Recommended by Kim E. Ruyle

Who knew Death had such a sense of humor? Well, John Busser did, and he captured it in this wickedly funny short play that delivers a never-ending stream of truly funny quips and double entendres. Death’s wife, Audrey, is a clever foil, and poor Cammie contributes to the physical comedy. Great, great fun!

John Busser always entertains, and Clairvoyage is hilarious. It delivers with snappy dialogue and amusing characters that have comical affectations. Stop busting my balls, Gregori! Go flog yourself! Highly recommended.

Endearing and funny! Busser spins great tall tales through Grampa. The affection he shares with Cassie is tender and so real due to the pitch-perfect dialogue. Bravo!

What a thought-provoking enjoyable play! Art. Magic. What exists. What’s real. What’s not. Guyton’s authentic dialog and interesting characters weave together so many themes. Excellent!

Family dysfunction is on full display in McClain’s Cheek by Jowl. High stakes, dark secrets, and betrayal keep the confrontation simmering, then boiling, then spilling over. Roger is a tragic figure, and the harsh criticism and harassment he heaps on Phillip, his writer son, is perhaps what he thinks he deserves. But in the end, Phillip, may have found the key to his own malaise, courtesy of his father.

Like a set of Matryoshka dolls, The Lacemakers is a story nested within a story nested within a story. Martineau has done a brilliant job of creating an engaging story, clever and funny dialogue, and a premise that allows for inventive staging. The characters are cleverly defined by dialogue and mannerisms, and each contributes to moving the story along at a brisk pace. This play provides a fantastic opportunity for a large, all-female cast. Bravo!

I feel like I really came to know these five immigrants and would love to really know them, to meet them personally. Richter’s created a staged documentary with first-person accounts of the immigrant experience. The stories are touching, at times heart-breaking, but always inspiring. They represent so much of what constitutes the fabric of America. Well done!

Fuckin' A! Brilliant!

This is a wonderful two-hander. Sisters on a road trip dealing with their mother’s death, their own sibling relationship, and revelations that come to light through a short recording made by their mother before her death. The characters are so well drawn, and the dialogue is inventive but so, so real. Formby is a master at using space, silence, and what’s not said to say so much! Would love to see this performed.

An enchanting play about a muse, an ethereal being who’s been working his charms on a series of “instruments” since the Renaissance. Sebastian, the muse, and Nikki, his newest target, have both lost someone dear, losses which lead to central questions… How do Sebastian and Nikki deal with their loss? Let go in order to move on? Accept time as both a limiting and enabling element of life? aMUSEd is delightfully engaging.