Recommended by Alli Hartley-Kong

The stakes could not be higher in this explosive dramedy by the talented Marshall Logan Gibbs! I had the immense privilege of facilitating a talkback for an early draft of this play through DMV Playwrights, and I am blown away by the playwrights' mastery of structure. The play is plotted so that it unfolds perfectly, leaving you in suspense, and the ending simply lands. Every character is well-developed, and you will find yourself on the edge of your seat, wondering what will blow open next.

MORE OF A HEART was a beautiful and complex play. The playwright explores topics such as representing of neurodiverse people, family relations, terminal illness, and authenticity and voice in a way that feels fully human and fully theatrical. There are no "bad guys" in these plays thanks to the deft work of the playwright in showing the motivations of mothers who do what they think is best but still fail their sons. I think I will be thinking about this play for a long time.

Stauffer's WOMAN'S WORK is a one-act play that is expansive in its scope. In this play, two strong-willed woman who have made it in the patriarchal art world clash in their views of feminism, women's work, and the eternal endurance of art. It's a brave, bold piece that covers expansive ground within the structure of a one-act.

I had the opportunity to see a reading of this play at the Midwest Dramatists Conference and both enjoyed the performance immensely while also groaning about how relevant it is (no knowledge of baseball required!). The scenario set up by this play is timeless beyond this particular political moment.

"Did she leave? The woman who was sitting next to me."

From that moment, I was brought into the engaging sci-fi world of this play. I'm so intrigued by the family, the concept, and the beautiful ways that gender plays a role in this piece. This play has great intergenerational opportunities for actors across the spectrum.

This play made me laugh with its jokes and visual imagery (what fun to imagine using a black light on stage) then just as I'm laughing, it stabs my heart with the emotional themes related to trying to love others while not fully in love with who you are in your own skin. It's a sweet little play that will set off the smoke alarms for sure, and the deftness at which the playwright handles the material will truly make anyone feel seen.

It's been a few days since I heard this play read at the Midwest Dramatists Conference, and I'm still chuckling every time I think of dumpster diving for Jesus. This sweet little play effectively uses humor to show a pivotal moment in a family and a relationship. Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are, and who they love; this play advocates this important story, but is cotton candy in the telling!

"I can’t be small. I can’t be. It can’t be what you want for me"

I had the opportunity to see a reading of this play at the Round House Theatre in May, and this line has stuck with me ever since. The characters of this play are so real and so deeply expressive, and the playwright raises interesting and thoughtful questions about first generation Americans, faith-based friendships, and the relationship between organized religion and mental health. This play is well-done and important.

I had the opportunity to experience this very funny and on-the-nose play at the Midwest Dramatists Conference. The play showcases one of the very problematic ways white people grapple with questions of race. It had the whole room simultaneously in stitches from laughing and also shooting around uncomfortable looks as we recognized situations from our own lives that spoke to the subject matter of the play. Well done to the playwright for this deft and hilarious handling of the topic!

"She is not broken". This is an incredibly powerful and theatrical piece that explores how trauma can disrupt a family. I applaud this play for it's centering of the female characters and celebration of women's strength that centers healing rather than trauma. I hope to see this piece staged one day.