Recommended by Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend

Art and history and music! It is all here! What a fabulous play for students (or anyone!), combining the Impressionists with their context and inspiration. In addition to being entertained, you learn things along the way - always a wonderful combination.

This play based on the life of the Romanov princess, Anastasia, is a great one for schools, as it boasts a large cast and could tie in nicely with the curriculum. Its exploration of societal tensions and the immigrant experience are a great jumping off point for classroom discussions.

I adore this short! Nice to know even the devil gets frustrated at the DMV. What a perfect comment on how absolutely unnerving the bureaucracy can be. If Nora Louise Syran wrote a whole collection of shorts about the devil encountering mundane modern-day hells, I would read them all. Too delightful! (10/14/24)

I love the breakneck pace of this piece, as the actors frantically try to adapt and "yes, and" every new twist the narrator throws their way. Not only a funny play showcasing the versatility of the three actor characters, it also feels a bit like a love letter to all the hardworking actors in all the tiny theaters out there, who will give absolutely 110% to make sure they put on the best show possible. Even these actors, when they think they've hit their limit, climb back on stage. I love it!

What a delight! A closed-minded scientist and his more open intern seek the ancient wisdom of the Shoebill Stork in this short, but only one appreciates it. I love the back and forths between the characters, and the ending is a satisfying surprise.

No one does wordplay like Morey Norkin! This short, silly piece about heroes and villains is a real treat, with an ending of pure delight.

This short play is so sweet. I also love how much humor is woven into it, even though it deals with loss and letting go. (Zayde's running criticisms of Asher's dad throughout the play was a favorite of mine. That poor man would probably be the only member of the family not to be excited to learn that Zayde's haunting the attic.) "The Good Dybbuk" depicts a lovely relationship between grandfather and grandson, as well as (though we never see Bubbie) a very sweet relationship between a long-married couple which doesn't end with death. A real feel-good play!

This short play starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Watching Steve and Jack freak out and eventually realize how good they had it before their lives went crazy is a delightful way to pass ten minutes. This play is fun and funny, and the whole time you're wondering how it will possibly end - Turns out there's a great button at the end too. Love it!

This feminist history play would be great for high schoolers learning about the Gilded Age, as it centers important women of the time - Bertha Palmer, Julia Grant, and Ida Lewis - who are often left out of high school history books. It also lends itself well to a post-show discussion about how much has changed since the time of the Chicago World's Fair, when this play takes place, and how much hasn't changed enough.

Everything quickly starts going wrong in this comedy about family dynamics on a wedding weekend. I enjoyed watching the reactions of all the different characters as things started going off the rails.