Recommended by Zach Barr

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    Muller is one of the most unsparing writers working today, in her portrayal of female pain, sorrow, and unapologetic need. "littlespace" draws you in with its endearing cast and its heavy themes of women's perspectives being ignored, then begins to slowly twist the knife in fascinating ways. I read the climax through my fingers, my heart pounding as the dominos Muller set up fell expertly into place. A true gem of a script all around. Produce it yesterday.

    Muller is one of the most unsparing writers working today, in her portrayal of female pain, sorrow, and unapologetic need. "littlespace" draws you in with its endearing cast and its heavy themes of women's perspectives being ignored, then begins to slowly twist the knife in fascinating ways. I read the climax through my fingers, my heart pounding as the dominos Muller set up fell expertly into place. A true gem of a script all around. Produce it yesterday.

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    I'm in awe of the breadth of this play, how enormous it allows its story and themes to grow, and how unapologetic its trans characters are given space to be. A play about the cyclical nature of apocalypse, and how the world we know ending can be just as difficult as surviving whatever comes after. Enormous opportunities in production for creative stagecraft, to bring these impossible moments to life. Funny and chilling in equal measure.

    I'm in awe of the breadth of this play, how enormous it allows its story and themes to grow, and how unapologetic its trans characters are given space to be. A play about the cyclical nature of apocalypse, and how the world we know ending can be just as difficult as surviving whatever comes after. Enormous opportunities in production for creative stagecraft, to bring these impossible moments to life. Funny and chilling in equal measure.

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    A story about the severity of stories themselves: how they can trap and free us, how telling them can be a child's joy and an adult's burden, how inevitable it is that we view our own lives as little narratives that we inhabit. Gwynn drives a fascinating divide between the limiting nature of stories and the escape of telling and retelling them, with an ending that is emotionally satisfying while being necessarily, insistently, blissfully open-ended. I can't wait to see it creatively staged.

    A story about the severity of stories themselves: how they can trap and free us, how telling them can be a child's joy and an adult's burden, how inevitable it is that we view our own lives as little narratives that we inhabit. Gwynn drives a fascinating divide between the limiting nature of stories and the escape of telling and retelling them, with an ending that is emotionally satisfying while being necessarily, insistently, blissfully open-ended. I can't wait to see it creatively staged.

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    It's been a while since a play's language alone made me laugh out loud this hard. But even that's not doing justice to the absurdist, heartfelt, slippery-as-a-salmon plot that Kruse has concocted – which might be a metaphor about being transgender, or a screed asking men to admit their homoerotic leanings, or maybe just how isolated we all are, casting our lines out and hoping to reel in genuine connection. Sven may feel like they were born wrong, but I foresee a long life for "Eelpout!"

    It's been a while since a play's language alone made me laugh out loud this hard. But even that's not doing justice to the absurdist, heartfelt, slippery-as-a-salmon plot that Kruse has concocted – which might be a metaphor about being transgender, or a screed asking men to admit their homoerotic leanings, or maybe just how isolated we all are, casting our lines out and hoping to reel in genuine connection. Sven may feel like they were born wrong, but I foresee a long life for "Eelpout!"

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    Kime's play achieves a difficult goal: empathizing with the real fear experienced by conspiracy theorists, while still holding their mindset up to scrutiny. Mia's struggle to withhold judgement and truly listen to the TI's contrasts dramatically with Rhonda's destructive unwillingness to bend even for a second, even for her ostensible allies. A play about victimhood, and about how self-identifying as "powerless" can be, perversely, a way to gain power over everyone else. Produce it everywhere!

    Kime's play achieves a difficult goal: empathizing with the real fear experienced by conspiracy theorists, while still holding their mindset up to scrutiny. Mia's struggle to withhold judgement and truly listen to the TI's contrasts dramatically with Rhonda's destructive unwillingness to bend even for a second, even for her ostensible allies. A play about victimhood, and about how self-identifying as "powerless" can be, perversely, a way to gain power over everyone else. Produce it everywhere!

