Recommended by Maximillian Gill

I'm deeply unsettled by how plausible this play is, which is some of the highest praise I can personally think of for a dystopian story. Also like the best speculative fiction, it's not really about the future, it's about now, an honest and clear commentary on the disproportionate use of punishment against people of color and the systematic destruction of their basic humanity. All done with relatable characters that read as real. When we confront the daily indignities visited upon these characters we are forced to reckon with the injustices of the present moment. Powerful work.

I honestly don't know how he does it or how he makes it seem so easy, but Williams has done it again: Rendering realistic characters in relatable situations with exceptional wit and insight. These characters are old friends by now thanks to the previous work, and revisiting them and seeing where they've come is a delight. There is a scene in this play between two characters recounting their initial attraction that I found very true and poignant. The play also treats addiction and the hard path to recovery with impressive sensitivity and an admirable avoidance of cliches. Another gem!

Intense and gripping. I am impressed at how effortlessly Olivas encapsulates the character’s family history in a tightly written account. The generational quickly transforms into the personal as we hear the character’s recounting of a trauma in an unsettling and thoroughly engaging way. A compelling monologue written in an assured, specific voice.

Such a wonderful short play, ideal for young audiences but enjoyable at any age. Our young protagonist has a tough journey and learns some important lessons, but everything is earned along the way. The messages are all relevant and encourage respecting other people and embracing diversity and inclusion. I am impressed at how Aguilar crafts dialogue that is understandable for young viewers but still engaging for adults.

Accounts of sexual abuse in the military are distressingly common; Ortiz takes on the subject with bravery and a commitment to making one of these stories specific and real while at the same time expanding the focus to take in the general culture of misogyny. Yudy's journey is powerfully rendered both through dialogue and stage directions. I also appreciate how the faceless soldiers are a constant threatening presence that shadow every scene. Compelling work.

The Odyssey re-imagined as a quest for understanding one’s own identity is a brilliant conceit and Rivera does a fine job of exploring the many facets of the tale. Some of the adaptations are sheer brilliance (the way Circe turns Des into animals in this version comes to mind), but the play never loses sight of the central narrative and the emotional and psychological journey at the heart. Rivera depicts the quest as universal and ultimately satisfying.

A hilarious short play that upends, skewers, satirizes, mangles, and ____ (add more verbs here) small stereotypical parts in big budget movies. There is an interlude in this play in which the two characters say the same lines repeatedly but the stage directions are varied in such a way that I could easily imagine how funny this sequence would be on stage. Sanchez really does a fine job of pumping up the hilarity of a simple but funny scenario.

Identities steeped in specific cultures and ethnicities are never simple, and I love how this play explores just how complicated it can be. The scenes between the young couple and a mother who just doesn't "get it" are excruciating, mostly because they are so real and so many of us have been there, yet Cabrera is careful to show everyone's side of things. The mysterious fourth character, whose identity I will not spoil, is a fascinating addition that really kicks this incredible play up to the next level.

An intense and utterly brave look at the horrific struggles of the undocumented from the perspective of an ICE officer. Johnny is an extremely complex character; he commits unspeakable acts, but in this play we are forced to look him in the eyes and recognize him as human. Around him are a number of well-drawn characters who offer different perspectives and opinions on complicated issues of identity. A scathing and riveting work that speaks to our times without ever flinching.

A delicate and finally tuned exploration of love and its dimensions. Zarate’s dialogue is both sharply direct and poetic at times, evocative of desert dawns and dusks, calibrated for this very specific place and atmosphere. The pace of the play is deliberate, pages pass before the real issues start coming out, yet it never seems too slow, and I truly marvel at Zarate’s ability to keep us hooked and invested in these characters from the beginning. I can just hear Beethoven’s music played on a piano outdoors. It’s a lovely image that permeates this wonderful work.