Recommended by Rand Higbee

When reading this I was reminded of the song "Aubrey" by Bread which speaks of a "love that wouldn't bloom." Osmundsen has created the same feeling as that song in this short play. It's not a love story. It's not a break-up story. It's two people feeling alone, even though they are together, and wondering what it all means.

I had to read this play just because of the title. What does it mean? You figure that out very quickly, but there is much more to this play than an odd title. At the funeral following the unexpected death of his twin sister Angela, Ethan must read a series of "thank you" notes that Angela wrote for the occasion. The notes are funny and quirky until they begin to be alarming, either revealing some unexpected family secrets...or maybe showing that Angela was completely delusional. A play with a lot of heart and many strange twists.

A quiet little "slice of life" play about two men, one older and one younger, who meet one day in a coffee shop. The younger man seems to have been crying and the older man slowly coaxes the story out him. The beauty of the play is that it leaves you eager to know what happens next, and maybe exactly what went on before. Unless Mr. King wants to write some sequels, that is left to our imaginations.

As a former Math teacher, I've tried writing a few Math plays myself...without a lot of luck. But Steven Martin gets the tone right in this short play, perfect for elementary students. Inez is a whiz a Math and the other kids are both amazed and perplexed by her. But is she really any different than, say, the kid who can run faster than any other student? Or the kid who can make up jokes better than any other student? A fun play with some fun lessons.

One could almost call this "audience immersion" as we seem to be part of a city council meeting happily tell us all that eminent domain is going to ruin all of our lives. But don't worry; be happy! Funny yet scary, because it all seems a bit too real.

I saw this one in Minneapolis a few years ago and it has with me since. A small cast, easy to stage play with a lot to say. Where does privacy begin and end? And where do responsibilities to your fellow man begin and end? If you have the opportunity to save a life, are you obligated to so?

A folklorist arrives at a small, Rhode Island town to conduct research on a local legend. He finds a few hints about the legend, but mostly he discovers a community of quaint New England folk who don't seem all that eager to talk. Jeanne Beckwith has created a fun Twilight Zone-like tale that will keep you guessing (and laughing) all the way to the end.

A couple teenage best friends waiting for a bus and talking like teenage best friends do...with one big difference. One of the friends may be dying and they both know it. In fact, this may be the last time they ever see each other. A short but hard hitting play from Barry Levine.

I saw "Heart" at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference a few years back. At the time I was recovering from a lengthy illness that had required some extended hospital stays. Perhaps that is why so much of this play really hit home for me. I remember laughing one minute and then wincing at some hard hitting truths the next. I heart-ily recommend this play.

This is Tom Barna doing what Tom Barna does best: Taking modern history/current events and turning them upside down. Hillary won, Donald lost, Bill is trying his best to be second banana, Monica keeps turning up like a bad penny... Give it a read. Blue State or Red State, it doesn't matter. It's just fun.