Recommended by John Patrick Bray

Can a couple can survive the death of their child? Gerald cannot bring himself to pack up his son's room. Max needs the room cleared out so he can start to heal. Each has nuanced needs; we understand why one would want to pack up, and why the other would desire to keep things as they are. Is the room a shrine to the dead - or is it a way of keeping the lost child close? Paul Donnelly's DIVIDED REQUIEM is a rich meditation on different ways to grieve, giving us characters to root for even in impossible circumstances.

When I was in my early 20s, I had a friend who always said he and I would take over the world. One day, we were joined by another friend who, upon hearing the declaration asked,"but what would we do with it?" It killed conversation. Plans were ruined. Watching these young cultists trying to figure out what it is they want - connection to the primordial world, the smiting of an ex (but not too much smiting), a car? - is hilarious and resonates in an odd way. But I think they're all in a lot of trouble.

I adore Jane Austen and have seen or read a number of adaptations and this one by the incredibly talented Nora Louise Syran ranks among the best! It is faithful spirit of Austen (retaining much of her text), with songs and music that not only fit seamlessly into the world of story but move the plot forward. In short, *this* is the adaptation of Pride and Prejudice I yearn to see staged!

As others have said - this play is heartbreaking. Hall has such a gift for dialogue - the voices sound so true, so real. Christmas can be such a melancholy time; it can remind us of what we lost, hopes unrealized. And the stigma of feeling that loss. This play is rich with subtext. I hope to see it produced.

Poppin’ Fresh was a favorite mascot back in the day. His gentle “hee-hee” when poked was somehow reassuring to me, a fat kid. So, when Sickles makes him the center of a Macy’s Parade Love Story, complete with severed hand, bloody stump, and Robin Hood, he speaks to my seventh grade soul. Also, the play is one minute long and structurally perfect. Thank you. Scott!

Lately, folks have been ragging on Adam West’s Batman - he didn’t have the illustrated six (eight?) pack. What he had, though, was an athletic swimmer’s body. West could have *actually* been Batman. But he did not have the (ridiculous) muscles.
Those Charles Atlas ads promised results in seven days. You could be Superman. But why couldn’t Superman just be…us?
Mike is approachable, real. The play is about body dysmorphia amplified by unattainable bodies on splash pages, as well as a man’s discovery that he is gay and average. And that’s really okay.

Hold Them Stunned begins as a normal dinner party, but takes a turn into a sort of "Love Potion Number 9" tale. During a reading I had the pleasure of listening to, the one "scent" the men in attendance seemed to have an issue with was burned rubber...but "sports" and "porn" were fair game! (Ha!) I love Feeny-Williams's writing - she has such a strong command of dialogue and a gift for creating rich and vivid characters.

This is such a fun piece about a forgiven sinner who has an apology to make....and it's the same apology to a number of "hens." A really humorous piece - I would love to see this produced (in particular, I want to see the costumes!).

Is it possible to get revenge on someone once they have shuffled off this mortal coil? The answer is surprisingly yes, in George Sapio's funny and somewhat dark play Hocking Murray, which I had the pleasure of hearing as part of the Literary Discourse Society. I would love to see this play fully produced!

Wooden Snowflakes is a soulful, charming, heart-warming Christmas tale of two wounded people trapped together trying to make the most of an evening, of a life! I saw this produced at Barter Theatre a handful of years ago, and it was gorgeous. This is a great two-hander for those who love their Realism with a dash of Christmas Magic.