Recommended by Kim E. Ruyle

Mysterious. Dark. Thought-provoking. Ricardo Soltero-Brown’s Sick Day pulled me in from several directions. From the opening beats, Ari instills mystery in the setting that includes an enchanting garden. The enigmatic characters are provocative. And the dialogue is so rich. Jo and Mel and Ari talk to and around each other and manage to say so much in between the lines in what’s not said. Who is who? What is real? What isn’t? Sick Day will make you think. Bravo!

More than a sequel, The Right Man is an alternate ending The Wrong Man. It was surprising and fun to read this version in which nobody is who you think they are. The Right Man is a terrific example of the ability of Rachel Feeny-Williams to continually surprise and delight us.

The Wrong Man is a clever mashup of crime and science fiction from the inventive mind and prolific pen of Rachel Feeny-Williams. Who knew there was a bureau of D.E.A.T.H.? That the agents had such onerous procedures to follow? That they are assigned to “upper” and “lower” floors? Agent D7 takes Layla on a journey back in time where she gets unexpected and unpleasant revelations about her boyfriend. There’s a great deal of theatricality in this piece, and it would be fun to see staged.

The inspiration and craft of Rachel Feeny-Williams are on full display in this taut thriller. In a compact, one-act play, she manages to deliver fleshed out characters, tension that never lets up, a plot that has us leaning in right up to the surprising ending. I loved the clever turns of phrase. I loved everything about this play. Really, really well done!

Consider the possible two-person permutations of gender and sexual orientation. Paul Donnelly has captured nine of those permutations in vignettes that are linked in a series of steppingstones that carry the audience on a journey exploring relationships. After Another is about much more than the impact of gender and sexual orientation on relationships. Sex is an undercurrent, if not a central issue, in each vignette, but After Another goes much deeper into meaningful thematic permutations dealing with love, fidelity, parenthood, loss, and more. Well done.

Richard Gustin has written a sparkling two-hander with a to-die-for role for a female actor. A director puts an auditioning actor through tortuous paces which could only be conceived of and so deftly described by a consummate actor. This is a real treat for theatre aficionados – there’s so much inside baseball. But the sharpness of the dialogue, the dynamics that play out between actor and director, and the surprising ending will have the uninitiated hanging on every line of dialogue, as well. Really, really fantastic work – gets my highest recommendation.

In Café Mocha Murders, Deanna Strasse has crafted a theatrical, engaging, and funny murder mystery. Distinctly drawn characters. Clever dialogue (with plenty of coffee lore thrown in). And a surprising conclusion to this who-done-it. I’d love to see this staged!

In Café Mocha Murders, Deanna Strasse has crafted a theatrical, engaging, and funny murder mystery. Distinctly drawn characters. Clever dialogue (with plenty of coffee lore thrown in). And a surprising conclusion to this who-done-it. I’d love to see this staged!

Touch the Moon is stunning. Arianna Rose creates tremendous suspense in this heart-wrenching, cautionary tale. The pacing and theatricality are superb. The characters move so effortlessly and seamlessly through time and space and will have the audience holding its breath until the final bittersweet moment. Absolutely wonderful!

Who knew a “pi-choo” sneeze could be so devastating? For hapless Larry, a sneeze injury turns into a life-changing opportunity to connect with, Pam, assistant stage manager and true love. Great comedic moments, e.g., Larry’s pain killer-induced incoherence when he’s delivering a best man speech. Morey Norkin’s play has it all: theatre, pickleball, and budding romance. The Big Sneeze is big fun.