Recommended by D. Lee Miller

Julie Zaffarano's GAMMA GIRLS TO THE RESCUE offers us a piece of friendship we don't often see - how to fix a disappointment between life long friends. A disappointment within yourself. This friendship whose life was full of lesser bungie jumps is moving and surprising. Well done, Zaffarano.

As a new bystander to the vegan world, I laughed at this family Thanksgiving - complete with 'cheater gravy'. You can't help but think of the 'faux' remarks by the family catching up with each other in Vivian Lermond's 'Poultry.. Please!' This play is funny - and not 'faux' funny. The real thing.

O'Grady's frolic into a one-minute look at how the pandemic looks to others, is a ray of light the world we live in. Fun.

The new preamble to shopping! Dana Hall's 6 FEET APART shines a light on the humorous side of Covid -- the hoops we must jump through to leave our own home and enter a public space. And it gives us a new reason for mall riots. Funny, and not, well done.

Stay Awhile by Dana Hall is more than just a universal look into grief but also a look into grievers. Those left behind. A daughter worries about her mother response to her husband's death. It is sad, helpless and even terrifying. We're not sure if this is grief or dementia setting in - but the mother is dealing in a way that could ultimately be harmful and this thorn exacerbates the daughter's own grieving. This is very real and very well written. Kudos to Hall.

Lee R. Lawing sets us down, smack in a New Year's Eve curse! Squabbling doppelgangers, Mary and Marie, disentangle a meeting that, shall we say, will never be forgotten? A fun time period, characters and the curse bring us the charm to this play. Nicely done.

In Pedro's Patio, Vivian Lermond set up this poor couple for the worst. When you're handed fly swatters before you even order? With strong characters and dialogue this blooms into a fuller picture of something worse... Or does it? Todd and Angie have much to be thankful for - including Lermond writing about them!

A contemplative seasonal welcoming in a new way. Lermond recognizes a part of renewal we don't always think of turns it into a part of life for all of us. Nicely done.

I even lover the logline in Vivian Lermond's latest, ICE IS NICE. The characters, dialogue and the story are just wonderfully powerpacked into a one minute burst of good cheer!

Change in family is often very hard. Although Lermond sets up a possibly hellish situation - her characters rise to the occasion and change in new ways. Here's to a lovely holiday play!