Recommended by John Mabey

What a fantastic journey through magical worlds, grounded emotions, and everything in between. STONE CIRCLE STORIES by Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn offers a full night of entertainment all centered around a circle of stones that embodies different meanings throughout. Some pieces will make you laugh, others cry, but always having you lean forward to experience more. This collection offers a wonderful full night of theatre or great selections for a shorter play festival.

BOUQUET OF VIOLETS by Debra A. Cole is a historical drama that truly comes alive with so much modern resonance. Based on real characters from history, the individual persons and their relationships are so cleverly revealed through joys and conflicts of secret loves and lovers in late 19th century France. And the addition of real works of art create such striking visuals to compliment this dynamic story. A wonderful read that would be a delight to stage.

Adult friendships can be just as challenging as adult romance and in THE MATCHMAKER by Mindy R. Roll, we're treated to a dose of both with wonderful comedy and poignant moments throughout. I was excited to watch this play come alive on stage at the William Inge Theatre Festival.

A summer romance offers so many possibilities. And in the care of Philip Middleton Williams, the story takes turns that delight and surprise. In CABANA BOY, we meet a cast of characters who go beyond stereotypes and embody humanity in all our complex identities and grounded desires. Philip takes us on a positive queer journey with humor and romance that offers so many possibilities beyond just one summer.

It takes incredible skill and insight to write a comedy that addresses such important and complex issues as reproduction freedom and the agency of older adults. And in ABORT: THE MISSION, Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend expertly navigates it all with a story that entertains as much as it educates. This farce is grounded in such real emotions and realities, making the contrast even more powerful throughout. This is a play not to be missed written by an author with incredible talent and empathy.

In #BLESSED by Lainie Vansant, we're treated to a powerfully heartfelt play that combines humor and faith in new perspectives. The impact of social media frames the relationship between mother and daughter, a point of contention that evolves into the spark of newfound honesty and change. I saw a wonderful reading of this play at the William Inge Theatre Festival and the responses were incredible.

In MEDUSA, MODERN WOMAN, Lizzy Santana crafts such an exciting play combining Greek mythology with a nuanced and modern view of Medusa. There's so much here for directors and performers to explore as a familiar character comes alive in new ways through a different lens. I had the joy of watching this piece come alive during a reading at the William Inge Theatre Festival and can't wait to see where it goes next.

In SPUTNIK, Everett Robert combines real characters and events into a fascinating and engaging period play that connects to modern life. And by framing the historical record within the unexpected world of pro wrestling, the landscape of civil rights in 1950s Tennessee comes alive in such engaging ways. I had the pleasure of watching a reading of this work at the William Inge Theatre Festival and it received such high remarks from both respondents and audiences alike.

There's a saying that 'you can never really go home again' and it changes meaning the older that we get. But in MIRROR POND by Adam Richter, we're able to look at that idea and the meanings of home through an entirely new perspective of animals and nature. With insight and humor, Richter has crafted an wonderfully entertaining and thoughtful audio play that can be enjoyed anywhere in the world and especially at the Reading Public Museum arboretum.

The amazing structure of DOUBLE HELIX by Vince Gatton is as innovative and poetic as the dialogue. Vince has an incredible skill with storytelling and in this play it delights and surprises from start to finish. I also deeply resonated with the themes of science and faith, navigated by two siblings who share a bond even they cannot fully fathom. This play leaps from the page in a multidimensional way as you read and I can't wait to watch it transform even more on stage.