Recommended by Aly Kantor

There is such a gentle sense of dignity in this play—not only for the pollinators, who play such a critical role in sustaining life, but for the young protagonist, who stands up for their beliefs when it's hard. I love it when child characters are depicted as smart and given the agency to prove their value. The play feels timeless but is clearly modern, with allusions to climate change and the reliability of Google. Somehow, the world of this play felt rich and lush and left me wanting more!

I'm a nerd, so I almost instantly fall in love with any play that feels well-researched and rich with historical context—especially when there are period-appropriate queer narratives involved. In other words, this play ticked just about every box my dorky soul was seeking, delivering characters with staggeringly clear objectives and points of view that placed me squarely in the period. I appreciate and mourn how timely the piece feels, but I'm grateful it exists. A poetic and powerful play!

It takes a lot of skill to craft a theatrical world this rich in just ten pages (with three clear acts, to boot!). In this play, a couple implements a questionable solution to a relatable relationship problem and learns the hard way that healthy anger expressed openly is always better than bottling up feelings in a relationship. It feels incredibly vital and natural, and by the end, it's so clear that these two belong together. Subtle, specific, and with plenty for actors to play with - love it!

Film fans and bee-pun fans rejoice! In this tale, we're taken on a tour through old Hollywood history from the perspective of a grandpa bee who was there for it all...and you've probably seen his work! It's somehow wholly original and yet feels nostalgic—and the interjections from the energetic little grandbees will keep you chuckling! I can honestly say there's something to make everyone laugh in this utterly silly storytime play! Believe the BUZZ about this one!

This play is a fascinating theatrical experiment and would be a fantastic piece for younger performers who are learning to analyze scripts and make strong, text-based decisions based on what's on the page. While the language is simple, often funny, and incredibly ripe with possibility, I think the opportunities for incorporating movement are tremendous. Every actor and audience member will find something relatable in this journey toward creative contentment!

A really fantastic play is exactly as long as it needs to be—and this masterfully succinct short manages to be nuanced, thought-provoking, funny, and satisfying...and never exceeds a single page! You can read politics into it, you can reduce it to a tight analysis of the flaws inherent in modern human communication, or you can just enjoy it for the pleasant little pie fight that it is! It may only last a minute, but you'll be thinking about which character you are long after end of play! Great!

You know a play's structure is absolute fire (pun intended) when you get to the end, and your shoulders relax in sheer satisfaction... but don't get me wrong! The middle of this play is loaded with irreverence, metaphor, magic, and MAGICAL GIRL TRANSFORMATIONS! You will want to scream at the charming, ridiculous protagonist, which makes her moment of revelation so damned satisfying. Plus, designers will lose their dang minds figuring out how to set the stage ablaze! Fun! Cathartic! Fiery!

We all have that friend who "has always been part of the group," to the extent that nobody is sure who brought her in - and the chameleon friend who's personality is a little nebulous and vague. The playwright transforms these tropes into a brunch-table tale of mythical paranoia! There are some really nifty opportunities for design and theatre magic (Voice throwing! Blood! A subtle but significant wardrobe transformation!) that would keep audiences on the edge of their seats! Supernatural fun!

The honesty in this play is staggering. It's made even more raw through moments of direct address, in which the loneliness of these characters is revealed through subtext, hidden in the spaces between whale and literature facts. It couldn't be more effective as a play about communication, encouraging audiences to learn forward and search for what isn't being said. Ripe with gorgeous language and specific dialogue (much of which is in verse), it's also a treat for designers craving a challenge!

Okay, this one wins for the most creative interpretation of the shared title! A real-time play, there are some truly spectacular opportunities for stage magic here (on stage origami!) - but, to be honest, you had me at the premise! I think this one would be fantastic fun when staged—I just keep imagining those tiny kids on stage next to the hopeful Billy, holding their own under the pressure... though it might be the Teacher who has the best lines of all! Heartfelt, silly, theatrical, and sweet!