Recommended by D. Lee Miller

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!

Dave Patton is a natural storyteller. It is our luck that this story centers on the world of Elysium, because he paints a portrait so real that we think we'd lived it ourselves -- or certainly wish we had. Beautiful poetry.

Did you ever wonder what was going on while you were sizing up a bar's clientele? In CHIVALRY, Glen Dickson introduces us to Simon - who's got a little story to tell. In fact, he nails the battle of the sexes in this dead-on monologue. Wonderful writing. Would love to see it done!

Oooo. I didn't see that coming. STALKING TED by Glen Dickson shows us a woman betrayed - or is she? How scary to be walking down a road that turns into a different neighborhood altogether. That is what this monologue does. I'd like to see/hear more. Well done, Dickson. A great stand-alone monologue in any festival.

THE OVERNIGHT BAG by Glen Dickson, is packed chockful with verbal retaliation over what else? A marriage gone wrong. My favorite (you're sure to have your own) is he's 'like mutton dressed as beef jerkey'! As always, Dickson does it just right. Sure to bring the house down!

Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend is a playwright to be reckoned with. There's comedy in WE ARE CRANSTON and there is drama. There are well-drawn characters and pitch-perfect dialogue - and there is commentary, too -- on what our culture has chosen to value in competitive sports. I look forward to reading more of her work!

Is it because it's a Friday and I was happy to enter Grace O'Malley's Public House? Maybe. More likely, it's Vivian Lermond's Irish fare of musical-like anecdotes! For a bit of the blarney and the shanachie, come sit by Crowley's Corner. Have a drink or not, but definitely imbibe the Irish atmosphere, the characters and join in smiling ear to ear. You'll be jealous of Conklin and wish you were the American in this tale. Slainte!