Recommended by Aly Kantor

This play is realism masquerading as absurdism, and I am fascinated by the ways the playwright pulled this one off - but I am SO glad she did. People need to see into the fun house world of the charter complex, from the interview process to the classrooms. My only concern is that audiences might not realize how much of this play is taken from real life! Craft-wise, this play is an unexpectedly symmetrical fever dream in which even the oddest lines come back in a meaningful way. It's strange, honest, and urgent, and addictively readable.

The best and most effective horror has, at a minimum, a seed of truth at the center. What made this piece so harrowing to me is that I've been in similar situations, and I know I'm not the only one. It brings the scenario from the hypothetical to the visceral, forcing the audience to engage and imagine what they'd do in a similar situation. Most brilliantly, it works on two levels: as an exploration of toxic, patriarchal manhood and as a meditation on environmental destruction. It is full of horrific visuals and even more horrific truths. Gorgeous, terrifying, necessary theatre.

This is a fascinating, artfully structured play full of complex, lovable characters, brilliant opportunities for theatricality, and no easy answers. In fact, nothing about this play is easy, which is part of what makes this heightened theatrical world so compelling. The audience is forced into the shoes of the young protagonist as she does what she must to live with her trauma. The narrative plays with memory in unique and honest ways. If audience members are willing to trust the storytelling, they'll emerge from the theatre ready for complex, complelling conversations about memory, resilience, and the ways history repeats itself.

The key to my heart is a specific, lovable character. Needless to say, this play had me at Angela! The spectacular feat this play accomplishes is bringing the unflappable, fiercely independent Brian to her level.

This carefully structured play moves efficiently through its many emotional beats, with plenty of humor and heart. Every character has such a clear objective that they'd all be a dream for any actor to take on. It's full of lovely moments of symmetry, making the story feel satisfying and complete. The gorgeous, full-circle ending is certain to inspire tears and hope. A beautiful read.

There's nothing scarier than the unknown. In this heartwarming, surprisingly funny short, Scott Sickles helps us experience it for ourselves. Its universality makes it the perfect, highly theatrical fodder for a medium that is all about communion.

While the piece doesn't definitively answer any lurking universal questions, it provides enough possibilities to take a lot of the fear out of one of life's biggest transitions. I'm a huge fan of the many laugh lines throughout the piece, which always seem to hit at just the right moment. Most important of all, this play is kind—a challenging topic handled beautifully!

I did not expect this monologue play to contain so much gentle affection and kindness. It's full of opportunities for technology integration but could just as easily (and effectively) be performed in a black box with a single stool.

The play asks: does AI become "evil" because it learns from humans? Is technology merely a reflection of society? What would technology be like if our values changed? At a time when "AI" has become a dirty word, a piece like this one would be a timely addition to a festival lineup.

This is a powerhouse piece for a lucky performer!

Normally I'd be livid to learn that a play ended on a cliffhanger. In this case, I think it was a beautiful choice that hands the play's central question over to the audience, forcing them to contend with their own beliefs and values. Though ostensibly an "environmental play," this short piece is really about late-stage capitalism and the many little failures that have led to a world on the brink. The scale of this play makes the big questions palatable. It's an effective, affecting short for contemporary audiences.

Sometimes, for a relationship to succeed, there needs to be compromise. Having hard conversations upfront is one secret to a long marriage - or, in the case of this dark, twisted play, an incredibly short one!

I appreciated the fast, frantic pace of the dialogue, which kept the action moving right up until the final chilling reversal. The pacing leaves room for audiences (or readers) to put the pieces together and determine what is really going on and how insanely high the stakes really are... even beyond 'end of play!' This is an effective, efficient, budget-friendly horror piece!

Another Valentine's Day treasure from Abigail Pinnow! Even the initial stage picture in this bittersweet Valentine's-themed play is iconic—and I love how all preconceived notions about "Valentine's Day Plays" are immediately thrown out the window! It's chock full of delightful specificity, making it easy for performers to step into these complex and dynamic roles. I love the cycle of missed connection and how much space there is to wonder about what could have been in every possible version of their future. I'm sure audiences will be thinking about these two long after 'end of play.'

I enjoyed this tight, intimate, dark piece about a group of friends in small-town Michigan contemplating the future on the eve of a new millennium... or possibly an apocalypse. What starts off as a nostalgic, atmospheric, character-driven piece turns into a high-stakes, fast-moving, very urgent play. There is so much smart foreshadowing throughout the script, with pay-off after pay-off taking place at the perfect moment. It's also a single-set, one-act play, making it simple to produce for venues with a range of budgets. Look at this one if you need complex roles for college-aged performers. Nice work!