Recommended by John Busser

As a fan of both Dickens and Seuss, I fell for this play by Hannah Lee DeFrates, hook, line and scrincher. Adding and subtracting where need be (extra spirits, no Tiny Tim analog), DeFrates moves through this retelling of A Christmas Carol by taking a slight detour through Whoville. The result is a whimsically fun, weirdly affecting and warmly uplifting piece that would be a welcome addition to any festival of holiday plays.

Darkly funny and oh-so-relatable. Those of us who hunt for the ever elusive submission opportunities have all encountered these "benevolent" theaters, always ready to liberate us from our money for the "privilege" of seeing our hard work done. Jennifer O'Grady has hit the target here. Playwrights (well, any artists really) sometimes get taken advantage of and we just as often acquiesce to get the work out there. This one hits close to home but it does so in such a funny way, that I don't mind taking the hit. Hilarious!

Some relationships grow. Toxic ones fester. Unfortunately for Peter, this is the latter. Here we meet an imprisoned Tinkerbell, who is not only incarcerated for crimes against Peter and Wendy, but trapped in a never ending cycle of resentment. She can't help but reject his overtures of friendship. But in a single moment, we are shown her fear when Peter says this is his last visit. She shows she DOES need Peter. Dana Hall gives a reality and relatable side to these two. Then the last line hits like a bombshell and we see that their reconciliation will never land.

"Tony" puts a mirror up to us, and it ain't pretty. This powerful monologue may seem like an exercise for a writer - anthropomorphize something and write about it - and it's true, it isn't possibly real and can be seen as such. But Chris Soucy never just writes as an exercise. He is SAYING SOMETHING HERE. This incredible creature, imprisoned for life for no reason than because people are rubberneckers who spend most of their lives watching things instead of experiencing, is right to be angry. Part of me wants to unlock his cage, then see what people do.

I cannot recommend this piece fast enough! These people are REAL! Kim Ruyle has totally won me over with the two characters he created here. Evelyn and Virgil come across as people I want to know. The fact they took a chance at a late romance gives me hope and the discussion about their interests sounds so authentic and real, I want them to come back in another piece. How about it, Kim?

You always leave a Vivian Lermond play satiated (and yes, I know what I did there). Vivian's characters are always vividly drawn and eminently relatable. As a carb-eater myself, I know the hazards of overindulgence (don't we all?) and both Ava and Sherman have taken their own sides in the war against weight gain. This is funny as hell, charming as all get out and it hits the spot as far as entertainment goes. Here's MY four letter word for this play: BEST.

Some friendships are life long and some transcend that limitation. Buster and Hank have such a friendship. And the audience is better off for it. Joe Swenson has written a wonderful play for three older actors and gives them characters that are rich. The life he brings to all of them (ironically enough given the subject matter) is palpable, and the bittersweet last few pages will affect us as much as it affects Buster and Hank.

Darkly funny and subversive, Emily McClain has cooked up a devilishly delicious play that skewers baking contests, conformity and the consequences of both following the norm and also for bucking it. I'm personally not a fan of Carrot cake myself, but I ate this up and asked for seconds. It's smart, funny, has great potential for 4 actresses to chew everything including the invisible scenery. And it has a wonderful button to it that I'd love to see a theater attempt to pull off.

Tell me this title hasn't caught your cat-like curiosity (see what I did there?). A blast and a half about the (probably) true architects of our existence. Melissa Schmitz turns reality on its furry head and drags us along for the fun. And it is a LOT of fun. Pay attention to the many subtle and not-so-subtle references peppered throughout. History would be a lot different if we let it go to the dogs instead.

I asked the playwright how much cough syrup she had ingested before she wrote this absolutely bonkers take on the Nativity crossed with When Animals Attack (slightly) and run through a Body Horror blender. Is this even a recommendation or a warning? Nope, it's definitely a recommendation. The HIGHEST kind (And not because I thought Jillian was high when she wrote it).