Recommended by John Patrick Bray

This is such a compelling piece; we can feel Molly's need for her husband, Jack, to return. We can feel Ellie's earnest wish to help her friend. I hope we encounter these characters again!

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." - St. Francis of Assisi.
In Miranda Jonte’s play St. Francis, that single sunbeam is Tessa, a complex and thoroughly engaging character who runs a no-kill animal shelter. The shelter is about to lose its space to a Starbucks, unless the miracle of humanity can pull through. I have had the pleasure of spending some time with this play and it ranks among my favorites. It is an excellent and engaging work, perfect for a team of committed actors (and animal lovers!).

de Certeau once wrote: "Identity freezes the gesture of thinking." And in Wayne's World, Wayne Campbell attributes the quote "if you label me, you negate me" to Dick Van Patten. In B is For Bullsh!t, John Mabey questions how labels meant to liberate create another containment effect, erasing other possibilities to think and feel otherwise, negating the potential for new life and expressions. It is a gorgeous and earnest play. Mabey has a wonderful sense of humor that presents itself in a multitude of ways through their fully-realized characters, each with their own desires and fears.

Part existential crisis, part language-based-play, Into the White feels like one has stepped into a forgotten 1930s film, where characters trapped on a train in the snow begin their journey as types and evolve into something more substantial and mysterious, as facades are dropped and secret truths and desires are revealed. Lawing's writing is lyrical and hypnotic. I highly recommend this play for fans of existential dramas and period pieces.

Joseph Campbell said, "Mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical." In Faerie Ring, Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn uses the power of myth to unpack postpartum depression, the pain of abandonment, the (rarely spoken of/taboo) pain of motherhood, and the hope to break the cycle. The play is haunting. And it feels so real. This play also provides two excellent roles for women. I would love to see it produced.

Jeffrey Sweet tells his writing students that one of the best ways to learn about characters is to have them make future plans - any exposition will be earned and active. I believe Sweet should use A Plan as a perfect example. The stakes are high,
the dialogue is crisp, and the resolution is a surprise. It also reminds me of a film I love, Family Business, which involves planning and executing a robbery (with much different results, of course). A Plan is a wonderful play with layered and textured characters actors would love to play.

A touching, theatrical, and visceral account of the toll man has had on the environment. However, the play is not a thesis - rather, a look into the lives of four very different, nuanced people tied together by common geography. A gorgeous piece of theatre that provides many wonderful moments for actors and designers alike. I would love to see this play staged.

When my brother and I were in fourth grade our greatest hope was to become players for the New York Mets. It was 1986 and the world was perfect. A House by the Side of the Road takes me back to the days of playing baseball on the front lawn, dreaming of athletic stardom (that dream lasted only that year), and looking for approval from my Dad who was an encyclopedia of stats. This play has such earnest dialogue and characters plucked from every day life. I highly recommend this piece to anyone who wishes to reconnect with their youth.

I love dogs. I love actors playing dogs almost as much as I love dogs. In this comedy, poor Greg has to match wits with Twinkle, a dog who confides in us that he is very much the master of his domain. Without giving away too much (I love where this play goes), Twinkle proves to us that he can outwit any man in order to make sure Jenny can be his and only his. This is a fantastic three-character play that would provide a lot of fun for three actors - especially the one who gets to play Twinkle!

I had the privilege of hosting a reading of this fantastic play a few years back. As others have mentioned it is Shakespearean in scope, has wonderful word play and excellent monologue choices for actors. On top of that, Dan Guyton has one of the most vivid (and at times, twisted) imaginations out there, but he never goes off the rails; he is successful in threading the needle, never losing focus of the plot while bringing all of these characters to (new) life. Highly recommended!