of the problem reveals all in delightful fashion. Short, sweet and when it's over, you might just want to see it again.

Paul Smith brings Jenny to life just as surely as Laurence did in this terrific monologue about trying to live with someone while being someone else. If that sounds confusing, it isn't. Smith makes both Laurence and Jenny full flesh and blood creations as they are the yin and yang of each other, one, fun and full of life, but the cause of so much trouble. The other, a lesser-than-life presence whom Jenny depends on nonetheless, even if his wife doesn't. Eminently compelling.

Sometimes the facts are just what we believe. Or are made to believe. Paul Smith gives us a sad, but relatable account of Jez, a young man with a troubled past and a seemingly dead-end future. As he recounts the events that brought him here, he tries to absolve himself of the guilt which is most likely his to claim. A wonderfully realized character study of a conflicted young man, this would be a terrific monologue for any actor.

We take comfort in a lot of things; stability, routine, faith in a higher power (perhaps), the idea that we are in control of out destiny. But all that can change in a moment's lapse in judgement, as Paul Smith expertly shows us in this riveting monologue. And now Maddie, never one to be bothered by solitude, finds herself alone after a tragedy, completely out of any sort of comfort zone. The added irony is that her calling no longer allows her any comfort either. She is truly alone here. Terrific writing!

There's the law and then there's justice, and at times, they come down on opposite sides of the fence. Paul Smith gives us an appalling situation for Faye to deal with, and she does it in a way that makes matters worse not only for her molester, but an innocent (in some ways) co-worker. The thing I love about this monologue is it presents us with a clear cut motive, but a murky solution. And isn't that just like life? The questions may be clear, but answers never are. Another winner monologue!