Recommended by Aly Kantor

Oh, this one's FUN—and very contrary, in a number of delightful, wholly original ways! Not only is this irreverent, pint-sized ode to girl sleuth Nancy Drew about a "reverse burglar" who leaves objects in homes, but parts of it take place entirely in the dark, creating a compelling sense of raunchy theatricality that could only be conjured in the mind! It's full of groan-worthy campy lines, colorful catchphrases, and just a touch of adult humor. It's a goofy, ridiculous, anachronistic good time!

How can I not recommend a play with a Topo Giglio reference right at the top? This piece is a silly, anachronistic romp through "sometime during the roman empire" - or possibly some point during the mid-1960s. It's packed to the brim with references, geometry gags, and goofy wordplay that could be straight out of a Sondheim musical. The on-stage crowd is a fantastic touch that adds an additional element of playful theatricality. All in all, it's just a lot of fun... even though it doesn't end with the violent on-stage execution I was hoping for ;-)

What do you do when dealing with life changes, including a recently empty nest? If you're Bruce, you find a bird to put in that nest! This piece is filled with similar sweet wordplay and sneaky clues that lead us directly to the charming and unexpected conclusion! This piece may be short, but it's filled with a sense of genuine humanity, honesty, and care.

It's amazing how some people can spend so much time praying for a sign only to ignore the many crystal-clear signs in front of them. This short play is a story of a couple who ignored the signs until approached by a messenger from their past.

I really like the way the play handled fear, featuring a diametrically opposed father and son: one whose impulse is to stay no matter what and one who chose to run. I'm so glad they met in the middle! It's a high-stakes story of reunification that handles real-world extreme mindsets with delicacy and kindness.

Turning a "list play" into a dramatic, dynamic piece of theatre is a hefty challenge... but when it's done right? Wow! This quick, clever, fast-moving, action-driven play is a simple, well-executed romantic rollercoaster that would be a blast for audiences. It's also something a little different, which is lovely to see in the ten-minute format! This would be a fabulous final exam for anyone interested in intimacy direction and/or an absurdly fun vehicle for a real-life couple. Stick it in your back pocket for your love-themed or Valentine's Day festival!

This short play is filled with such delicious specificity, turning an intimate, isolated story of the pandemic into a universal, relatable piece. I may not have kids, but as a pandemic-era teacher, I can absolutely relate to living my life "theme to theme" and "holiday to holiday." Ultimately, the play is a short, effective ode to anyone who has ever experienced burnout, whether it was during the pandemic or otherwise. It's simple, sweet, and a wonderful time capsule from an incredibly specific moment in history. We should all be lucky enough to have a Steven in our lives!

This profoundly relatable short pandemic-era play is ripe for production on stage or in audio mediums. It effectively depicts the feeling of being gaslit by the government and the media, as well as the ways in which the pandemic period subtly changed who many of us are. It's a really strong post-historical snapshot of a moment that, somehow, is not quite over, and I really appreciated its honesty. As a fan of horror on stage, I also loved the way it played with urban legend to subvert the reality of what was going on (or not going on)! Well done!

This is a sweet little horror-themed friendship comedy, perfect for a trio of charismatic teens and an ambitious team of designers! The friendships at the center of the story feel genuine and authentic. I also love how the playwright planted little clues and deployed them seamlessly, from the initial campy horror movie references to the theatre manager's voice acting career! It was very clever to use the horror theming to address the benign fears that surround growing up. The things that scare us most so rarely involve creatures and ghosts, after all. Teen actors will relish playing these colorful roles!

Have you ever fallen in love with a play before you've read it? This one had me at the character descriptions - and certainly lived up to its clever premise! I love the goofy, anachronistic setting, the heightened, stylized dialogue, and the Shakespearean references throughout. There are so many laugh-out-loud silly beats, making this a great vehicle for a duo of goofy teens with a knack for comedic timing.

I love when I get to a moment in a play where the threads start coming together and think, "Oh, I see what you're doing!" Reading this play was like watching a painting of a human being come together in real-time.

This messy, complex, emotionally-fraught character and relationship-driven piece was an incredibly satisfying read. I am in awe of the structure and the subtle, significant twists that kept the story moving forward. Ultimately, it is an intimate, complex meditation of what it means to truly love other people: those we've lost and those in front of us. Gorgeous.