Recommended by John Busser

10.21.25 - Going against the old chestnut of "Never Meet Your Heroes", Greg Lam gives funny to the Apocalypse with an author finding out that his fans are literally in the last place he ever thought he'd find them even as he discovers that the works that gained him those fans ISN'T quite as accurate as he envisioned. This was a fun play I got a chance to hear at the Midwest Dramatist Conference, and the audience seemed to delight in it as much as the post-disaster fans delighted in author Mason.

10.21.25 - OH MAN, I LOVE THIS PLAY! The Truman Show meets Analyze This meets Midsummer Night's Dream? I don't know if it works but DAMN, Paul Braverman does! This 4th wall demolisher is perfectly suited for a night of short plays to either get the ball rolling or better yet, end on an absurdist note. The dialogue flies by, the jokes are on point and you want this to just keep going. Plus, Ice Road Duck hunters is a show I want to see. Terrific.

10.21.25 - There are ways of lighting a fire under someone's bottom and then there is Theresa's way. And what an entertaining way it was, too. Trying to provoke a sister mired in self-pity from a failed relationship and now stuck in neutral, Theresa invites a young man, Cyrus suffering his own problems into the house to try to jumpstart Jeannie. Marj O'Neill-Butler has a way with words that keeps you focused and pulling for her tactic to work and the gentle twist at the end has you chuckling.

10.21.25 - A laugh out loud business farce that tells us much about the true power of laughter in today's cut-throat corporate hierarchy. Rand Higbee milks the premise for all it's worth and the pitting of old jester vs new was comedy gold, for those who like their humor juvenile (yet surprisingly smart) as I do.

10.21.25 - As I read this piece by Elana Gartner, I was struck by how the "age drifting" both widened the gap between the two characters, yet seemed to strengthen the bonds holding them together. This was fascinating to read and I would bet this would play beautifully onstage (and I really want to see how a production would realize the drifting as the play progressed. An unusual challenge that could reap some unexpected benefits.) Here's hoping someone produces this.

10.21.25 - One of the Midwest Dramatist Conference true highlights, this play about 2 bantering writers, each with their own perfect niche genres meet cute at an airport and hijinx ensue. The dialogue is clever, showing a real knack for one-ups-manship that neither character will back down from. I absolutely loved this play from Kim Ruyle. On to the second chapter!

10.21.25 - A slap in the face with a tenured fish is how I'd describe this hilarious look at the perils and pitfalls of academia, Ben Corbett takes you down a rabbit hole one way before flooding the warren with an inspired diatribe about a professor's REAL motivations behind his teaching methods. Both sobering and spot-on, this one was a winner that I got to hear a terrific reading of at the Midwest Dramatist Conference.

10.21.25 - An emotionally devastating look at the fallout from a marriage built on a knowing lie starts with a bang, literally. Eliana has taken her own life over her loss of David to his nature and is met by Lorelei, a guide of sorts, to help her transition to whatever fate awaits her. One exchange here stops you in your tracks when Lorelei asks Eliana why she thought suicide was her ONLY escape that hurts in the realization. Of all the options available, why WAS the gun the way out. Sobering.

10.21.25 - I think this piece is much more telling in the way both characters say, yet DON'T say what they need to say to each other. There's a lot of unfinished thoughts, either cut off by the other or left hanging for the inference to be picked up by the other. And yet, there is a great deal of frustration here as the issue is really not being handled. This was deftly shown by Holly Lovejoy's precise dialogue and pacing. Joseph's passive aggressive bullying of Raina is out there for all to see

10.21.25 - I was immediately drawn in to this fascinating play. I've never felt sympathy for a non-human character quite like this before, but here, the Tiger explains the way of nature in a world where Man has changed all the rules for both his benefit and ultimately, his detriment. For his part, the Thief is as much a victim of man's inhumanity as the beast. This was wonderful writing that has some important things to say about our place in the food chain. Well done, Abhisek!