Recommended by Aly Kantor

The fun of this piece is that, ostensibly, the "main character" is not who you think...in more ways than one! I love the way these two quick-witted spouses slowly reveal more and more about the off-stage character as the play goes on. The "mystery" at the center of the piece keeps the audience engaged, wondering what wild "secrets" we'll learn next! The twist is exquisite! Laugh-out-loud banter consistently meets high emotional stakes, making this a fun and compelling one-act! Lots of fun for both actors and audiences!

When played with earnestness, this monologue sheds glorious light on a too-common brand of bigoted hypocrisy. It's hard to hear but succinct and tightly crafted, with a particularly strong button that will leave audiences thinking. A strong bit of material for an older actress with range!

Truth is often stranger than fiction, and in the case of this rich monologue, the truth is, indeed, incredibly nuanced and convoluted. There is plenty of emotion for a strong actor to play with here, and audiences will be equally engaged by the content and the performance. How much truth is there to Mary's story, and how much was sensationalized and blown out of proportion? Despite the fact that this is "local history" for me, I found that I learned a lot - a hallmark of Nora's plays is that they're consistently educational! What a complex, thought-provoking monologue!

This play is a pint-sized roller coaster ride! Despite its brevity, it features two fully-drawn, specific characters and opportunities for actors to make big choices. Also, it's a rare piece that redeems lawyers rather than vilifying them - this one does several good deeds, all in a span of five minutes! It's sweet, emotional, and fiercely human! Really tight, clever work!

There is plenty to love (pun intended??) in this snappy sci-fi two-hander, especially if you're already a fan of the genre. The key to utilizing these beloved tropes is combining them in new and interesting ways. The true beauty of this script is in its bareness and simplicity - you could produce this play on a dime and still provide an engaging, fully-realized audience experience. Like most good dramas, it asks far more questions than it answers regarding emotion, divinity, the need for purpose, and even personhood as a concept. I think this compelling short is ripe for a sequel!

While I'm pretty sure that, in reading this, I just became party to someone else's inside joke, I have no regrets! This play is hilarious from line one, with goofy, heightened dialogue I couldn't help but read out loud to myself! It's a "futuristic," fourth-wall-breaking good time, littered with dramatic pauses, clever call-backs, meta theatricality, and a quick but effective visit from The Devil! Despite what the characters claim, this enjoyable Busser Play is a worthwhile romp through ridiculousness! Exactly my kind of unselfconscious comedy!

As always Hannah's characters are delightfully idosyncratic—and that's, frankly, enough! Those of us lucky enough to be immersed in the Lost Children universe are in for a particular treat. This play is filled with delicious subtext for fans of this universe, like a romantic Halloween gift that keeps on giving. It's spooky, it's silly, it's romantic, and the character voices are (as always) unique and pristine. Whether you read it as a tiny love story or a treatise on moving past generational trauma, this one's a delight!

Meeting the parents is always stressful, but in this witty play, major differences in belief (and a little white lie) make that prospect even more nerve-wracking than usual! My favorite part of the piece is how Harper reclaims agency by making her own "commandments," forcing Aiden AND the audience to reckon with the prospect of following someone else's rules to earn approval. The character voices are clear and distinct, and the dialogue is studded with sharp moments of laugh-out-loud humor. I "covet" this playwright's ability to craft a clever play! Check it out!

From the first direct-address monologue, I knew this interactive short play was going to be something special. That's less about what's on the page (as the script is mutable and will inherently change during each performance) and everything to do with the clever opportunities for active audience engagement. It's a spectacular vehicle for a manic ingenue. The play actually does reach a very surprising, meaningful peak but somehow never loses its irreverence or humor. It's a love story and a ghost story and neither of those things—but always a lot of fun!

This play may be brief, but it's incredibly effective. Baker's characters are clearly drawn, with an uncanny level of humane specificity. Even though Sandra is deplorable, you learn enough about her context that you manage to feel a sense of understanding for her, too. For me, the sheer humanity is what makes this emotional piece so strong. The final beat is clearly crafted for maximum impact, and readers and audiences will be thinking about it well beyond 'end of play.' Really lovely work.