Recommended by Aly Kantor

Oh, this play is a little pop of sweetness, just like the flavor du jour at this magical ice cream shop! It plays with the idea that taste is tied to memories, and provides a lovely opportunity to see the bond between a father and son come to life before our eyes. Every flavor felt nostalgic, even if I didn't taste them myself. Have yourself a bite of this short - you won't regret it!

I was fully immersed in the world of this monologue - everything I needed to call this world to life in the theatre of the mind was in the details, right down to the soul of the speaker. It feels so earnest and authentic, giving me the sense that I know this person, and leaving me with a melancholy ache as I worry and wonder about what he'll do when he walks out the doors of this soup kitchen for the final time. It takes incredible craft to imbue a piece with that level of sheer humanity. Bravo!

Memory is rarely reliable. How many grudges have we held and how many chips have formed on our shoulders in response to the actions of someone who hasn't thought of us once in that time? This highly theatrical, deliciously tense play puts us right in Veronica's place, trying to reconcile her own memory with the way she made someone feel. It really made me think about the weight we have in the lives of others, and how none of us can be fully known. Incredibly engaging and compelling work!

Wow, the dialogue in this play seriously pops, painting a picture about who these men are and how they engage with the world just through diction and density alone! And those characters are distinct and lovable, even when they're curmudgeonly or running a coffee shop intervention! I love the message that it's never too late to become who you are going to be, whether or not you've already lived a life. The play is charmingly hopeful - even for those of us who think retirement sounds boring! Ha!

There's something so compelling about the idea that following someone's advice - advice that, ultimately, shifts the entire trajectory of your life - could hurt the person who gave you that advice, but isn't that life? This play feels incredibly grounded, so even the big reversal feels believable and, ultimately, I was proud of Ava for sticking to her guns and choosing the advice over the advice-giver!

There is a moment in this script where, suddenly, the entire play recontextualizes itself - that's the sort of good writing and theatrical magic I crave in a short script... even a piece like this, about men I'd prefer to think about less! This moral tale, almost like a royal Christmas Carol, is thoughtfully structured and incredibly witty, with a few perfectly placed lines that make me genuinely belly laugh. This piece will give audiences a lot to think about and discuss after 'end of play.'

This monologue brilliantly and unflinchingly acknowledges what it feels like to love (or have loved) a flawed human being - when you're feeling guilty about not feeling guilty enough. I love this speaker's solution, and the ways he was clearly changed by such a harrowing, scarring experience. The backstory is rich with details of a life that feels complicated and authentic. The 'erstwhile' prompt was incorporated gorgeously and effectively, serving as a thread that guides us to the resolution.

I love how much this playwright trusts her audience, never spoon-feeding, but allowing them to piece together the off-stage narrative through what isn't said, making for an engaging, heartbreaking theatrical experience. I think we all wonder what, if anything we'd say to our past selves - would a warning help, or just prevent us from becoming who we'd be in the future, warts and all? That question places this play in the domain of a daydream, relatable to all of us despite its specificity!

SO glad someone went with a fantasy premise (I spent two weeks on a bespoke magic system before I gave up and changed tack) - and this one not only feels simultaneously nostalgic (A Midsummer Night in the Shire?) and unique, but is hilarious, brutally honest, and, ultimately, heartwarming. I suspect the entire thing is also a vehicle for a terrible pun, but I'll forgive that, because the journey to get there was so much fun! Lots of fun theatrical tricks to play with, too! Just lovely!

This is a delightful monologue play for high schoolers, reminiscent of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and other stories in which a group of young underdogs have their day. I love the way the quiz bowl questions inform the structure, leading us seamlessly into fantastic character monologues - we get to know these characters enough to care about them, making the stakes of the competition feel much higher. It would be a great vehicle for young performers learning to make bold choices!