Recommended by John Busser

05.26.25 - I think i just experienced the written equivalent of a fever dream. Or I've had a bit too much Robitussen. Either way, Barry Wallace's extremely off-kilter comedy cured what ailed me. Because laughter is the best medicine, and brother, this thing made me laugh. It's bizarre in all the best ways, from wacky boarding requirements to quirky passengers, this was a hoot and a half.

10.26.25 - Talk about grabbing you by the throat and not letting go! This creepy little tale of birthdays, balloons and blackouts had me riveted from page one. I had NO idea where this was going, but once I got there, like the three characters in the play, I couldn't get back out. I HAD to know where this was going. Barry Wallace hooked me like I was a trout in a stream. I know this because my mouth was hanging open throughout my read. This was excellent.

05.04.25 - Evan Baughfman makes counting sheep the political football that it is. With nods to that portion of the audience asleep at the switch come election time, this tale of counting (more votes than) sheep is enough to make you get off the fence and jump it. Away from the nightmare that we all know he's talking about, that is. The laughs are more plentiful than the sheep in the play, and we'll all sleep soundly knowing he can lift us up faster than a ballon to the wrist.

04.20.25 - I recommend this play alone for the treatment of the supposed telemarketer on page 1 of this play. As for the rest, we're gifted with wonderful flesh-and-blood creations you're invested in (even Marvin the agent). Scott and Deke, estranged from each other for the last 5 years, are on the verge of reforming their writing partnership, but the emotional baggage Scott still carries threatens to derail that. This is warm, charming, alive and so deserving to be staged. I loved it.

04.20.25 - I'm so glad I didn't know anything about this play when I dove in, as that would have spoiled the out-of-left-field spin this took. What I foresaw as a "meet cute" play takes a turn for the bigger picture as Erica and Scott discuss their relationship issues. I loved getting blindsided like this. (And even the names of the two characters have a delightful hidden meaning). Plus, there's a message here not to be ignored.

04.17.25 - Oh this was priceless. Sam and Ben are each others’ best friends no doubt and Philip Middleton Williams knows how to write friendships. I think it’ll be hilarious to watch 2 actors sniffing each others rear ends and almost hump. That’s why we ALL go to the theater. Okay, that’s why I GO TO THE THEATER. Sue me, it’s funny.

04.17.25 - Once again, Jacquie Floyd manages to put a hilarious spin on party throwers and pet owners, this time with a little "Luck 'O The Irish" along with it. I LOVED Red, the Leprechaun with a penchant for beer and a mouth full of Gaelic insults. I want to see Red grace a stage somewhere right now. I always consider myself lucky to get a new comedy from Jacquie, and this one is a four-leaf feckin' fun-fest.

04.11.25 - Oh this was just so heartfelt. A reunion with one lost to us is one we all wish we had, and Cole Dzubak hits the perfect tone here. It's celebratory instead of sad, even as the event that brought Chris and Beth to the bar is indeed a sad one. And the song at the end was the chef's kiss to this poignant piece.

04.1125 - Powerful and affecting, Joe Swenson presents a family in crisis, where the needle is the weapon of choice. Dustin has a habit he can't kick and the ramifications threaten to engulf his mother, his kids and even a dead father come back to try to change the seeming inevitable. I was riveted by the interchange between Dustin and his father's ghost. An audience should definitely get a chance to see this. There's a lesson in here for us all: Your actions affect more than just you.

04.11.25 - We are always our own worst critics, and sometimes our self-judgement can blind us to more critical truths. Cole is having a crisis of faith about his own abilities, something we can all empathize with. Jaxson Mackling gives us two characters (Cole and his Mother, trying to navigate said crisis) with a strength and humanity that gives hope, even if Cole can't quite see it yet. But thankfully, it isn't aggrandized for drama sake, and this makes the struggle all the more relatable.