Recommended by Aly Kantor

This play is a masterclass in speculative worldbuilding, and I am in awe of the specificity of this dramatic world! Furthermore, this play asks so many ethical questions about the continuity of the species that will keep audiences engaged and agonizing throughout the performance. The characters are highly flawed, extremely lovable, and profoundly relatable. The stakes are consistently high as one ticking clock triggers another, then another, keeping the story moving efficiently toward its bittersweet and memorable conclusion. This is a phenomenal play for those living through this moment in history, be it the best or the worst!

Vibrant, specific characters populate the world of this family drama, in which anticipatory grief - and, later, active grief - guide so many decisions. It asks questions about what constitutes a legacy, and if it's ever too late to create one (and, most interestingly, where AI fits into the act of creation). I loved the use of AI-generated text in the script itself. The more you question "how did this string of words come to be?" the less it matters. It's here, and it's strange, and it means nothing except what you decide it means.
A fascinating premise executed beautifully!

This play is a masterclass in subtext! On this awkward lunch meeting, Dad will do anything but discuss the elephant in the room, conjuring metaphor after metaphor, straight from the cafe menu. The script is also full of hilarious moments of subtle physical comedy - silent moments of pure action do a lot of work! As the frustration reaches a climax, the moment of connection feels genuine and well-earned. This is a sweet, subtle play about connection, with a funny, memorable button that will leave audiences grinning!

Having grown up reading sci-fi stories about spacefaring and first contact, this play evoked a strong feeling of nostalgia, but also felt fresh and singularly theatrical, with opportunities for designers to create an immersive kind of magic. The silence of our protagonist posed a mystery that kept me curious and engaged, even as larger problems arose in the broader world of the play. Weeks does a phenomenal job communicating exposition through natural dialogue, painting a picture of a harrowing but realistic future. The moment the plot comes full circle is phenomenal and exciting. Genre fans will love this unique script!

This play is hilarious and absurd... but if you've ever been in the hot seat at a talkback, the level of absurdity is in question! Playwrights reading this play will squirm in their seats and nod their heads emphatically as they begin to recognize the less-than-helpful feedback they have likely heard themselves. And readers who are NOT playwrights will still enjoy the brilliant, dawning reversal as the playwright's identity comes to light. The thesis? When you open up the floor for critical feedback, you'll receive critical feedback - but the playwright ALWAYS has the final say. A great, honest piece!

The first John Mabey play I ever read was "True Skies," and it blew me away. It was so incredible to discover the rest of that touching and memorable story - and who could have guessed that it would be a science fiction epic about what it means to be human? Truly, reflecting the best of humanity on the stage seems to be Mabey's gift. This play is, at turns, harrowing and hopeful, but always about people, warts and all. The mastery of dialogic rhythm brings it to the next level. Genre theatre at its best!

I am a lover of plays about robots (and AI entities, generally) and the best pieces have something simple yet profound to say about the experience of being human. This is a gorgeously structured play that, at its heart, tells the story of two sisters, both with their own unique limitations, who act the way sisters do. They are cruel, and kind, and secretive, and cognitive of their shared origins, but still distinct entities with their own desires in the world. Their journey is so foreign but still incredibly familiar and left me feeling deliciously raw. Catharsis at its best!

What an inventive subversion of our favorite horror and slasher movie tropes! The notorious serial killer is immediately rendered pathetic and lackluster by a fierce (and very broken) final girl who is worthy of her title and status! Theatrically, it's packed with great ideas for creating visceral moments of wince-worthy violence on stage with minimal tech, which I'm sure would get a huge reaction from audiences! It's funny, bloody, and unexpectedly emotional!

A quartet of colorful, larger-than-life, and deliciously specific teenage girls are at the center of this silly-yet-educational play, which takes the Breakfast Club trope to fascinating new heights! I love the way history comes to life all around them, complete with some cunning stage combat! These roles would be a dream for an ensemble of versatile performers. Plus, I love it when girls are allowed to be angry and passionate and a little messy, and this play is full of complex, brilliant, and flawed women - often speaking in their own voices. A fantastic update to a great script!

As a former children's docent at the MFA in Boston, I thought I knew a lot about John Singer Sargent, but I have never seen him come to life like this! I am sure two actors would have a BLAST upstaging one another as they attempt to make themselves the main character of this story. As silly as it can be, this play is also a subtle love story with lots of inventive opportunities for staging and theatricality. An educational and engaging short!