Recommended by Aly Kantor

This play doesn't waste a moment before diving into the theatrical deep end, with characters who exist at many ages at once, inhabiting bodies that reflect their inner reality, not their outer one. As a result, every interaction in this fractured memory play works on multiple layers, revealing truths about the complicated humans at the center. It's a gorgeous exploration of the way we remember (or don't remember) and how even mundane moments can have profound importance from another point of view. What role do we play in constructing the mythology of our lives, and who gets to decide? Fantastic.

This is a deeply specific, moving, and heartbreaking monologue that illuminates more than just how much teachers do for students. With compassion and honesty, it also speaks to how difficult it can be to grow up and thrive in a system designed for the "average" learner. It feels like a time capsule about growing up in a very specific period of time, serving as documentation of the challenges of reaching adulthood while the world is—often literally—on fire. From the details to the wordplay, this memory monologue will move you.

Oh YES! This play had me from the first raunchy lines, in which a few of our favorite princesses are immediately given depth and desires and allowed to exist and persist beyond a "moral." However, the moral of THIS story is that your happy ending doesn't necessarily fit everyone's story, and imposing your will before someone is ready won't get anyone closer to 'happily ever after.' Ultimately, the play is charming, meta-theatrical, and downright silly! It doesn't slow down for a single second! And, yes, as a bonus, you won't have to strike the set for Steel Magnolias!

As someone who just spent most of a trip in an ice-cold hotel because it was so comfortable, I can absolutely relate to this character's decision to spend the summer "chilling!" I also appreciated the element of complexity - how it's so difficult to choose your own comfort, knowing there is morality attached to everything that makes life bearable under late capitalism. Should being comfortable be a "guilty pleasure?" This monologue may be sweet and silly, but it will still leave you thinking!

The five sisters in this story could not be more distinctive or unique, with specific quirks and hangups that make them feel profoundly human and dimensional. The magic of this play, other than the structure (and the lemons!), is how much you come to care about and worry for these women. It's consistently funny, which helps make the emergent moments of gut-deep grief feel genuine. As in most of David Hilder's plays, the characters change and grow in the most subtle and sublime ways, always leaving readers with a powerful image. Seldom has catharsis felt both so hard-won and well-earned.

You've heard of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but have you heard of the Manic Pixie Small Eastern European Man? Not only does this charming, funny play turn a tired trope on its head, but it makes a case for choosing the challenging, inconvenient, far more scenic route to happiness - because, as this play so perceptively asks, what is the difference between living and waiting to die? It's fascinating to watch the protagonist self-actualize over the course of the play, and the depth of the message really sneaks up on you. What an easy, breezy, brilliant, heart-filled comedy!

Engaging with this play feels like an act of voyeurism—frequently dropping into scenes mid-conversation, relishing the incredibly natural dialogue, and trying to construct the truth of these characters. The fractured structure of the piece does a great job of putting the audience in the protagonist's disorganized headspace, forcing them to see as he sees. The depiction of mental illness is painful because it's so human and nuanced, which is a breath of fresh air - the pain here is well-earned. So much about this play is impossible, and artistic teams will relish bringing this agonizing, important story to life.

This short play is about as funny, charming, and entertaining as it is disarming. While I love a magic trick on stage (who doesn't?), when the magician in question is teaching unwanted object lessons via pickpocketing, you can't help but feel skeptical of his intentions. That brilliant framing helps those who may not have had Chris's experiences see a simple train ride through her eyes. Commuting is exhausting even without the constant vigilance! And then we see the best trick of all - genuine kindness and a well-earned relationship coming full circle in just 10 minutes. Magic!

This seems like any ordinary reunion, as two college-aged twin siblings return home for Thanksgiving break, but an unspoken tension permeates the interaction from page one. Slowly but surely, we learn that there is more than resentment or jealousy underlying this conversation. This bittersweet piece features excellent roles for college-aged actors, and the dialogue is refreshingly naturalistic. Despite the heavy truth at the heart of this play, it never feels overwrought. I love how sensitively the playwright handled this delicate subject matter, and it's very clear that she trusts her audience to put the pieces together.

Never was the adage "You can't have your cake and eat it, too" illustrated more humorously or elegantly than in this quirky two-hander, in which a half-burned candle becomes so much more. Filled with two colorful and specific characters (we all KNOW these women!), the piece reminds us that the pleasures of life are to be enjoyed, not put away for an imagined "later" that may or may not ever come. Depending on which sister you align with, the play will either make you gasp and clutch your chest or nod knowingly. A warm, funny, though-provoking delight!