Recommended by Mike Byham

"The Bear - Reborn" is engaging, fun and dare I even suggest - perhaps a bit erotic? As much as classic stuffed animal horror can get, I guess. This monologue is hoot! I would love to see this read on stage! Excellent work by Christopher Plumridge.

And the journey does indeed continue. This answers the question - when does one connect with an inanimate object? When it (he/she/they?) has an eloquent voice. "The Bear - Crib of Doom" sets the stage for what's to come. Bring on the dark and stormy night!

Wow! Immediately tossed into a world recalled so vividly by The Bear, this short monologue lingers and seems a lot longer than three or four minutes reading time. It feels like the start of an adventure - and gladly for us, it is. I look forward to continuing the journey. Incredibly immersive.

Aly Kantor hits all the right emotional notes with YOU ENTER THE TAVERN. Real, relatable characters connect, suffer and heal through role-playing. Each scene reveals a bit more about one character or the other - including one potent revelation concerning a character’s name of choice in the game. Touching and powerful - this play is a joy to read. Natural dialogue with some audition-worthy monologues make this an actor’s dream. This excellent play deserves to be staged. Absolutely loved this play!

Space is the final frontier and finally, we have life on Mars thanks to Morey Norkin's "Eden 2." This is a funny short with a bit of sting - but the end of the earth doesn't mean the end of mankind, so there's that. Love the sense of humor that God has - so appropriate in this piece. A festival must.

Morey Norkin provides every sci-fi geek his dream flight - complete with a robotic companion straight out of one of Isaac Asimov's novels. Funny, charming and interesting - FLIGHT OF FANCY is a blast to read and I would absolutely love to see it staged! Loved it!

LOL - "The quickest way to a man’s heart is through the fourth and fifth ribs." Clever, sweet and above all Funny, Morey Norkin's THE BIG SQUEEZE (OR MUCH ACHOO ABOUT NOTHING) hits all the right notes (and the funny bone). Classic rom-com formula with a theatrical twist, this one-act is certain to please audiences. A wonderful festival piece. Well done!

A very neat little script taking us back to the Cold War, Alice Joseph’s THE ASSETS makes us think about the “history of place” that can often be overlooked. Makes you wonder what we may be missing as we visit, stay and live in various buildings. A thought-provoking short. Well done!

THE INN by Elliott Kashner takes place in a what can best be described as a medieval funhouse. The inn is visited by interesting characters who may or may not last the night as a monster stalks the area. Lots of physicality on stage (and blood, lots of blood) would surely please audiences craving a good old-fashioned tale of horror. Well written and best of all - fun!

Tess Berger has written an interesting play in “the trail to dry creek” the delves into the psyche of a young woman experiencing a minor existential crisis - one which is extremely relatable. I love the way Tess crafts a counterpoint to Molly’s reality in the form of a well-meaning yet naive young man (Robbie) - and I love how Molly connects with Robbie. Interesting characters and natural dialogue complement the simple, yet impactful tale of a short holiday at a cabin. I’ll be thinking of this one for a while.