Recommended by Eric Mansfield

David Hansen is a master at planting important facts among subtle character interactions, which forces the audience to pay attention to the subtext. This story will have audience members guessing what will come next while still processing the moments they just witnessed. The short, delicate scenes of this drama lead up to an ending that will have us all looking for a bunny to save.

Julia Fisher delivers a tender-yet-compelling drama that connects well with the audience members who will feel themselves flashing back to their own conversations with a grandparent. The plot's joy comes not in the twist that the audience can feel coming, but that the twist is much, MUCH more satisfying than first foreshadowed. If performed well, the audience will certainly not be able to look away until the final moments. This story is sneaky good and so well written!

Rebecca Holbourn crafts a moment that all audience members have been through -- who is the last person to turn away when it's time to say goodbye? It's not just the timing of the turn, it's the emotions that come with it, and this short interaction tells a much longer story through the characters' moments of silence than many others do through their words.

I like plays that cause the audience to discuss the play's topics long after the curtain has come down, and Emily has done exactly that with this script. I almost feel like the title gives away some of the play's message, but even though the audience knows what's coming (to some extent), they'll still be unable to look away as the plot plays out. Well crafted and worthy of not just reading but of also be optioned for a performance.

David Hansen crafts a thought-provoking journey through the unwinnable position so many teachers find themselves in today. What is the best way to deal with hate when the whole class is watching? What will be the best short-term solution? What about the long-term lesson? Take a moment and latch on to this monologue that will give you something to think about long after you've logged off newplayexchance.

Alex Moon crafts a simmering dual conversation that takes the audience along for a collision of ideologies, generations, and wounds from a group of people all harboring deep pain. As an Iraq veteran, I appreciate the approach and that the conclusion is open-ended. Should lead to deep conversations from the audience once the final lines are spoken.

Jeni Mahoney writes a compelling interaction between two young mothers that swells and pays off in the end in an engaging way that will make most parents in the audience stop and think. Her characters are layered, and this script would set up actors to make great storytelling choices that would indeed make this a memorable production. Enjoyed it greatly.

Vince Gatton crafts a story that will have you choosing sides, and then wondering if you made the right choice. Nothing comes easy for any of the characters on this journey, which will sucker punch you multiple times when you least expect it. I always appreciate a journey that both delivers and is unpredictable, and Vince has hit the mark on both of those targets. Well-crafted with deep characters, and a joy to read.

Rob does a great job of using nothing to create something -- a 'something' the audience will want to talk about and debate after the curtain goes down. And that's not easy to do in just 10 minutes. Bravo. I had visions of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, tempered only by the twist the audience won't see coming when additional characters arrive. I like plays where the same dialogue can be interpreted and performed in different ways, so I'd be intrigued to see this performed on stage. Well done!

Neil Radtke connects with the audience from the first word to the last because THIS is a real conversation between teens who are facing adulthood in harsh, no-turning-back terms. Whether you're 18 or 88, you probably either had this conversation as a teen/young adult or acted it out in your head, and it's that level of cathartic connection that makes Positive + so strong. Acting choices could take this same script in multiple directions and interpretations making this script an excellent choice for high school/college festivals where young actors can let their emotions guide their performances. Well done!