Recommended by John Busser

To give away the path this play takes would be to do it a disservice. Chris Plumridge has crafted a touching fantasy of a kind we could use more of. One that promotes connection with the past and treats it with the reverence it deserves. As the story unwinds, we get new insights into the characters which is what you want all stories to do; keep the audience engages by learning more as you go. This is terrific writing.

A fun little comedy about afterlife and death and keeping traditions in the English way. Rachel Feeny-Williams does no wrong here as a Mother and girlfriend fight it out for the attention of a son/boyfriend who's a bit shaken and stirred by his Mother's interference, seeing as it comes after her funeral. With fast paced dialogue and an offbeat plot, this one is a winner. And for an added treat, listen to it on Rachel's brand new Theatrical Shenanigans Podcast like I did!

Awwww, a meet-cute that actually lives up to its name. A gently heartwarming interaction from Hannah Lee DeFrates that would be a nice addition to a play festival. Nothing fancy or showy about it, the charm lies in its simplicity. And Penny's line at the end is a nice bow on this package.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh this one made me laugh. I should have known where it was going and being a comic book reader, I've seen these kind of -AHEM_ "team ups" before. Everybody in comic book world has SOME connection to everyone else, but never has this been funnier than here. Kryptonite isn't the only green rock-hard substance that can cause Superman pain...

I would love to see this piece performed because of all the people in the audience who will probably (no, certainly) identify with both characters here. And ironically, some won't see why they identify, but they will.
A fast, funny, farcical play that needs to be seen.

Talk about a Christmas miracle for this Godzilla fan. Lee Lawing gives us a matchup for the ages, (even if it is offstage). And he escalates the fun for the sound crew too, who will have a hoot bringing that battle to the audience. Great stuff to end my year with.

Just lovely. If only all grief could be processed this way, smoothing the transition to the next phase of life after the loss of a loved one. There is an effort here to honor the past but also look ahead. Death is messy but so is life. It's all in how we deal with the mess. Miranda Jonte gives us three characters that are all wonderfully written and able to make the idea of loss a bit easier to work with.

You know, some people say knowing how a magician does his tricks ruins the illusion. I say, I want to know so I can appreciate the skill involved even more. And that's was Christopher Soucy has given us here. A peek behind the curtain, so to speak. And it works amazingly well. The fun piece tells us all we need to know about the Big Man at Xmas time, but does it in. a way that preserves the idea behind the magic. A perfect stocking stuffer.

This'll wake the audience right the fuck up, that's for sure. By placing the action right in the middle of the audience, Emma Goldman-Sherman ensures that they won't be able to look away or into their programs. And maybe that's exactly what's needed here. All too often, the audience gets to choose what they want to see and ignore the uglier side of life. But interestingly enough, we have become such voyeurs in real life, that you know everyone will be riveted on the interaction here. And are they about to get an eyeful.

A sweet little confection of a play about bringing the magic of Christmas to both a department store Santa, and a little boy needing a friend. And how much more Christmas-y can you get than taking place in a mall? A search for clues in the form of a scavenger hunt will keep the audience engaged as well. Just the right thing to liven up any short play collection. And that ending just might make you shed a tear.