Recommended by Aly Kantor

This play had me at the title - but this is so much more than a "period comedy" (excuse my pun - the setting is contemporary!) It's a sweet, genuine exploration of a father-daughter relationship at the intersection of grief and growth. It's full of little, relatable pops of realism that are equal parts goofy and melancholy. Both characters have little flaws that make them endearing, but they both own them as they come to understand what they really need at this strange crossroads. This is a warm, relatable two-hander that family audiences will love.

"Toxic femininity" lives somewhere in the space between your local spin gym and the Jamba Juice - and in the world of this vivid, theatrical play, we come to learn that it's dark, lonely, and destructive. I found this play, at once, both strange and foreign and deeply familiar. If you don't know these absurd characters in real life, you've probably met them in the comments section on Pinterest or Instagram. I was most taken by some of the vibrant visual storytelling in the piece - disembodied wigs and impossible mountains of smoothie cups abound! Funny, fascinating, and... fiery! Literally!

This play hooked me right away with its sassy pair of elderly (sorry, "senior") protagonists and its quick, laugh-out-loud funny dialogue. It doesn't take long for these motivated characters to raise the stakes for themselves through relationships - the ones they really have, and the ones they wish they had. What do any of us have to live for, and when is it no longer enough? I love how all of the threads come together at the end. The piece is morally ambiguous - are ANY of the characters right? - but definitely makes you think!

This is a play you can hear, smell and, most of all, feel. It's full of magnificent sensory details that add a brilliant layer of authenticity to the scene. The script itself is a complex exploration of identity, propelled forward by characters with unique, specific points of view. In addition to the honest, playful, timely dialogue, the piece contains a gorgeous monologue for an older woman. The reversal at the end of the play is unexpected and heartbreaking, but absolutely well-earned. In the future, we will be grateful to have this piece as a record of this period in history.

I cannot get over how much FUN this piece would be for actors and audiences alike! Lovers of Greek Myth will have a ball seeing some of their favorite warriors pitted against one another - a welcome reprieve from vain ladies fighting over golden apples! It also just happens to be hilarious, with zingers and one-liners abounding! The audience participation is just the icing on the cake! This would be awesome in a ten-minute play festival at a theatre with an eager fight choreographer looking to show off!

This play is a sweet, gentle moment of zen between parent and child. On its surface, it's as placid as the pond at the center of the story, but as the two chat, hidden depths are revealed. There is clearly more going on in the world of these characters than we're privy to. There is a very tangible sense of sadness and nostalgia - but also hope for the future. I appreciated that the "kid" character's dialogue was child-like but not condescending. This was written by someone who knows and loves children... and will speak to audiences that do, too.

This deft two-hander lulls you into a false sense of security - even though you may be familiar with the historical context, the one-room set and head-over-heels newlywed couple are at a remove from the world beyond. As politics and financial burdens slowly sneak in, we watch as the characters are transformed, scene by scene. By the end, they're both the same characters, but simultaneously unrecognizable. The star of the show here is the clearly well-researched dialogue, full of effective, specific language tweezer-selected to get audiences emotionally involved. This play is a challenging but necessary vehicle for two versatile actors.

The strength in this dynamic, vivid two-hander comes from the characters - two women (narrowly) from different generations, exploring the difference between a "real" friendship and... well, what's the alternative, really? They are brought together in a richly described setting that is as much a character as any personality on stage, under circumstances that are compelling, polarizing, and deeply human. It makes you contemplate what "real" friendship is right now, in the age of social media and "personas." Both characters have such specific points of view, informed by deep foreign-but-familiar backstories, and the dialogue is always on point.

Teenage girls are raw, angry livewires of passion and emotion, and Hanna Kime does them justice in this dynamic two-hander. This is a writer who truly understands the dichotomy of teenage girls and the unique way that they see the world. She tells the story using language, music, and every brilliant trick in the theatrical toolbox but, unlike her playwright-protagonist, never overwrites. She trusts the audience to pick up on the subtleties of this strained relationship. It is carefully plotted, utterly hilarious, and heartbreakingly relatable. You might cringe (a lot), but for all the right reasons!

This is a whimsical, powerful piece with a tight but mutable structure that is just as alive as the vivid characters that inhabit the world of the play. I don't understand how it is so language-rich and funny but still so austere - every single world has such weight and intentionality. It's highly theatrical and had just the right amount of magic. Most of all, it's hopeful! After all, if Benny V. can have a sublime transformation, why can't you? Ultimately, this play is a warm, cozy, and simple story, brilliantly told, full of lots of heart and beauty.