Recommended by John Busser

Conflicted characters and conflicted actors are never a good mix, unless they combine to form an hilarious conflict on stage as Andrew Martineau has done here. The mixing of motivations, both real and fictional blurs here just enough to make the result funnier and definitely better than the original intended piece. I'd love to see this onstage somewhere.

Well that went dark quickly, but boy, what a fun way to do it. Dominica Plummer has a deranged sense of humor. Just when I thought the story would go one way, she ups the ante and twists it deeper. Pay attention here, even when the characters are not. It could make the difference between life and lunch.

Relatable comedy comes from all the things Allie Costa has on display here: Characters with enough of a difference of viewpoints to make the interaction interesting, a common goal approached from uncommon angles, some fears and insecurities thrown in for good measure, and improv, which, as Grizz states, is really what life is all about. Clever and fun.

Life is a mixture of the good, the bad, and the mundane, and in that mix, we come together in all our awkward, self-conscious glory. Scott Sickles captures this perfectly in a (memory?) monologue detailing a short stay at a Boy's State Gathering in which he experiences highs, lows and the confusing in-betweens of whatever life throws our way. Evocatively written, Scott opens the curtains and gives us a glimpse into one boy's life and in some ways, lets us see into a mirror as well.

There's irony in Philip Middleton Williams' monologue here. The idea that simple words on paper are more powerful than all the bureaucracies of man is a good one, but it is being wielded by a teacher stepped on by that very same bureaucracy. The teacher is right though, as ideas are notoriously hard to squelch, and he/she feels it important for his/her students to remember that. If only one at a time. This is beautiful writing.

Extremely creepy and tension filled, this slow burn of a play is a timely reminder of how disease turns people into a monstrous version of themselves as self-preservation and paranoia seep in like an infection. And like most tales of this type, the cost in human terms is unbearable at times. This is a terrific play.

Oh my God, I loved this piece! Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend has written a delightfully screwy 2 (or possibly 3) hander depending on which ending you prefer (another great idea, giving us the choice) about a marriage possibly on the rocks for infidelity but also possibly not. With great, sharp dialogue and laugh out loud funny lines, this would be a wonderful play to see staged!

Part travelogue, part history lesson, part buddy adventure, MARCUS AND SEXTUS TAKE A WALK AROUND LONDON is the most fun you'll have watching two dead guys on a scavenger hunt and contemplating their lives. Entertaining as all get out, the 2 characters created here by Dominica Plummer are real enough for ghosts that you'll want to hang out with them. Just terrific.

Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn had me at "I collect disability and the little woman manages the Kroger AND coaches cheerleading for the blind." Actually, she had me at the get go for this hilarious interactive play and the nightmare that is the class reunion. If they were more like this, no one would dread going. Like a slam door farce taking place in a gymnasium, all the characters have strangely funny and inappropriate connections and the addition of using audience members as former classmates is inspired. Don't wait till another reunion happens. This should be produced now.

I love Jeff Dunne's writing in that he can setup a somewhat absurd situation and then say something smart about it. Perhaps it's not the end result of Josey's art project that is important. Maybe, just maybe, it's what she discovers along the way. Although Evan is skeptical, Josey never loses faith that this egg is going to be exactly what she envisions. And is there really anything wrong with that?