Recommended by Enid Cokinos

I had the pleasure of seeing J. Weintraub’s THE WEDDING performed at Rhino Theatre’s 6th Annual One Act Jamboree last week. This short play is chock full of humor. As the family ponders their obligation to attend a “mixed marriage” wedding, they share memories of past (Jewish) weddings and take it up a notch by performing the Hora dance and everyone singing Hava Nagila. I half expected the audience to jump up and join in! A truly delightful play!

Ryan Kaminski’s play THE MEADOW is a reminder to NEVER underestimate the resourcefulness of a woman scorned. I’m certain Miss Harris did not see that coming! An easily produced play with an intriguing plot and a nice twist.

I had the pleasure of hearing ONE IS THE ROAD read at the 2018 Midwest Dramatists Conference. I was captivated listening to the very talented actor reading this monologue about the last few minutes of a car trip told as a series of thoughts. Reading it now, reminded me what a creative piece this is.

A touching story about love and baseball (a little something for everyone). But what if Joe’s new girlfriend is a jinx to his beloved team? Can he make the tough choice to ensure his team wins the series? Plummer adds an unexpected twist at the end that made me smile. Nicely done.

A touching few minutes between a desperate man and a homeless man on a train platform. Will the vagabond carry through on the man’s peculiar request for help, or will he provide the man with the only assistance his conscience will allow? Gonzalez’s play keeps us wondering to the very end.

MS. CLAUS is a delightful short play and a creative take on how Santa is selected. The selection committee is striking out, not a decent candidate to be found. That is until Tina shows up! Loaded with humor and appropriate for the whole family, this play is a perfect addition to any holiday festival.

Mindy Roll’s short play RE-CREATE brings together three adult siblings for a professional photo session, stirring up childhood memories and arguments that anyone with brothers and sisters will relate to. There is a hint that the photo moment they are trying to recreate is unusual, but I laughed out loud when it was revealed at the end.

It’s easy to see why Patrick Gabridge’s play was selected by The Ten Show (Season 2) as one of the top contenders. I watched the short movie made of BEATRIX POTTER MUST DIE! It’s fabulous! A creative, fun story weaving past and present, and getting to the bottom of Ms. Potter’s (possible) inspiration. A truly delightful play to read and watch.

A delightful holiday play by Dwayne Yancey loaded with humor and touching moments of self-reflection. I love the angel, who—after a crash landing from her perch atop the tree—settles in to help an overwhelmed single mom figure out what’s really important at Christmas. THE ANGEL TREE pulled me in from the opening lines and didn’t let go. Three great characters make this a play I would enjoy seeing anytime during the year.

A touching story about generational differences that may not be so different after all. Pamela Kingsley adds just the right amount of humor to this short play and her true-to-life characters fill up the pages with their unique personalities. Kingsley brought SCARS to a satisfying and poignant conclusion that made me want to join Dizzy and Char for their next chat about scars and tattoos. A lovely take-away: Things are not always what they seem and who knows where a conversation might lead if we only take the time to care.