Recommended by Aly Kantor

A brilliant framing device, unforgettable theatrical imagery, a stunning command of poetry, and the making and breaking of patterns all make this profoundly original historical play unforgettable. I love the way the play underscores itself, and how each character speaks in her own language, offering her own perspective on the nature and importance of memory. Simultaneously simple and impossible, this piece would be a dream for designers who are eager for a challenge.

I had the pleasure of catching this charming and very funny short at the Port Washington Play Festival, and I can say with certainty that it left a packed house with warm fuzzies! I think what struck me most about this play was the easy sense of authenticity. I really felt like a fellow shopper at this garage sale, voyeuristically eavesdropping as these rich, specific characters rekindled a bond after years apart. It's strange and awkward and sweet and VERY effective! Dynamic, delightful fun!

It takes an incredible amount of skill to maintain dramatic momentum through character alone, but Lisa does it effortlessly, with only a few dropped phones and cardinal attacks to keep things dynamic! These two characters are ridiculous and recognizable. You'll love them and hate to relate to them. Most importantly, however, this unusual meet-cute will keep you cackling from curtain up until the tender conclusion, with callbacks galore that reward anyone paying attention! A fantastic comedy!

I didn't realize black words on a white page had the power to induce stomach cramps and nausea, but such is the power of this prescient, devastating, and absolutely necessary script from Scott Sickles. Reading this play is a frustrating, heartbreaking, soul-crushing endeavor, and that's the point. It's such a rich, human-centered illustration of how a regime like this hurts EVERYONE. I am not sure a dramatic reversal has ever made me THIS angry before. Read this. Feel this. And remember this.

I envy the lucky director who gets to choreograph the load-bearing imaginary tennis match! However, it's the zippy, laugh-out-loud dialogue that serves as the engine for this smart play. The ridiculous logic keeps this piece moving to positively ridiculous effect...and, by the end, EVERY WORD, EVERY DETAIL MATTERS! The historical details and Miller references make the off-kilter world of this play feel rich and specific. I've seldom gone from frustration to satisfaction so quickly! A wild ride!

This high school comedy is fast-moving, structurally engaging, and laugh-out-loud funny (especially if you like Sound of Music jokes)! Even with the laughs, there is an air of honesty and authenticity to this story that rings true compared to similar entries in the genre, but not without respect for the tropes we've come to love! The best part, however, is how this play breaks stereotypes, offering teens complex characters who resist becoming archetypes, even when it would be easy. So much fun!

Often have I fantasized about stepping away from the ball to stumble upon a hot butch on the balcony— I mean, who hasn't? This is a sweet, very queer, historical meetcute with a lot of delicious, delicious texture, from the costuming to the distant music underscoring this secret dance. It is pure romantic wish fulfillment, and I love it! I would love to see what happens next for these two!

This play is incredibly sweet, funny, and healing! I love pretty much any ghost story, but this piece's approach to helping one ghost deal with her unfinished business is profoundly heartfelt. There are plenty of opportunities for designers to create paranormal activity on stage, but the words and the energy of the youthful actors will do so much of the work by themselves! I will be thinking about the hair braiding moment for a long time! This lovely short will help many people feel seen!

I dare you to find me a more cathartic, richly theatrical play than this one! I've spent the past two hours sobbing! The characters are so deeply human, you will be moved to love and moved to hate with a vehemence, and that is because the characterization and siloed objectives in this play are truly masterful. I love how the piece puts such a human face on multiple huge issues, scaling them down to appeal to the human heart without ever making them feel less epic and vital. A TREMENDOUS play!

Who knew that the greatest threat to an ancient immortal vampire would be a TERF-y ex-girlfriend with a centuries-old grudge?! This expanded version of Heyman's short play offers an astute, allegorical response to this fraught political moment, allowing audiences to see just what it means to be, quite literally, "stuck in the past." I love the metaphor that an infinite future is not only imaginable, but desirable, when you get to live as your authentic self! A romantic, supernatural romp!