Recommended by Maximillian Gill

A fascinating time travel story that begins with the classic "What if you went back in time and killed Hitler?" thought experiment and goes to places that I never expected, despite having seen all of the time travel movies that the piece references. I consider that a testament to Moran's originality. At its core, the piece delivers a profoundly humanist message, yet it's so much fun that it never feels message-y. Imaginative, playful, thoughtful, and funny, with characters we root for.

One thing I really admire about this piece is how it takes a fairly simple procedural disagreement and uses it to tackle a host of sociological, psychological, and ethical issues. To these two characters, the stakes are much higher than whether a student takes summer school, and therefore the stakes are much higher for us as well. The characters are grounded and natural in dialogue and position, and neither is right or wrong. I love the light touches of humor and the ambiguous close. Impressive.

Dazzling. Full of humor, the fantastical, and trenchant social commentary in equal parts. Muller has pulled off something truly innovative with this play. It never took me where I expected it to, yet every choice felt grounded in characters who were larger than life but motivated by real human need. An important play, one to savor and discuss.

Intense, parable-like in its simplicity, sacramental in its treatment of doubt and faith. The best vampire tales are allegorical, and this short, smart piece gives us so much in its examination of a character's struggles with their identity. We open and end on prayer; in between is an acre of guilt, absolution, hypocrisy, and anguish both physical and emotional. A vital, moving play.

Walker does something very clever with this two-hander by subverting some of the standard tropes of the horror genre while still giving us a constant and almost overwhelming feeling of terror and dread. Having it both ways is not easy! The piece also keeps us guessing until the last moment, avoiding the expected twists. It is steeped in nods to classic horror films but remains wholly original. Impressive work!

A unique idea wonderfully conceived for a theatrical space. Giving each character's thoughts to another actor is an elegant metaphor for the disassociation all of us often feel when our outer actions and words fail to match our inner selves. Martineau uses the conceit to express how we struggle to connect with others. The ending has just enough ambiguity to leave us wondering about the possibilities of true alignment. A lot packed into a compact piece.

As a fan of classic film noir, I do love a good spoof, and this one seriously had me at the character names. Somehow, Plumridge manages to pack a witty moment into every line of this compact piece. It plays with noir tropes and so much else. I love the clever use of asides and fun fourth-wall-breaking. Sharp, brilliant, and LOL!

A stark reminder that the most insidious forms of toxicity approach with a smile, charm, and promises of escape. The play takes its time depicting a slow build as one character gaslights and manipulates another until the effect is almost unbearable. We go along on the journey with real and imagined monsters as She finds herself again. Yet Kraay never plays the expected notes. Surprises grab us at every turn until an astonishing close that still has me reeling from the implications. Stunning.

I love so many things about this short piece! I love how it plays with the Scooby Doo/Hardy Boys of it all. I love that the revealed "big bad" receives some grace and understanding at the end. I love the world-building of a strange little town where ordinary citizens seem to regularly dress up like monsters. Most of all I love how Adams weaves in a story of grief and forgiveness without losing touch with the inherent humor of the premise. And all packed into a compact 10 pages!

Tightly written and constructed for maximum impact in a short span of time. I am impressed by how the play starts out light and mostly convivial, but microaggressions build slowly until a full reveal of just how threatening the environment is for these characters. The vision presented is all too real and bleak, yet we thrill to see the younger character stand up for herself, especially in this place and time.