Recommended by Peter Dakutis

I had the great pleasure of seeing Daniel Guyton play the Snowman in OnStage Atlanta's Merry Little Holiday Shorts 2019. It's a lovely play that offers a quiet meditation on death and keeping those who have passed in our hearts. Guyton creates two fully-realized and unforgettable characters. His deft touch with a gentle humor adds richness to this very moving play.

This powerful monologue is a gut-wrenching reminder that LGBTQ progress is incremental and not always steadily moving forward. It also evokes memories of the nightmarish early years of the AIDS crisis. Baker deftly creates a story that will break your heart and leave you with a lot to think about.

Read this excellent monologue! I just saw a splendidly performed version of it by Open Fist Theatre. A doctor living in the horror of the COVID-19 pandemic, but feeling dead inside, receives a request that transforms his life. The solace and grace that he finds are also a gift to those of us who hear his story. The monologue is simple, straightforward, but incredibly moving. Graf has given us a slice of perfection.

Baker whips up a wonderful comedic creation in Velma, who would be a great role for women "of a certain age." Baker uses the character to address racism, and there are plenty of laughs along the way. And, darn it, those rotary dial phones were difficult to use!

This is a super cute play for kids that doesn't talk down to its audience. There's plenty of humor for grown-ups, too. The kid in me loves the characters' names: Inez Cupcakes, Kiki Pineapple, Victor Mango, etc. This should be a popular piece for children's programs.

This piece packs quite a wallop. Seeing it could only leave you feeling emotionally shattered.

Playwrights who want to see how powerful a one-minute play can be should study this piece.

Why is this piece so brilliant?

I've loved many fairies in my life (the Tooth Fairy, Tinker Bell, the Radical Faeries), and now I'm adding the Grout Fairy to my list. This marvelous character created by Connie Schindewolf alone will guarantee that you'll enjoy this play. I saw the Divine Madness production of this play (Necronomicon 2020), and I'm still laughing every time I think about the Grout Fairy.

I saw the Encompass Productions Bare E-ssentials version of this dark comedy. The excellence of the production matched the excellence of the script. "Every Seven Minutes" is like a dark chocolate truffle with a bittersweet chocolate center.

Just as life can, this play contains so much sadness in just a few moments. Martin crafts this play exquisitely. A lovely and powerful little piece.