Recommended by Peter Dakutis

This play brought me joy. Simple and touching, a perfect one-minute play.

This monologue made a brilliant and fitting conclusion to the Gi60 Houston Spring 2021 production. But I also envision it as a curtain raiser, a brief act of reverence toward the power of theatre. I wish every theatre hosting a festival (one-minute, ten-minute, or any length) would consider opening or closing the event with Vivian Lermond's magnificent tribute.

An incredible work of the imagination from Daniel Guyton. Shakespearean in its scope, it is bursting with word play, action sequences, richly drawn characters, meditations on good and evil, laughs, tears, and so much more, all tied up neatly with a lovely ending. Read the reviews Daniel includes in the play's description and then read and produce this play!

In this very dark but highly entertaining play, Emily McClain skewers our obsession with "likes" and ratings. After receiving a bad score because a child's parents screwed up, the Tooth Fairy channels the Furies (the Tooth Fury?) and exacts vengeance. People, she is not here to play. This terrifying reimagining of TF is going to stay with me for a long time. Tooth or Dare was a hit with the folks at Snowdance and should be a popular choice with other festivals for years to come.

This is such a lovely play, and there is so much to be admired and appreciated. I was especially struck by the character of Sister Agatha. Mabey cuts through all the clichés about nuns and creates a fully realized character that you won't easily forget. I was also impressed by the levels of nuance and humanity Mabey brings to the subject matter of suicide, once again avoiding clichés and creating something that is powerfully moving.

The language is lyrical, and the story is haunting. This is a beautiful monologue.

I'm always in awe of McClain's work, and this play is a great example of her talent. Here, she's skilled at world building, creating richly-drawn characters, developing a conflict that draws you in, and messing with your expectations, yet presenting a conclusion that you realize is just right. I also love that it's feminist sci-fi. (Side note: it's also fun to imagine a world in which men have babies and think of the characters as Kirk and Spock.)

I heard a lovely version of this play on Writer's Block Radio Hour and can recommend it wholeheartedly. Like the perfect camping trip, this play is meditative and restorative. With warmth and generosity, and some very likeable characters, Lermond reminds us of the power of good memories and love.

This is the second of three fable/folktales by Max Langert that I've read, and it's as much fun as the first (Snickerdoodles and Disco). The characters are charming, there are lots of laughs, there's a dance number, and Langert slyly slips in a moral. What more could you ask for? The sheer joy of the piece should make it attractive to many kinds of theatres. Looking forward to reading the third (Life in the Arctic) and hoping Langert writes more fable/folktales.

This is a clever take on the Rumpelstiltskin story, with some nice twists and lots of laughs. It's a great reminder that no one should take user agreements lightly. It should be a hit with ten-minute play festivals, especially those with a fairy tale theme. It worked well in a Zoom production I saw and should be even more enjoyable in a live performance.