Recommended by Kim E. Ruyle

Clay’s ankle is seemingly gripped by Cassie and his psyche is gripped by terror. The slow reveal is brilliant, and the ending is stunning. Ten minutes of pure suspense that will have the audience leaning in despite their fear. Excellent!

Lee: vulnerable and painfully honest. Gabe: cocky and insightful beyond his years. The bonding between mother and son is so natural and touching. In ten minutes, Gatton reveals past, present, and perhaps portends the future. Wonderful.

Vince Gatton’s writing is sharp – sharp dialogue, sharply defined characters, and a mundane premise (a jammed piece of office equipment) sharpened to a razor’s edge. It is said that the end of every play, the end of every scene, is the beginning of another. This short play illustrates that truth beautifully. Highly recommended.

As Mel says, “You have to imagine something before it can be invented.” And thanks to Julie Zaffarano’s imagination, we are treated to the invention of the Gamma Girls, a trio of women who’ve bonded since grade school. Now, later in life, the trio deals with life and death and disappointment. Poignant. Endearing. Surprising. Highly recommended.

The protagonist in Chris Plumridge’s Forgotten, a writer, seems to have unwittingly benefited from a technique described by Elmore Leonard. Leonard claimed his process was to create characters and then just get out of their way to let them write the story. The protagonist in Chris Plumridge’s Forgotten, a writer, has created a couple of characters who help to craft the ending of the play (always the most difficult part for this playwright). Read this play – you’re likely to recognize yourself.

Doppel Date chronicles the hilarious dinner conversation between Aaron and Simone on a date at a fancy restaurant. The awkward conversation goes off the rails when alter egos, Rex and Laurie, get involved. The clever lines of dialogue are delivered at a fast pace and never let up on the humor. Great!

Ma refers to Roger, “…my son with the overactive imagination. This is just some cockamamie notion you have in your head…” But I submit that it’s really John Busser who has the wild, crazy (overactive?) imagination, and I love it! Busser cranks out one gem after another, and Hanging on for Near Life is certainly a gem. Imaginative. Original. Funny as hell. Busser written all over it.

John Patrick Bray has written a well-researched and highly theatrical play that weaves many issues – faith, eating disorders, theft, smuggling, family relationships, and more – into a very thought-provoking story. Each flawed character is sharply defined and faces interconnecting personal dilemmas. I’d very much like to see this staged.

From where does a writer draw inspiration? If we depend on others for our inspiration, how creative are we, really? Pity poor Max who not only struggles with to complete his play, but he must also contend with seductive taunts from his muse. Is she real? Is she imagined? Rachel Feeny-Williams knows the truth and found her muse to write this clever play.

In Buckle, we see two high school students break into a classroom in the middle of the night and begin a dance figuratively and literally. Star shows such raw emotion at the reading of the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” but also demonstrates insight. She makes us feel the threat and sense her vulnerability. Threat and vulnerability are at the heart of this play. The threat of being caught. The threat of Papa’s belt buckle. Even the threat of a kiss during a waltz. But as Jen and Star share their vulnerability, they bond. A terrific play!