Recommended by Baylee Shlichtman

An atmospheric slow-burn, AT THE END OF THE HALL could be described as Groundhog Day but make it gothic horror, where the claustrophobic time loop (or is it a time loop?) itself is as much of a haunting as the ghosts. As the boxes these characters are trying to pack seemingly unpack themselves, they will also be forced to unpack their relationships with their mothers and each other, even as they would both like to keep those conversations stored on ice.

A delectably dark play that unsettles and captivates until the very last page. As Charlotte and the Man from the shadows size each other up, DARK GALLERY tows the line between romantic and disturbing in the way only a well-executed gothic can, ending with a twist that will leave you satisfied.

SPRAWL is a daring work about the ethics of appropriating trauma for art told through but not limited to a fracturing timeline, a game show, a wedding banda, a play within a play, a commencement speech, and an extended Death Note reference. What ties these all together is Dee, a character who manages to frustrate and draw sympathy at once as they grieve the loss of their relationship with their friend/unrequited love through increasingly questionable means. A frenetic, sometimes tragic, and gorgeous play.

Funny and charming, this is a play that will have you laughing out loud while contemplating the ways we can become so consumed in the acting of loving that we fail to actually see the person we're meant to love and what's best for them. Plus there's time travel.

Part sci-fi, part gothic horror, "Truth or Consequences" tackles how systems of white supremacy ensnare people of color by promising them a seat at the table only to use them to eradicate non-white cultures and ultimately themselves by having the main character fight against a sentient hotel that sprouts tentacles--and it works! Seriously unique, you won't forget this anytime soon.

An engaging play that poses many thoughtful questions about the future of body modification and its ethics while never losing sight of the emotional core of the characters and what is at stake for them by having these conversations.

The Ballad of Cassie and Joe reimagines the Agamemnon and Genesis 39 as a love-story that transcends continents and mythologies, managing to be equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming without ever feeling contrived. The connection between Cassandra and Joseph is striking and well-realized, making them impossible not to root for even as their romance is doomed and their fates are sealed. Proctor pulls no punches, but just like the dream space the lovers find (or create), there are pockets of joy and hope to be found and clung to as well.

Both fun and honest, For Your Consideration deftly juxtaposes the tropes and conventions of reality TV with the complexities of making an interracial relationship work. I love the specificity with which Surya is written, her journey with love and creating art, and how inextricable it is from her South Asian American identity. The dialogue is masterful as always, as Sharma has a knack for parsing out just the right turn of phrase to get across exactly what a character wants.

If there's one word that encapsulates this play, it's "joy." The characters are fully realized and likable, even when they make mistakes. It's refreshing to engage with a work that doesn't indulge in trauma as a driver for conflict, especially when Black and brown bodies are at the center.

This play is hilarious and heavy-hitting. Sharma expertly uses humor to explore microaggressions and racism within improv and "woke" white spaces. The work is fun, often absurd, and unabashed in its honesty.