Recommended by Rand Higbee

A 30-something woman has decided to run from California to North Carolina...but she's not quite sure which path to take. Or why she's doing it. Along her journey she encounters an odd variety of people along her route who offer her an odd variety of advice. Chelsee Sutton's play has a unique style to it that would make it a fun watch on stage. This is my first encounter with one of her plays and I need to encounter more.

Have you ever wondered how a hitman...er, shooter...finds love in this world? Michael Hagins has written "Hit and Match" to answer that very question. I was smiling the entire time I was reading this play and had a few genuine laugh out loud moments as well. This is my first encounter with a play of Hagins and I look forward to reading more.

Have you ever been performing some mundane task then started wishing you had a crowd of fans watching and cheering you on? That's the premise behind this funny little short. Silly...but actually not so silly considering that we live in an age of social media and live streaming. This would be a lot of fun to stage and to watch. This is my first encounter with a play by Glasgow Lyman and I will definitely seek out more.

A funny short play about a couple dining at a restaurant and their waiter who has a rather interesting offer. There are a few little twists along the way and several LOL lines. This is my first encounter with a play by Mike Teverbaugh and I need to read more.

Two strangers meet in a park over lunch and have a very quick romance. The play at first might seem to be a bit of silliness, and it is silly, but there's an underlying point to it. This is my first encounter with a play by Libby Heily and it has made me want to read more. And I will.

Have you ever met a person who couldn't take a compliment and, instead, takes every positive thing said about them and twists it around to sound like insult? God knows, I have! Playwright Andra Hunter takes this idea and pushes it to the extreme at a senior's speed dating event. I like this play! I do! Don't take it as an insult!

I must have been drawn to this play because of the reference to rhubarb pie. My favorite! Kevin Cirone has packed a lot into this short play. A family has gathered for a funeral. Ten minutes before the start the widow has decided not to attend. Some questions are answered; some are not. There are good opportunities for actors here and I would be very intrigued to see this one staged.

A married couple discuss the bad drought they are in the midst of...oh, but there is something wrong between the two that goes much deeper than that! Gradually that truth emerges. For such a short play there is a great deal to unpack here. This would be a great acting challenge for two actors.

Erin Dietsche's "Hexa..." play (don't make me write out the whole thing!) concerns two elderly woman and their concerns for their small town's well-being. Those concerns might seem a bit nutty at first, but upon further thought they are also completely logical. One can easily see how such a situation could, and likely would, arise. The play comes complete with an O'Henry ending that will bring a big smile to your face.

Having written a few folk tale plays myself, I was curious to find out all about owls and wisdom. Zach Barr tells this tale in an unconventional way. The dialogue is sparse and the play relies greatly upon narration. Yet Barr's device works well here. We jump ahead of the owl and figure out the reason why the human he follows behaves as he does, but watching the owl catch up gives the play its emotional impact. I would love to see this one staged.