Recommended by Maximillian Gill

Charming and effortless, a short play about a relationship emerging before her eyes that doesn't feel forced or rushed at all. Mabey's assured touch with the human in human connection as well as the writer's dry wit are both fully evident here. Some moments feel so oblique that you question what you are seeing. The ambiguity works well, particularly as the play is so grounded in genuine human emotion.

I find that the best sci-fi and fantasy takes us just far enough outside of reality to shake up our expectations but still grounds fantastical events in the realities of human relationships. This short piece fulfills the criteria in the best way. Gatton's characteristic dry wit is present throughout, but human grief enters the situation in a way that feels natural and urgent and very relevant to our time. A skillful and engaging play.

A thoroughly fascinating dissection of sex, desire, and all of the various complications. The play takes place primarily over the span of a single sexual encounter, and Wetzell uses this incident to lay out a road-map of desire, fantasy, and the exhilarating temptations of risk and transgression. All of the thoughtful content happens naturally, with characters who are consistently engaging and real.

Those who question the prevalence of sexual harassment in the film industry (and every industry for that matter) really need to read this play. It offers a detailed analysis of just how cunning some of the toxic males in the industry are. The way the predator in this play manipulates every moment is chilling and feels terrifyingly real. We also have a character we can cheer on, a woman who is too smart to let herself be used. A powerful, relevant play.

An intensely moving play with sharply drawn, richly inhabited characters. Yazmeen's gift with dialogue is so assured that you can really feel the full weight of all of the living these characters have had before they reached this point. The piece documents traumas in a clear-eyed way, but it also shows the path out, the way to redemption for these characters.

A lovely modern spin on the Pygmalion myth. Lashof successfully balances a breezy, light tone with a fascinating exploration of an artist's relationship with their creation. The dialogue is expertly crafted to sound contemporary but still retains a classical rhythm.

A riveting short piece. Twists, turns, and hinted mysteries keep us guessing until the end, but the characters at the heart of the play are what really engage us. Their resolve and strength in a situation that offers little hope are inspiring.

I love short plays that take the reader on an unexpected journey. Here we begin with a slightly absurdist, comic premise, but through a meaningful conversation between the two characters we end in a surprising place, if not faith than at least a powerful commitment to an ideal and a community. A deft, witty short piece.

A sharp and punchy piece that grabs you right in the beginning and does not let you go. The writer brilliantly distills our fraught political moment into the basic fears that motivate us. Humorous and rich.

An engrossing and all-too-relevant play. Beyond the obvious relevance to the current rash of school shooting incidents, the piece poses tough questions of ethics and values and how to do the right thing in the worst circumstances. It's a tribute to Minigan's skill that the play feels resolved without offering easy answers to the questions.