Recommended by Baylee Shlichtman

TELL ME follows two couples separated by war in different time periods. Told mostly in an epistolary format, we see how each character chooses which truths to put into their letters, and which they keep to themselves. While these stories physically link up at the end, they are metaphorically linked throughout by their common experiences, sometimes heartwarming, sometimes chilling. History moves in vicious cycles, but in equal measure so do love and perseverance. And hope.

Darkly funny and heartfelt, CRAZY QUILTS is a story about the power of community, especially when the system fails. Well-paced, well-crafted, and well-worth the read.

We've seen the kind of play John Anthony and Silber are trapped in before, and we know how it ends for them. But then the apocalypse arrives. The world shatters. This play is so impressive in its scope, its ambition, its assuredness. I haven't read anything quite like this before or since.

So theatrical, so fun, so unique. As a mixed Latina myself, I related to Maya's journey so much at times I had to pause and catch my breath. I love this play dearly. I can't wait to see where it goes next.

A gorgeously written character-driven sci-fi where the two leads have undeniable chemistry and not a beat is wasted. The final image in this play took my breath away.

This monologue manages to convey so much with so little. You can really feel how much Tonya loves her son with every word, and even more in what she doesn't say. A beautiful piece.

A lush, eerie play that feels like the equivalent of watching an intricate but claustrophobic dance. Every line of this gothic fairytale is carefully constructed, some taking on double or triple meanings that only unravel as the mysteries of the house do. This would be an unsettling visual delight in the right hands.

A fun rom-com with witty banter and a couple that's easy to root for and there are Sonic the Hedgehog references. And then that act break comes in like a baseball bat to the diaphragm and suddenly it's a tragedy and you're reflecting on mortality and the importance of letting the people you love know that you love them because so little of what we think matters really does in the grand scheme of life. A play that rips out your jugular and gives you a bear hug at the same time.

This play is a coming-of-age story. This play is a coming-out story. But this play is also about being haunted by a Chicanx trans masc character actor, dueling your ex(?) best friend's ex-boyfriend for her honor with the fencing sword you picked up at the thrift shop earlier that day, and how coming home after you tried to "make it out" can feel like an early grave but it doesn't have to be if you make the choice to fight for the person you've become rather than slip back into the scared person you used to be. Incredible stuff.

If you've ever thought to yourself that the music video for "When the Party's Over" by Billie Eilish would make a good absurdist horror play (what just me?) then you're in luck because JUICE is that and more. It's claustrophobic, gross, and one of the most unique explorations of the concept of sacrificing for love when only one person is doing the sacrificing I've read. Would love to see this staged.