Recommended by John Busser

Talk about making lemonade from lemons! Vivian Lermond has written a charming monologue for audiences with a heroine who may have to take your s**t, but she's still come out the other end as a prize winner. Nicely realized!

Heart-breaking and powerful, Jennifer O'Grady takes us on the journey of Egypt, an unborn child as she must passively wait to be born to her premature end at the hands of someone she never meets. This is an emotional punch to the gut. I was moved by this piece. I was also struck by the choice to have Egypt played by an adult rather than a child. While a younger actress may have elicited sympathy, the choice to have Egypt played by an adult lent the play extra gravitas, showing a life already lived despite not having been born yet.

Talk about a roller coaster ride! Jacquie Floyd had me going in the beginning. I thought this would be just another terrific comedy from her. But then a funny thing happened (ironically enough). Some real heart and soul came into the picture and the piece took on new meaning. These characters became real in a way I wasn't expecting. I was moved by Mel and Chip's dilemma. Beautiful stuff. And the ending brought a huge smile to my face.

On a side note, I can't help but place Jacquie herself in the role of Annie.That's the voice I hear.

Proof positive that age has nothing to do with effectiveness. Edna may be 83 but she is definitely not to be trifled with. Paul Smith's wonderful short piece has Edna recount the events that led up to her in a jail cell and it's quite an interesting tale. What a great monologue for an older actress, with a punchline that is just perfect!

There are no new ideas, just new... wait, someone already said that. Okay, the more things change the more... nope, that's been said too. What can I say about this that hasn't already been... nuts, everyone's said THAT at one point or another as well. Philip Middleton Williams manages to encompass that frustration that all writers have had in coming up with something to say, and he does it in one neat little 10 minute play. Now I'm going to go eat something so I can write...

A strong point to be made here. Too many of us live life in a state of wanting our needs catered to instead of wanting to help others. And we end up seated alone with only the crumbs of our selfishness. Jacquie Floyd wrote something here we should heed.

Andrew Martineau's "Etched in Stone" is a wonderful reminder that no matter where you are on your life's journey, the need to connect is a powerful one. Two people sharing adjacent cemetery gravesites explore connections old and new in this elegant piece. The characters are rich in scope, and this would be an acting ensemble's dream to realize their onstage lives at various stages. I was moved a number of times and I'm sure audiences would be too. Excellent work here Andrew!

Ken Preuss is a g*****n genius of a writer. He hits all the right notes in this look at how our various loves and obsessions can backfire on us, but in a smartly funny way. I had an inhumanly large grin on my face reading this play, recognizing all the references, getting all the quotes, understanding all the implications. Oh wait, I'm one of "them", aren't I? It took me over, like this play did, insidiously worming its way into my mind and changing me into a fan of Ken Preuss. What kind of monster is he, anyway?

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As we listen to the impactful account of an elected official doing his best to ensure the safety of a prisoner from a mob, guilty only of having a different skin color, we can't help but feel anger at realizing we haven't learned a damn thing. These are powerful words, adapted from a real life event, and we can take comfort in knowing that there are still good people in this world, ready to uphold justice. A monologue that will stay with you. I know it will stay with me.

What a fun time could be had by all the heroes of myth if they'd stop looking at things face value. Or in this case, looking at things from a different perspective (without turning to stone, that is). There's a lot of truth to Adam Richter's script about not jumping to conclusions and also, more importantly, not fearing the "other" just because somebody else told you to. Medusa has got more going on in her head than just a place for snakes, and she shows it. Witty and wonderful.