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    A skin-crawling play with the logic of a nightmare, BOTH gives the audience just enough information to side with its staunch protagonist, while removing many of the details that would keep them from dismissing the family's perspective completely. In a time where honesty is held up as an unassailable virtue, this play dares to ask whether "the whole truth" can harm more than it heals – and whether that harm is worth feeling anyway. Well served by a stellar world premiere at Teatro Vista.

    A skin-crawling play with the logic of a nightmare, BOTH gives the audience just enough information to side with its staunch protagonist, while removing many of the details that would keep them from dismissing the family's perspective completely. In a time where honesty is held up as an unassailable virtue, this play dares to ask whether "the whole truth" can harm more than it heals – and whether that harm is worth feeling anyway. Well served by a stellar world premiere at Teatro Vista.

  • Zach Barr: Let Me Let Me Rot by kanishk pandey
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    Gentle and elegiac, LET ME LET ME ROT weighs questions of self-loathing, digital isolation, and the erotic nature of mortality. The sparse scenes keep the play moving quickly, but all of the isolated moments between Mangal and Death feel richly drawn, inviting further consideration of the audience's own tendencies towards connection and/or isolation. Ultimately, a love story, of a sort.

    Gentle and elegiac, LET ME LET ME ROT weighs questions of self-loathing, digital isolation, and the erotic nature of mortality. The sparse scenes keep the play moving quickly, but all of the isolated moments between Mangal and Death feel richly drawn, inviting further consideration of the audience's own tendencies towards connection and/or isolation. Ultimately, a love story, of a sort.

    ”
  • Zach Barr: Stories in Mother Tongues by Deepak Kumar
    “

    Much like any family history, Kumar's play appears simple at first, before revealing complications that grow variously frightening and heartening as the evening goes on. A sci-fi, combat-heavy, fourth-wall-obliterating take on intergenerational relationships, centered on an engaging and funny bond between Paati and Giri, and prickly questions about who shoulders the burdens of keeping a family's culture alive. It's campy entertainment. It's searing family drama. Magically, it's both at once.

    Much like any family history, Kumar's play appears simple at first, before revealing complications that grow variously frightening and heartening as the evening goes on. A sci-fi, combat-heavy, fourth-wall-obliterating take on intergenerational relationships, centered on an engaging and funny bond between Paati and Giri, and prickly questions about who shoulders the burdens of keeping a family's culture alive. It's campy entertainment. It's searing family drama. Magically, it's both at once.

    ”
  • Zach Barr: You Should Be So Lucky by Alyssa Haddad-Chin
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    A play that begins in extreme realism, but slowly pulls the roots out from under the characters – not unlike the narrative happening in the background. Jenny and Poh Poh's bickering relationship is full of love, and I love the slow boil of the stakes, keeping even banal conversations simmering with tension.

    A play that begins in extreme realism, but slowly pulls the roots out from under the characters – not unlike the narrative happening in the background. Jenny and Poh Poh's bickering relationship is full of love, and I love the slow boil of the stakes, keeping even banal conversations simmering with tension.

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  • Zach Barr: IDLE EYES by kanishk pandey
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    The truth being avoided at the center of IDLE EYES is not hard to discern early, but the myriad of ways that avoidance manifests, though real-time onstage clay throwing and a dash of surreal horror, keeps a story of evasion feeling propulsive and ever-twisting. Aahna is a goldmine for a dramatic actress to dig into, and the unique immersion of the audience leads to an experience far more than simply an intriguing story. Some of the best impossible stage directions I've read in a while.

    The truth being avoided at the center of IDLE EYES is not hard to discern early, but the myriad of ways that avoidance manifests, though real-time onstage clay throwing and a dash of surreal horror, keeps a story of evasion feeling propulsive and ever-twisting. Aahna is a goldmine for a dramatic actress to dig into, and the unique immersion of the audience leads to an experience far more than simply an intriguing story. Some of the best impossible stage directions I've read in a while.

    ”