Recommended by Maximillian Gill

A fun dive into the nuances of geek culture unexpectedly transforms into a moving story of loss and connection. As always, Goldstein handles the twists with such a deftness and delicacy that the reader is emotionally invested in every stage of the journey. Wonderful work.

A wonderful play featuring smart, funny characters trying to navigate the treacherous spaces where love and societal expectations come together. Patel's light touch keeps the pace brisk, yet the play digs deep into issues of identity, tradition, and the difficulties of bridging cultural divides. Witty moments play with the tropes of rom-coms, both Bollywood and otherwise.

A wonderful sketch of two characters sparring, pushing, and finally understanding and commiserating. Natasha is one of those characters who just leaps off the page with her humor, commitment to directness, and sheer energy. Joel is a wonderful counterpart. The two of them go on an amazing journey in this compact, exhilarating play.

This short play packs in so many elements and themes in interesting ways. One aspect that stands out for me is the exploration of the nuances of friendship. Sometimes a good friend knows us better than we know ourselves, but sometimes a good friend only thinks they know us better. I found myself captivated as I watched the two characters dance around this fine line.

I love how this short play has a different take on the lockdown era by depicting characters suffering from too little privacy rather than too much privacy. At the same time it delivers plenty of laughs that arise organically out of a superbly crafted awkward premise that takes full advantage of the Zoom platform. Lots of fun!

Hayet's short play subverts the expectations of the family-around-the-dinner-table genre in lots of subtle and wonderful ways. The banter is quick and witty and each character is firmly grounded in reality and in their specific quirks. I especially love how the writer deftly shifts the grandparents' reminiscences from humor to a startling poignancy that really stays with you.

I feel late to the party in appreciating this wonderful short play, but I was recently fortunate enough to see a live production and felt the need to add my recommendation to all of the highly deserved praise the piece has received. The humor is quick (and two repair people steal the show), but it also leaves a viewer/reader with the poignancy of connection and an acknowledgement of shared humanity (or whatever the equivalent word is for fridges).

A chilling play that really draws you into a claustrophobic place and situation. Partain is able to do more with words and a foreboding atmosphere than most horror movies are able to do with million-dollar budgets.

This play had me from the description of the character known as Jesus! Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend has a real gift for presenting the most difficult political issues with humor. One gets so caught up in the characters and deft comic strokes that one ends up completely unprepared for the gut punch of reality. The laugh-out-loud lines riff on biblical lore in fresh ways, but at the core is a sweet relationship between Jesus and a reluctant prophet that grows and is fully realized. The use of radio reports as a chorus is an inspired touch. A play for our time.

I can't recall the last time I found a play so uncomfortably funny, but I also can't think of a more appropriate response to a subject as topical and urgent as this one. The writer's ability to strike a perfect tonal balance between the horrific and the hilarious is astonishing. The approach is audacious but never irreverent, and the depth of concern for both the fictional and many real lives affected by the current political landscape is always at the forefront. The close is heartfelt and affecting and strikes a desperately needed note of hope. Wonderful work.