Recommended by Aly Kantor

Well, isn't this a hoot and a half? A historical (or, okay, 'based on a true story') character piece with a compelling, if often silly, metatheatrical frame... and its fair share of gorgeous metaphor and wisdom, too! This play is hilarious, with some comedic setups that pay-off beautifully again and again. The character voices are unique, distinct, and crystal-clear, giving performers plenty to work with. And if it leads you down a convoluted research rabbit hole... even better! A blast!

A gorgeous, relatable, mystery that fully and whole-heartedly embraces both the despair and bittersweet absurdity of loving someone with dementia or memory loss. The depth of the relationships is clear from the start, with dialogue that makes you laugh just as often as it makes you cry. I love the way the notes are tied into the narrative, giving audiences a fun mystery to track and a vocabulary lesson in one! This play is a stunning mirror - so many audiences will see themselves in this story.

If you enjoy gasping and talking to yourself while reading, you are going to love this twisty, weird, sci-fi thriller, which successfully creates the most analog version of a story that's ultimately told through (and inside of...?) analog tech. Structurally and plot-wise, it has a fantastic engine, introducing questions as quickly as it answers them. It's simultaneously intimate and...some definition of voyeuristic?! You feel guilty for watching AND looking away! Weird as hell and wonderful!

A laugh-out-loud and surprisingly intimate screwball comedy that somehow has room for both larger than life comedic characters and ample humanity. What I love most is the specificity of the dialogue, which tells you absolutely everything you need to know about the lovable cast of ridiculous characters who come to see the "thing" in Jackson and Laila's home. The lovely reversal is structured beautifully, offering audiences that genuine "surprising but inevitable" feeling that leads to gasps!

There isn't a single "likeable" character in this whole play, but hell if I didn't walk out of the theatre in love with all of them! This play is singularly theatrical, with payoff after payoff as the slights pile up and the tension grows, leading to a visceral, insanely cathartic conclusion that will burn itself into your retinas and live rent-free in your mind. Not only that, but it's hilarious, with sight gags, a benny hill chase, and specific character voices for actors to fall in love with.

Yes! More ace, aro, and QPR rep on stage! I love how this play so boldly explains how challenging it can be to live in an amatonormative world as an aspec person, using hilarious, vivid, and lovable characters. It's silly when it has to be (LOVED the saxophone bit!) and serious when it has to be, and will leave an audience feeling educated, seen, or both...without feeling needlessly didactic. I love how none of these characters had to be "model queers" and got to be so messy! Loved it!

I love the way the flashbacks so seamlessly break through the action, providing the listener with all the context they need, right as they need it - doing all the work of worldbuilding without heavy exposition. It combines hard sci-fi with soft moments of humanity and yearning, and listeners will enjoy the nostalgia aspect, reminded of properties like Pacific Rim. It's engaging, almost demanding that listeners pay attention to properly orient themselves in the world and determine what's real.

We all know the feeling of dread as we sit down at the holiday table, knowing there's a silent agreement that we're not going to talk about THAT - and knowing just as well that someone is going to ignore the silent agreement and ruin the charade. It's a holiday tradition as absurd as, well... hunting a wild turducken in the woods. This play is a smart reminder that you have a choice in what traditions you uphold. It has a fantastic premise and is packed with snappy, funny dialogue. A great play!

Now THIS is how you grip an audience in a short play! Begin with a compelling mystery, give us an explosive, emotional, thoughtfully seeded reveal, and then play our heartstrings like a dang banjo until we're on the verge of bawling. This play doesn't give us a neat and tidy resolution, making it feel uniquely human and organic, but still satisfying - after all, our protagonist gets what she wants... even if she may be losing something else. This emotional play will absolutely stick with you!

Ken Love does slow, creeping terror so well. I loved the dawning horror when we recognize that Ray, in a car with a big-hearted stranger, kind enough to do him a massive favor on Christmas Eve, has a history of reading way too much into friendship... and I found myself worrying dearly for both, unsure who to trust and whether they'd both make it to the courthouse safely. It's such a quiet play, and it gives the audience a ton of credit.

I would give it five stars, but it's not set in a bordello.