Recommended by Toby Malone

Max Gill's monologue, set nearly twenty years ago after 9/11, feels immediate and entirely relevant to our current situation, which is incredibly deflating but also makes this an important comment. The blind hatred of 'the other' pervades our world and lashing out at those who look, think, or worship differently to you has been hyper-normalized in the years where we felt we could collectively grow following Obama's election. The fact that the opposite is true is devastating, where a flag and paint over a slur is supposed to counteract the hatred. We can and must do better.

A quippy, zippy comedy perfect for the holidays, where harried mother Sandra struggles to explain to her daughter why there are multiple Santas at the mall and why they have different colored skin to what she'd been expecting. There's a lot of things you expect in a holiday play, but I have to admit, an explanation of the origins of Santa Claus by way of Buddhism and fisting was a new one for me...

Parenting can be a bewildering process: you think you know what you're going to get and then this little stranger shows up. No matter how many books you've read, none of the books were written specifically about _your_ kid. So when your kid starts doing some unexplainable stuff - and in Rachael Murray's short play, these parents are dealing with some SERIOUS stuff - it's natural to panic. I felt this so deeply, the public argument, the irrational fear that you're a terrible person because of what your kid drove you to: it's a really fascinating study.

A devastating, honest, incredibly real portrayal of the still taboo subject of miscarriage, explored in a sensitive, thoughtful manner by Emma Wood. The hours and days following a miscarriage - self-blame, denial, anger, grief, all while fighting off well-wishers who need to be brought up to speed - are next to impossible to navigate, and Emma shows us with a sensitive touch the reality of negotiating a loss that those who have not suffered can never really understand. Beautifully nuanced, with narrative choices that pinpoint the confusion and fear that both partners experience, and ending in hope. Beautiful work.

A wonderfully sensitive throwback to those confusing, terrifying days of teenagerdom, where you can be surrounded by people your age and feel utterly alone. Victims of bullies live in fear spawned by the unpredictability of actions: get the wrong kid on the wrong day, or go down the wrong corridor and you're toast. Emma beautifully captures that anxiety, intermingled with the yearning for independence and strength not yet available, to consider what would happen if two victims teamed up. A futile gesture? Maybe. But it's something, and Cal's offer resounds in a heartbreaking fashion.

A typically delightful Prillaman slice of life that gives its audiences enough credit that it doesn't feel the need to explain... anything. An unhinged neighbor roaming backyards burning rakes is a form of civil disobedience that has a root worth exploring, but Prillaman's smart enough to know that the reward is in the wondering. A killer final line, too, followed up by a delightful final stage direction. Great stuff.

A lovely, textured, urgent piece that perfectly encapsulates the dilemma that so many people are living through right now, with elderly parents stranded inside long-term care facilities despite the knowledge that the virus rages through. The choice to stage this as a conversation through the window as Susan attempts to find a file of her phone brings this a truth and life that is remarkable. There are no easy answers here; nor should there be.

A lovely piece of mythology that explores the dilemma of Rona, descendent of the goddess of music, who struggles to fulfill her destiny of saving the world with her song. The dynamic between Rona and the Sea Creature is relatable and crackles along, and this would offer incredible design opportunities for costumes, lighting, and scenic. A wonderful parable about looking at your situation from a different angle.

A hopeful, positive piece that considers the attitude necessary to make a change in the world, one dollar to Al Gore at a time. Typically positive thinking from Jacquie Floyd!

Not only does Charlie Stowe take a juicy subject matter - what did the Greeks talk about as they waited inside the Horse - but then flips it on its head by adding a group of dopey frat boys (who turn out to be impressively aware of the importance of pronouns) who turn out to heroically give the Trojans a reason for accepting the gift. Wacky, joyful stuff.