Recommended by Tom Moran

The comparison between the DMV and damnation is a rich one, and Syran does a great job mining it for laughs in this fun piece. It's hard to make a reader feel sympathy for the devil (as it were) but this play pulls it off, as even the Prince of Darkness' cruelty pales before that of this bureaucratic nightmare.

A hysterical retelling of Hamlet in which Hamlet takes a perfectly reasonable approach to his father's order to avenge his death. The perfect blend of reverence and comedy with a believable arc and a wonderful coda.

I had the pleasure of reading in this piece at the Valdez Theatre Conference, and was struck by its originality, vitality, and verve. I mean, it's a weird play, but one that really comes to life with a willing cast and receptive audience, both of which were present in abundance at the conference. Equal parts whimsical, visceral, and disturbing, it leaves a real impression on the page and would no doubt be even more impactful in a full production.

AN engaging and unique 15-minute piece: a lesson in the deeply problematic economics of crowdsourcing, wrapped up in a fascinating set of off-kilter characters. This was really fun to read and would make for a production equal parts thought-provoking and manic.

Disturbing and hilarious in equal measure, EHISD takes the growing class divide and runs with it straight to the apocalypse. The play goes in several unexpected directions and keeps topping itself, which can be a challenge in a short piece. Well worth a read and would be a real experience to see live.

A Zoom piece that starts off as a nightmare in customer service (or lack of same) and unexpectedly morphs into something much more personal and profound. It's a well-crafted reminder that even seemingly banal conversations with strangers (often the very stuff of Zoom) have life-changing significance lurking beneath the surface, if we plumb for it.

An offbeat cross between a nightmare and a slice-of-life vignette. To its eternal credit, the play offers neither predictable twists or easy answers, leaving the reader with an unresolved sense of dread. Kudos to Triplett for his restraint.

You wouldn't expect a 10-minute piece about a Jewish space laser to plumb the depths of the semitic soul, but Blevins takes that route here, and does it well too. She takes an absurd premise and treats it with a winning mixture of humor and gravitas, all leading up to a cliffhanger ending. What a fun read.

I just heard this on the "Stories Found" podcast and enjoyed the heck out of it. It's an absurd, silly, very fun piece well-suited to the audio format, as its zombie combat sequences (not to mention makeup) would be a bear to actually stage. The script also gives some actors a chance to really ham it up. Definitely worth a listen.

A wonderful bit of absurdity that keeps topping itself. Laced throughout with funny twists and some truly great one-liners ("Look, ma'am, it's your word against Satan's"), it's a joy to read. Also plays itself out nicely with a stellar last few moments.