Recommended by Jack Levine

CLAUDIA HASS is one playwright who never disappoints. You will love “13 Seconds With Lin-Manuel Miranda”. We all have idols and think about what we would say or do, if we actually met them. Even if you just spot them from afar, you might get nervous. I love the dialogue between the two teenagers. It’s so real to life.

BRUCE BONAFEDE’s full-length play, “Ellie”, is absolutely magnificent. I was engrossed from the beginning, with superb dialogue, an intriguing plot, several wonderful twists, and two complex characters. Two brothers have more in common than they realize, yet their desires, demons, and decisions pull them in different directions. I can honestly say, this play was one of the very best I have read on New Play Exchange. I highly recommend this play! BRAVO!!!

FRANCIS RTM BOYLE’s short play, “Another Part of the Field”, tells a poignant story of two dying soldiers, from opposing forces. The inevitability of war, death and despair, collides with the humanity of two mortally wounded combatants. As a veteran, I found this piece to have heart and soul. I highly recommend it!

MC - MEGHAN CROSBY has a brilliant, powerful, thought provoking play, which will challenge the misconceptions and prejudices of the audience. “Bender” is a play about self-awareness, gender identity, societal beliefs and prejudices. As an eighty year old, I thought this play might be too much for me —- but it was almost the opposite. I loved it!

PRAVIN WILKINS’ play, “Bars”, is brilliant. I loved reading it from beginning to end. The story is powerful and absolutely needs to be performed. The essence of the play is the apparent injustice of non-whites. The police react in an illegal manner, and then coverup their actions by falsely charging a young protester for damaging an oil pipe. There is so much depth to this play. BRAVO!

PHILIP MIDDLETON WILLIAMS is one of the best playwrights I have come to know. “Here’s Hoping” brings to light what some know, others not so much: The pain and suffering of the person with the disease and those who are their parents, lovers, friends, and others who come in contact with them. The saddest thing, besides the horror of getting AIDS, I would think, is the belief by some that AIDS is a punishment from GOD. I highly recommend this play.

JOHN BUSSER’s “Obstacle” is a powerful monologue on the horror of a violent weapon. We are faced with too many incidents of guns being used rather than talking, negotiating, reasoning. Why is it necessary? Could it have been prevented? Teachers are supposed to protect students. What does protect really mean? This monologue raises so many questions, which our society needs to answer. I was so moved by this monologue. I highly recommend it.

FENGAR GAEL’s “Voyage of the Black Swan’ is one of the most intriguing, non-conventional plays I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. There is so much to love about this masterpiece: originally, humor, and a beautiful way to delve into climate science. I highly recommend this play! BRAVO!

STEVEN G. MARTIN’s “153’ is powerful and poignant. This ten-minute play will evoke strong emotions from the audience. We see love, hated, regret, forgiveness, all so beautifully shown.

KARA EMILY KRANTZ spoke to me in a profound way in her full-length masterpiece, “inValidated”. We’ve all heard how men don’t understand woman. A man becomes his own hero, as the provider of food and shelter, but he too often takes in and ‘understands’ what’s happening only through his eyes. A woman is ‘too emotional’ or ‘ungrateful’ if she tries to tell her male partner something about HER NEEDS. This is an awesome play, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. BRAVO!