Recommended by John Mabey

There are many ways to deal with loss and grief, but between parent and child it becomes even more complex and dedicate. In PICNIC ON SQUIRE CHEYNEY FARM PARK, Julie Zaffarano explores so well the different ways of coping and struggle for connection between these characters. And the unique setting takes on even greater significance as a path toward healing as well.

There can be so much joy and pain when reunited with loved ones who are long gone. And in GOING FOR A WALK WITH SAM, Philip Middleton Williams takes us further into that world where memories, new and old, create a place for healing as well. A production would also enjoy the process of staging this play with a dog and spirits who are portrayed with purpose and vitality.

Lee R. Lawing captures so much nuance and realism around gay couples and the passage of time in this comedy short. A happily married couple separated by distance, one takes the other on a virtual tour of their new neighborhood, allowing us to learn more about what still attracts one to the other. And the addition of retirement adds new challenges and excitement to the mix.

There is a world of connection and possibilities between two strangers, especially if either takes a chance. In ROUGH WATERS, Marj O'Neill-Butler delicately and beautifully navigates the waters of this new encounter with a backdrop that is so essential to the story. Through memories and shared emotions, these strangers forge a new relationship that is full of both hope and promise.

I was incredibly moved and captivated by A STORY ABOUT A GIRL. Jacquelyn Reingold writes with so much insight and sensitivity about love, neurodivergence, and the complexity of relationships across the lifespan. Even the stage directions read beautifully, opening the text for such imaginative staging, and the representations of water throughout connect so well to the dialogue and story. This play is also wonderfully layered with experimental elements and would be a delight to watch come alive on stage.

This thrilling play from Vivian Lermond will leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting more. THE MADNESS OF MEMORY takes the topic of dementia from heartbreak and loss into something mysterious and even more complex. Also the line 'I have keys that unlock kingdoms' is one of my favorites.

I greatly enjoyed BANDERA, TEXAS, for it's wonderful writing and great use of humor to explore family dynamics and expectations of women across generations. Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend writes each character with such realism and perspective as they navigate identity shifts and challenges in marriage and life. This play would also be a delight for a director and performers to bring alive on stage with its magical realism and poignant storytelling.

David Lipschutz combines a perfect blend of comedy and horror in 'PerSEVERance.' Each moment creates additional suspense and tension that drives toward a thrilling conclusion. Virtual festivals would have scary fun producing this piece.

LIGHT SWITCH by Dave Osmundsen is a play I highly recommend. The voices of each character are incredibly distinct and layered, especially the character of Henry and explorations of intersectional identity. References to 19th Century British Literature are woven beautifully throughout and utilized so uniquely in this play as a sources of connection and understanding. The storytelling in this play is also thrilling as queer characters navigate intersections of neurodiversity and relationships in such original ways. LIGHT SWITCH took me on an amazing journey of laughter, tears, and everything in between.

From the opening stage directions of DARK TWIST, Philip Middleton Williams transports you to a prep school world that feels incredibly real and textured. The memories that the characters both share and suppress are woven into the setting itself, with dilapidated desks and classrooms becoming metaphors for all the trauma within. Navigating through the lives of these dynamic characters is fascinating and the revelations about bullying and abuse are explored with such great perspective through different lenses of sexuality and status.