Recommended by Jessica Feder-Birnbaum

FICTOPHILIA packs so many punches and hits all the right notes: Fantasy love, sibling rivalry, and our lives being at the mercy of internet service provider plans. The characters, MARVIN, BRUCE and MIKU are all distinctive and funny. Actors will enjoy playing these roles and audiences will love getting to know them. FICTOPHILIA with its topical humor and simple sets would enhance an evening of short plays, and be perfect for touring.

SHOPTALK is poignant, cinematic and universally satisfying. Grief and humor are often conflated in real life. The barber shop represents a third place (where to gather when you're not home) for so many men. I found myself both cracking up and with my heart in my throat as I read this wonderful play.

Sick, Sick is a devastating play that shows the awful effects of pharmaceutical corruption. Both sides of the story are vividly portrayed. The corporate big whigs care only about covering up their error and not what harm they have caused. We see the anguish in the innocent victims who suffer the consequences. Justice is served at the end in a surprising twist. This versatile play could easily be performed in theaters, non-traditional settings, and in an audio drama format. It would do well in a festival dedicated to multi-cultural social justice plays.

This poignant yet hopeful monologue beautifully depicts both the need to be fully seen and the need to make a living. I found myself rooting for the protagonist, DAWN, a trans woman, to get the job at The Women's Lunch Center, earn enough to save up, and achieve her dream of taking the "next step" to truly becoming a woman.

Quiet Storm is deeply atmospheric. I was on the edge of my chair wondering if Bethany and Harris would work out. Like the musical genre - Quiet Storm - this play has a wonderful rhythm and flow. Its hopeful message is especially welcome during these turbulent times. It would be great to see this play performed in a theatrical evening dedicated to love stories.

All the cycles of life are addressed in this poignant and truthfully rendered monologue. I cried reading it, as it's so, so relatable for anyone (all of us?) who have screwed up, loved, revered, and lost. And, yet it feels hopeful at the end. M is a meaty role that could be played by an actor of any race/gender. This monologue is easy to perform and would do terrifically in a community, educational or theatrical setting.

Autum's Fall is both poignant and hilarious. Aging is challenging and Autumn suffers no fools. I grew to love this woman in such a short time and this monologue would be perfect in an evening of plays about health, wellness, aging and human dignity. Any actor (tress) would be lucky to play this role!

I love ESSIE and WILLIE and felt like I was right there in the room sitting on the couch with their sons as they were dancing the cha-cha. So much warmth and love was conveyed in their connection. This monologue would be wonderful in a theatrical evening of love stories or (what I'm hoping) is that the playwright Morey Norkin will expand this into a full length play.

What makes Eight Aunt Marys so compelling is that so much is said that's unsaid. Every word carries gravitas and EILEEN is completely believable as a woman who succeeded despite her physical handicaps and the abuse dealt by her father. It also truly felt like her son CHRISTOPHER was there with her.

Film Noir meets Screw Ball Comedy in this nail biting, fast pace one act set on the Staten Island Ferry. The ending was a zinger which I did not see coming. I highly recommend THE ACTRESS for anyone looking to cast two strong female actors. Age range can be flexible and this play would be great in a wide range of theatrical settings.