Recommended by John Mabey

There's never been a ZOOM DUMP quite like this comedy from Karen Ruetz. And just when you think you know where it's going, it takes an even bigger turn! The writing here is both sensitive and funny, giving depth to a situation that feels both heightened and real. And the characters are explored with such compelling detail that you'll be thinking about them and what comes next long after the curtain closes.

I'm a writer who greatly enjoys romantic comedies with characters of all ages, and Susan Middaugh provides such a lonely pairing in A SENIOR MOMENT. Helen and Tom are both preparing to transition from online meetings to a real life encounter, and the dialogue captures all of the excitement and anxiety therein. With an added bonus of hearing their internal dialogue as well, we're treated to both the said and the unsaid as plans are negotiated. This is a piece that works on its own and also has room for a larger story as well.

This magical play is full of poetry. In SSSEDONA, a woman transforms herself in more than one way, and Emma Goldman-Sherman writes the change with such precision and insight. Sedona is a perfect location for this piece, and as someone who grew-up near this desert, I was transported back to my childhood and the otherworldly red rocks of the land. The use of language in this play is also extraordinary and it would be such a delight to watch performed.

Selma Hazouri writes amazing dialogue that you can hear as you read. And there is such an incredible amount of realism and poignancy in I WANT TO LIVE that you won't want it to end. The character of Dani isn't idealized or artificial, and is instead portrayed with beautiful complexity and truth. The transformation into drag throughout the piece gives such a perfect visual as well.

In this thrilling drama from Colette Cullen, two couples engage in a unique negotiation that no one had anticipated. FAMILY TREE is an exciting and revelatory play where alliances shift and motivations are discovered through the course of an evening. The skillful writing is so poignant and the story itself is incredibly dynamic. This is a play I'd enjoy watching unfold on stage and performers will relish all the moments to discover within.

There is such camaraderie between the characters in FIGHTING STARDUST that the urgency of the play feels even more potent. Adam Richter writes dialogue with realism and great subtext as one character races to support the other in a crisis. This is an exciting short play that leaves you thinking about the characters long after the last page.

Toby Malone writes with beautiful, raw, truth in NOT REALLY (LITTLE STAR). A man trying to process his grief and find meaning in loss discovers so much about himself and what the loss truly means. There are incredible moments in this piece that an actor would be so excited to discover and an audience would love to watch. Incredibly moving without being indulgent, and a piece that would make a special night of theatre.

It takes such skill to write about navigating through pain and arriving at a renewed sense of self. And In 'InDependence Day,' D. Lee Miller takes us through these key moments in Loretta's life as she addresses a room of people who are searching for the same. There are many wonderful and funny lines throughout (especially about marriage) and an ending that is tremendously satisfying.

I knew DREAM TALK would be a special play the moment I read the description and stage directions about the importance of discovery. Emma Goldman-Sherman transforms and expands what a play can be with an intimate and healing piece that immerses the audience in its world. Utilizing a direct address to the audience is powerful, but the revelations here create even more incredible moments about the characters, the playwright, and ourselves. This is a unique play for Zoom that brilliantly makes use of the technology and is also incredibly cathartic.

This scene skillfully explores a world of identity and culture with incredible insight and naturalism from the perspective of young teens. Quinn Xavier Hernandez writes each character with clear voice and complex emotion, providing stage directions that intensify the action even further. And a physical choice at the end of the scene is both poignant and heartbreaking, opening the world of the play and its compelling stories within.