Recommended by Maximillian Gill

This play brings another level of enchantment to the already magical tale of The Tempest by crafting a lovely journey of self-discovery for two young men. Their discussions range from the fascinatingly philosophical to the compellingly sensual. I appreciate the unique dialogue Satta uses, occupying a middle ground between contemporary speech and classical diction. An engaging piece to be savored and thought about.

A delicate and lovely fable. Poetic in form, mythic in proportion. So captivating that I forgot to breathe while reading it. And at the end I did breathe, slowly and assuredly. Kraay does so much with so few words in this piece.

With the innovative conceit of "stepping out of time," Gilly-Forrer has created an elegant, multi-layered device. It is a space for the characters to escape the world's frenzies. It is a metaphor for that indefinable, special reality in which we fall in love with each other. It is so much more, just as this play is about so many things. Above all we have two characters on a lovely, joined journey of processing grief. There are monologues in this play that are both sad and achingly beautiful.

Come for the breezy comic take on a foundational tale, stay for the philosophical underpinnings. We've seen this story done so many ways, but Herbert's take is uniquely fresh. His Serpent is whip-smart, his Adam basic, and his God a fascinatingly conflicted and self-doubting deity. Of course, Lilith and Eve steal the show. The writing is consistently complex, and the characters inhabit the world of myth while still standing out as textured and relatable. One to think and talk about long after.

This play touches the fraught currents of abuse, shame, and forgiveness with an astonishing sensitivity. Everyone knows what it is like to be one of these two characters, most of us have been both of them at one time or another. Yet the story does not take any expected route. The revelations are organic and moving. More than anything, this piece touches on our common humanity with grace and understanding. There are no easy answers, but we all have the capacity to mend our flaws. Lovely play.

Once you realize what is actually going on in this short piece, you cannot unthink it! Hilarious and disturbing in at least equal measures, this one haunts in the best ways. I saw it in a reading with actors fully committed to the premise, and everything absolutely popped.

An absolute delight! I'm not sure there is anything more relatable than youthful desire, but leave it to Emlyn-Jones to turn it all over and show us the strict weirdness of wanting. Hilarious throughout, suffused with this playwright's trademark wit. Also, Robby Rob Bob Junior is one of the best names ever devised.

Oh wow. We are all, whether parents or not, bombarded with notions of what it should feel like to procreate, and many of these things are true, but what I love about this short piece is its willingness to really examine the complicated matrix of emotions that come with parenthood. Leave it to Gonzalez to get honest and hilarious at one go!

I saw a reading of this compact, elegant piece at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez. Within a short period of time, Sengupta gives us so much about the immigrant experience and the challenges of negotiating friendships and obligations in a new country. It is full of numerous subtleties and the authentic textures of these characters' lives.

Quick and assured, relentlessly witty, and absolutely hilarious! Emlyn-Jones has pulled off quite a feat with this traditional genre drawing room comedy transplanted into the current era. Lady Olympia herself is a transplant in time and a larger-than-life presence that anchors this play. Surrounding her are a host of characters who all have their own texture and depth. The timing is quick, the jokes marvelous, and every line is to be savored!