Recommended by Kim E. Ruyle

A poignant tale of two WW2 airmen bonding over concern for comrades, relief at seeing them land safely, and a miracle in the form of a blackbird egg that survives entanglement in an airplane and produces a chick inexplicably named “Robin.” Who better to nurture a fledgling than a loving father and bird aficionado? Terrific.

I love this! Fergus from Fife and Phyllis from Philly, on a rocky Maine beach, get off to an equally rocky start in this delightful meet cute. It’s charming to see how Fergus is able to ever so gently ruffle her feathers and convince Phyllis to spread her wings and, hopefully, take flight. Thank you, Vivian, for giving us these mature characters!

Oh, my god. This is really hilarious. A fast moving, cheeky, romp. Chris did his research – nothing superficial about Cathy’s knowledge of and love for coffee. This is about as damn near perfect a 10-minute play as you’re likely to ever read and, if fortunate, to see!

Do strangers really open up with each other when they’re thrust in situations of crisis? Marj Bicknell shows us they can with an interesting cast of distinct characters, each struggling with potential loss. The humanity of her characters shines through even in their moments uncertainty and stress. They show warmth and kindness and give us hope. Well done!

Julie Zaffarano has thrown mature actors into a messy situation where the one-liners and physical comedy fly at a frenetic pace in the Sweet (Sweat :-) Revenge Bakery. This play is great fun! I especially loved the tweets. Would love to see this staged!

Scott Sickles creates a terrifying dystopian future of a divided country and places two deeply affecting boys on each side of the divide. The burgeoning pen pal relationship of these clever and authentic boys, each experiencing their own hell, is the heart of the story. And it’s not just the bonds formed between the two boys that is so touching, it’s also the bonds that form between each of them and their protectors, their champions – Bashar for Anzor and Rico for Teddy. Brilliant!

Some of the best fairytales do not have happy endings. Case in point: Fairytale of the Street by Christopher Plumridge. This short piece packs a punch. Gritty, raw, realistic language that conveys the cold and suffering of a homeless man, a veteran. Would love to see this performed. Excellent!

God, I’d love to see this performed! With such beautiful words, beautiful language, Wanda laments her loss of words and language. This monologue is stunning in its poetry, theatricality, and meaning. Highly recommended.

Arts and Sciences is a clever cute-meet. Megan and Aaron meet between a couple of trees on a university campus and promptly get off on the wrong foot. The smart and natural dialogue zips right along, and the tension between them feels all too true. Superficially, these two undergrads have little in common, but each carries a unique personal cross. That they bear those crosses provides a point of connection that spurs a course correction and leaves us – and them – with hope. This 10-minute play is a winner.

A clever play within a play. Actors hilariously warring in character and out of character. Highly theatrical and great fun!