Recommended by John Busser

Not a bad way to spend the rest of your death; socializing in a bar with friends, good food and drink and not having to worry about the nine-to-five grind anymore. Brent Alles creates a great setup for the audience and then lets the characters invite David (and them) into this remote bar for some talk about life, death, the afterlife and how accepting the end might be a new beginning. Wonderful dialogue, fun characters and a though-provoking premise. Cool stuff!

Between the catchy song work and the feel-good narrative, this play pushes all the right buttons for young and old actors alike. There's an enthusiasm here as the characters, the main ones being 8th graders involved in a competition to be published (and therefore taken seriously as writers) that carries over to the audience. You want these kids to succeed. But more than that, you want them to be better human beings. Whether by mending long-broken fences or rising above petty rivalries, we become invested in these future wordsmiths. And the songs are just as uplifting as the story.

What a wonderful way to show us there is more to life than what others may think we should be doing. Cows and trombones as a delivery vehicle for creative empowerment wasn't on my life lesson bingo card today, but damn, I'm sure glad I decided to add it. Steve Martin always provides more bang for your buck, and the visual of an anthropomorphic herd of cows making music is something I'd love an audience to see. Please produce this play.

I bet Adam Richter enjoys spoilers and opening Christmas presents on Dec 23rd too. AND I'M RIGHT THERE WITH HIM. Getting rid of the setup parts and getting to the meat of a book is something I've often wanted to do. Adam showed me how. Thanks bud.

And by the way, Rosebud is a sled, and Taylor was on Earth the whole time. You're welcome.

I'm stunned. Truly stunned. I can't even express how expertly Scott reveals the ultimate goal of this monologue. I thought I knew where this was going, and I absolutely did NOT! Talk about a 180. THIS is how you do that. I don't want to discuss particulars, although I think I could do that for hours. Experience it yourself. This gets my highest recommendation.

I can't believe how caught up in this I was. Brian Cern got me invested in these parents to the point of actually saying "go go go" under my breath. That's good writing. Then I got to THIS exchange and laughed my ass off...

DAD: I didn’t even click your button this much when we made the kid.
MOM: I know.

That right there made this a classic. I will never drink anything when reading a Brian Cern comedy. I don't want to shoot it out of my nose...

I read Jacquie Floyd's play LIVE, LAUGH, LOBOTOMIZE, I was curious where she would take it. Would this merely be a further explored piece of the same scene? Or a continuation? Turns out a little of both. We learn about Olivia's initial trip towards (and ultimate backing away from) the Darkness. Only now, her trip to the light gets interrupted. The play takes a more serious turn here as a more terrifying monster (and it ain't new character Brob) makes it's presence known. Here learn some great lessons about what does and does not deserve to embrace the Darkness. Terrific.

I never meta play of Glenn's I didn't like. Okay, lousy pun, but so appropriate in this case. A wonderful look at how writers create living breathing characters on the page, until possibly the next draft. Then, all bets are off. You feel Ned's desperation as Jane contemplates sending him into the trash bin, for daring to NOT love her writing. Never piss off the almighty writer.

How many of us have experienced the long, painful version of that relationship? Chris Soucy gives us the Cliff Notes version, with all of the talking points and none of the filler. Frankly, I'm happier with THIS version.

WOW! What an amazing turnaround this play took. I was not expecting the twist in the plot and was delighted at its execution. George tells himself he wanted away from it all, but all he did was imprison himself. Guilt is a formidable warden. Rachel Feeny-Williams provides the key to his salvation. And the audience gets to see him go free. A wonderful short play by a writer who never disappoints.