Recommended by John Busser

This is certainly food for thought when we regard the "roles" of performer and audience and how easy it is to blur those lines separating them. It shows how important each one is to the other (even though the audience has no "scripted" lines here, the actor pointedly encourages interaction. Another thing brought to light here is that expectations are never what they may seem to be from one person to the next. This play is wonderful in how it both challenges and entertains without having to bludgeon the audience. A really well done piece by Dawn Branch.

This is the kind of play where character is king, and in this kingdom, Mr. Iverson frankly, rules! A really funny creation, Mr. Iverson is both oblivious (it seems) and wise as he solves a bullying problem at school with a bit of no-nonsense, possibly out-of-touch, yet effective anyway tough-love. A number of laugh lines throughout and a fun lead character makes this one a winner.

We all need some "me" time, and Marj Butler very ably points out just how important that time is. Even if, as mom does it, it's only in her dreams. And though dreams never last, the nice thing is, you can go back and visit them. This short play is a perfect dose of unreality for those who have to suffer the slings and arrows of a normal family life. While Mom's life consists of dealing with distractions NOT of her making, the dreams she has while writing most definitely are. So keep dreaming.

Wow. I wasn't expecting to be so moved by this play. It started out in hilarious fashion, the way all of Jacquie's Floyd's plays do, but then it takes a turn down a more meaningful road. A discussion of loss and coping makes its way into the piece and while it doesn't take away the hurt from said loss, it does provide a brighter resolution than we may think about at the time. There's a lot to laugh at here (how the demons get outed is inspired), but more important, there's a lot to think about too. Well done, Jacquie.

You're always in for a wild ride with a Jacquie Floyd play. This one is no exception. When a "celestial being" insists to our protagonist that he "give up", it's not exactly the kind of spiritual help we were expecting. And that's just the first zag when most plays would zig instead that Jacquie throws at us. With plenty of fun word play, call backs and even an important lesson about self-worth, this piece is both entertaining and heartfelt.

Boy did this speak to me. As someone who constantly worries about what comes next, I identified with this piece wholeheartedly. Even when I have an idea, I agonize over it. I need these inner voices. Sam Heyman gave us a positive way to start the day. ANY day you create something, you should give this a read first.

Oh the things we never live down. Cora Frank perfectly captures the terror of having some embarrassing little event in your life, usually pretty small, but blown up to gargantuan proportions by our own sense of self-deprecation. Sure, we've ALLLLLLLL had these types of skeletons in our closet, and sure, no one should be made to feel stupid as all get out, but that doesn't mean it won't continue to happen. Cora Frank knows your pain. And makes us chuckle at that knowledge at the same time.

One aspect of good comedy is escalation. As ridiculous piece builds upon the next, it makes things funnier as it goes. Chris Plumridge's play is a perfect example of this. As Marston recounts the events that brought him to St. Peter, the sequence of events assumes Rube Goldberg-ian proportions. Audience expectations keep getting supplanted with the next weird twist. I loved this piece for the wonderful way it's constructed. Funny stuff. And then there's that terrific little cameo by a beloved pooch who deserves some afterlife adventures of his own. Perhaps the Bear and the Brompton can have an adventure.

There's a tendency here to play it for comedy, and indeed, there are a number of laugh lines. But as the play progresses, we start to realize the implications of what's in store for us and it's wonderfully unsettling (if it can be such a thing) Timely too, as our obsession with AI inspired online art seems to imply. It would be just as interesting for us to watch the audience (as they are directly involved) as well as the actors... Or are they?

Greg Vovos doesn't hate his characters (no matter what his characters say). They are always given just the right words for the situation he places them in. In this case, a very strange and unusual one. And it works brilliantly. With themes of life, death, and our place in the larger picture being measured out at just the right point. There's some clever foreshadowing that pays off near the end that I hadn't seen coming. I loved it.