Recommended by John Busser

The Bear monologues are just delightful. This one is no exception. In fact, this one may be my favorite (so far). With references a'plenty to the Bard, this play becomes so much more than just another night at the theater. The Bear has his own adventure on the boards and it sounds much more exciting than what the monologue audience saw. And the benevolent use of vampiric powers shows that, the Bear is the hero that London needs. Chris Plumridge has a winning character that deserves more adventures.

That was pretty damn funny as well as perfectly puncturing the idea of people who can only see their family in one way. Just not the way they or the audience were expecting. Chris Plumridge hits it out of the park here as we watch the confusion grab hold of parents who, not only got their son't orientation wrong, but are now faced with the real possibility of (oh God) grandchildren. A perfect ending. (Plus, you can now listen to this play on Theatrical Shenanigans, a podcast created by Rachel Feeny-Williams. Give a listen.)

All those disparate thoughts from two characters both undergoing the miracle of childbirth in different ways somehow find connections as they listen and sympathize. Marj O'Neill-Butler has such a deft hand at the dialogue that their interaction never feels forced. We, as the audience, are witnessing the birth of a friendship, and Marj has delivered a good one. I really enjoyed this piece.

Tammy may hate the afterlife, but Dana Hall clearly loves it. She has written a very funny play about life, death, and the things we humans fixate on, like shoes and TV remotes. A fun little idea that shows even a ghost isn't so far gone that they can't learn a new trick. Watching the spirits screw with the new homeowners never gets old, but then we get to see a real "life" lesson too as a mother takes steps to reconcile with her daughter thanks to the timely intervention of those same spirits. This was absolutely charming.

Awwww, that was sweet. There may not have been clowns and jugglers, but this was a satisfying night out at the circus. Or a play about the circus. Even though we didn't get to the play, the show went on anyway. And we are treated to a touching little start of something with potential to grow into a whole new show with Lawrence and Vanessa. Andrew Heinze brings out the charm with this terrific short.

The real tragedy here is the death of Ben's family connection, killed by hatred and fear. This play by Don Baker seems all too real in our world, with those who can't "love the sinner while hating the sin." But really, where was the sin. Ben and Jamie truly loved each other, and even though we never see Ben in this, his presence fills the play. This was heartbreaking yet I wanted more than what was shown in just a few short pages. A wonderful script that would play extremely well in front of an audience.

Evan Baughfman can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Unlike the Mikes in this twisted little play that would be so great to see done onstage. Great theatricality and wordplay which I love. The setup is innocent enough but quickly turns dark and terrifying. Better make sure you know the show details ahead of time before you go to see an artist. And do it with a clean conscience, if you know what's good for you.

This is dark, funny as hell, and satire done right. We really don't always know where our donations are going, do we? Well Greg Mandryk may have just provided the perfect answer. And the punchline is to die for. As long as you're not a puppy...

I have had the privilege of seeing the first reading of this play, the first few productions of this play and I have to say, THIS is my favorite Greg Mandryk piece. It does creepy right, giving out just enough info to be unsettling, never holding your hand in the dark, but completely guiding you to the bitter end. The horror of it is never explained, which makes it all the more disturbing. I LOVE this piece.

I am so used to Morey Norkin's more comedic side, that I was not prepared for this lovely gentle folk tale brought to vivid life here. I think this would be a theater's dream play to try to create such beautiful imagery. And even those theaters with small budgets could showcase their creative side in portraying villages, undersea kingdoms, the ocean, a talking turtle and more. Lots of plays are described as "magical" but this is one of the few that I feel lives up to that description.