Recommended by Mike Byham

A meet-cute with substance, FALLING IN TIME provides intellectual grist to chew on in an unlikely conversation between a truck driver and a scientist over the survival rates of falling cats. So much is provided in the subtext - the unspoken but inferred that will keep the mind occupied long after the piece is read or the play is staged. Wonderful conversational pace and a satisfying outcome. This is a well-written short!

I love this short! It's interesting, silly and a delight. Actual human contact with aliens likely wouldn't happen as imagined in C S Jone's ALIEN FARMER'S WIFE - but I can certainly hope they do! Simple, good fun where love is found in the oddest of circumstance. Lovely.

Neil Radtke provides a glimpse into the teen angst many of us have gone through (and some readers that still may) concerning the possibility of unplanned pregnancy. It's real, emotional and effective story-telling. POSITIVE+ should be on the short-list for every high school short-play festival (followed by a condom distribution). Well done!

A party at an old English estate, family secrets, insinuations, murder! What fun! Rachel Feeny-Williams produces an instant classic with A DEADLY ENGAGEMENT. As the plot twists and turns and the reveals come faster and more furious, the smiles for those that appreciate a good old-fashioned whodunit grow wider and wider. Was it the butler? I won't tell - you'll need to read it to find out. Or better yet - let's see this staged!

A simple but unique set and simple concept - yet still stunningly theatrical. The poetic relationship of two life-long friends defining the age of their development, OCCUPIED hits all the right emotional notes. Aly Kantor has created art relevant for our times and yet, if fear of the unknown and the unexpected is a defining aspect of humanity, then perhaps this is timeless. I laughed, and cried without knowing why and I wanted to give the world a hug. I would love to see this staged. Magnificent.

I really enjoyed reading LUCK OF THE DRAW. In this short, Brenton Kniess proves up to the task of imagining a world where freedom of choice is restricted and the government playing matchmaker offers your only option to start a family. In this case, a match was made between a fighter and a dove. The interesting dialogue between these two leads us down a path into the uncanny unknown. Bravo!

LOL - thanks Brenton Kniess for illuminating the pain we can all feel during the play submission process. This humorous short touches on several insider annoyances. One that is missing is the need for the play to never have been performed (or in some cases "professionally" or workshopped or read out loud ... etc.). Argh! Thanks for the laugh. Good luck getting this one produced (has it been submitted anywhere)?

Brent Alles provides us with a glimpse of the afterlife - specifically limbo - in THE MANTEGNA EFFECT. The option to alter history may prove to be attractive to some, but buyer beware. A very fun and funny short that includes little bit of spicy political satire, it is a great read that would do well staged. Well done!

Beautiful tale. Wendy Vogel just made an actual surreal encounter I had a few years back totally real with NOT ABOUT PRETTY! This short provides emotional punch and your heart warms as the exchange between the two women goes from uncomfortable to supportive. The third character in this drama is sharply drawn without ever setting foot on the stage. Impressive writing!

What happens when political correctness runs amok in the disciplined, but ribald Army? I DON'T KNOW by James McLindon offers a response in a hilarious glimpse of an old drill sergeant leading a run - complete with cadence. LMFAO.