Recommended by Aly Kantor

Kids on Earth visit the planetarium. Why shouldn't space kids have the same opportunity? That's not the only way Martin flips life (and theatrical expectations) on their head in this sci-fi short, which evokes beloved classics of the genre like "All Summer in a Day" and "The Giver." I love the subtle, thoughtful worldbuilding hidden throughout the dialogue, making this one-room story feel epic and enormous. Remarkably, a list of synonyms becomes a haunting epitaph that will stick with audiences.

With language that is specific, hilarious, and evocative, Busser's eccentric character paints a picture of supernatural events past and present. Through language alone, the audience will realize they KNOW this man or someone much like him, in all his earnestness, candor, and benevolent eccentricity. The use of on-stage detritus is a brilliant master-touch that keeps the narrative moving while providing texture and even subtle worldbuilding! Whether or not you believe Boone, you'll love him!

This is the kind of play that feels like a weird dream you'd have after midnight binging an entire Entenmann's pastry out of the box — it's surreal, absurd, goofy...and yet, it seems to have a mighty sense of internal logic to hold it all together!? While I mourn for Bob, I am glad to have spent time in this utterly bonkers sci-fi world, where offering someone a stale Dunkin Donut from the breakroom is an interdimensional crime (just like in real life, if we're being honest). What a ride!

Oh, god. I am Debbie, and Debbie is me—and I am certain that I am not the only reader or audience member who will feel that way! So often, our negative patterns are hidden in the mundane, unseen because they're things we "always" do. This simple, spare, witty, and wise play is about the peace to be found in breaking a mundane pattern. It's a play about rest. I really believe this tiny play has the potential to be majorly eye opening for the right audience. I'll be returning to it when I need it!

If Willy Wonka ran a game show, I think it would look a little something like this remarkably observant, occasionally kooky play, with its quicky journey toward a heartfelt payoff! In it, we're treated to three discrete stories about those who take on guilt, those who adopt the trauma of others, and those who ignore their trauma and deny a part of who they are. The action of the play reveals who each individual really is and, ultimately, each one get what they deserve. A truly unique concept!

How could a premise (and execution) so supremely funny leave me feeling so gosh darn SAD? It's a mystery! It's a comedy! It's a tale of yearning! It's even a holiday play...with a grisly murder in it! All to say, there's more than enough going on to keep any audience member engaged, regardless of their prefered genre, which is a true master feat! I think my favorite aspect was the chemistry between Bill and Pats, and the ways they fit into one another so easily. A truly unique holiday short!

I am confident I am the target audience for this one. Absurd and atmospheric, there is something on every page that will make you laugh... but also something on every page that will make you go, "oh." We all know a Julia, in love with her own misery and solitude, yet caught in a paradox, for who will she complain to when she gets what she thinks she wants? The script itself is loaded with sight gags, ridiculous combat opportunities, and impossible magic. I YEARN to see this bonkers play staged!

The introduction of a principled outsider shakes up the snow globe-perfect lakeside summer community of Harbor Grove, introducing new voices into this pristine and privileged echo chamber. Following a tragedy, more truths come to light, leading to authentic personal and political conflicts with the power to change these young adults forever. This is an intimate, historically anchored, character-driven piece full of dynamic viewpoints. It's gorgeously paced, with great roles for young performers!

This is a "smile until your face hurts" story featuring the whimsy of quirky, specific characters (Santa's Elves!) in an unexpected setting (a record store?!), leading us humorously, sweetly, and quite deftly toward a charming lesson about the true meaning of Christmas in our consumerist hellscape! The specificity of the musical references, the goofy names, and the absurdity of the confrontation and circumstances make it a consistently surprising stocking stuffer! Plus, great world-building!

All life is dynamic, which means things change—they may change slowly, like rocks, but they WILL change eventually, under the right conditions. This quiet Christmas play creates the conditions under which a person might transform before our eyes, if only slightly. The interaction at the center of the play is sometimes tense but always kind, with the backdrop of the desert landscape grounding the story in marvelous metaphor. A transcendent moment of unexpected music ties the narrative together!