Recommended by John Busser

Well THAT was a ride and a half! Talking about sex is something the Grandma in this play is NOT shy about. If only we could all be that candid. As the character of Hannah recounts her sexual exploration, she finds someone has already charted those waters in her oversexed grandmother. Along the way we get some hilarious observations, and the audience will be both blushing and laughing over it. Fun stuff.

I highly recommend this heart-breaking play by Andrew Martineau about the punishments we make for both ourselves and others. As someone who had a drug-addicted sibling, you feel so powerless to stop the behavior that's killing the family in ways you never imagined. This piece perfectly captures the sense of wanting to return to a time before it all falls apart. And it shows how we make our own prisons ruled over by guilt, grief and regret. This is strong writing and this play should be staged as a cautionary tale.

Ha, isn't that just the way? A short piece about three "best" friends that shows friendship has no place during recess. Playtime is a cut-throat endeavor in the 4th grade. Jacquie Floyd gives us three girls, one of whom is playing the other two off each other for her own end game. And poor Spencer? The unwitting weapon AND prize at the same time. I just hope that cootie antidote is real.

Oh, it's always a pleasure to read a Jacquie Floyd play! This one postulates a possible reunion tour of the "Beatle-esque" 5 Horsemen (that's right, 5!) Annoyance becomes our Pete Best (which seems appropriate) as we watch the bandmates bicker and gossip in hilarious fashion. This piece was originally written for broadcast but would work just as well on stage. This piece is perfect for any comedy OR horror themed show. I loved it!

There are 2 games going on in Marcia Eppich-Harris' delightful short play, and only one of them is fun (for the participants, that is). While their sons battle it out on the diamond, 2 fathers have a much more personal battle going on. One who takes things personally, and the other doing his best to keep it IMpersonal. With witty dialogue split between the two events, one on the other off the field, the game could go either way. Take me out... to the theater to see this one.

We watch an actor tread through a minefield of self doubt over his body image. The director has her vision, and the actor is worried about everyone else's vision of him. An interesting dilemma, and one that is eminently relatable. Hank Kimmel has hit upon something here about our need to present art, but being tempered by our insecurity in how we, the presenters of that art, will be perceived. Intimacy, whether between 2 people or an actor and audience, means opening yourself up to possible ridicule. It's not easy, is it?

I always get a kick out of Evan's work, and this is no exception. Not his usual fare (I'm used to his horror pieces) and I have to say, I need to see more of his work off the dark path. He has an ear for dialogue that rings true (which can be exceptionally hard when writing teenagers, especially teens from different eras) and I's love to see where this story goes. We just took one hell of a U-turn in Romeo's story, and I have a feeling there's a rougher ride ahead. Terrific.

There's justice in the world, after all! Thanks Dana. As someone who has been to a fair share of carnivals in my youth, I wondered why I could never win a prize at these games. Now I know. But luckily, sometimes, someone does the right thing for the right reason, even if it's just a couple of weighted milk bottles. We all win the prize here, seeing this play out.

Now THAT'LL wake you up out of a deep sleep! Rey Dabalsa has written a very funny play about the way we manage our affairs, both real and metaphorical. The matter-of-fact handling of the revelations made that night makes this both funny and sad (I found it more funny), and it's got a charm that a lot of comedy plays discussing infidelity lack. I would love to see this staged.

As someone who once crushed a piece of (fake) coal into a diamond ring to give to someone (wearing my Superman shirt of course), I couldn't help but be tickled by Vivian Lermond's wonderful short piece about love and other hidden gems. How can you not root for these two fully realized characters when Vivian's dialogue makes you truly believe they've been together for 25 years. 5 minutes of onstage bliss.