Recommended by Jarred Corona

There's such a specific and fun energy to the dialogue in this play. I'd love to see a few people try out the role of Marliss just to see what sorts of energy they see. Even outside of the plot and dialogue, the energy Floyd-Priskorn imbues Marliss with already makes this seem like a joy to watch. It's also fun to see the show play around the theme of the downfalls of idealistic purity/heroism when combined with fallible human judgment. Another swing and score for Jacquelyn, which, really, should surprise no one.

There's a wonderful innocence to Dimitri that is quite enjoyable. At the same time, given Russia's anti-LGBT-"propaganda" policy, the time distancing serves to remind us the stark cruelty of ignorance. Dimitri has not the ability to conceptualize his true feelings because his society hides that beauty from him. Hopefully we Americans, distanced further by the setting, be able to see the cruelty of our own budding laws. The devastation of religious homophobia. I've had many conversations a la the holiness of beauty, art, and queer love with religious folks. There's a deep, deep sadness to this show. Well done.

If you need a pick-me-up, you definitely need to read this short play. When the reveal happens... Oh, and then when the parallel moment strikes... Listen. If you want an audience to giggle themselves to death, this is the show to put on. Amazing lol

When you're alienated by life, capitalism, the socially-constructed boxes of identity, how do you move forward? When you find a shit cake, do you eat it? It looks horrible, but oh, it tastes so sweet, and how long your tongue has longed for sweetness. Close your eyes, it's wonderful. Open them, it's shit. Idealism is murdered by the drudgery of life, and yet the drudgery gives us such strong longing. Marcia Eppich-Harris takes a taboo and paints it in an oddly beautiful, sad way. It's funny and awful. There's something almost ugly and yet delicious here. A true Shit Cake.

There is something magic, heartbreaking, and poetic about misery and loss. It upends our lives. Things end. But when things end, other things are born. Maybe those new things are good, and perhaps they aren't. But either way, we have to keep going. We have to feel and mourn and try again. And hurt. We have to accept the hurt. A beautifully written play starring a very smart and handsome cat.

The end note of this show is quite wonderful. I laughed a decent amount. It's "Netflix and chill, with an emphasis on chill, because it's winter?" Because the ultimate distillation of Christmas is a desire for connection. If we can't find that watching movies together, well... there are other options. An amusing tale for sure.

I truly enjoy the way this play is constructed with ghosts and alcohol and time never quite moving the way we expect it. Even something about the investigation is off, just enough to make you continue to question the entire world. What is real? What is truth? Do either of those things really matter? Two men have their own mental breakdowns. They crash against each other, denying and conflicting, always keeping you guessing. What is real? Does it matter?

I quite enjoy when the arguments really ramp up. It's there where the dialogue and pacing really shine, in my opinion.

In my brain, this 10 minute play encompasses season one of an off-kilter, hilarious parody anime, a shonen hitting all the typical beats and poking gentle fun at them while at the same time causing viewers to root for the next moment they know is coming. "Yeah! Music wins!" It's silly and not by any means mean-spirited. I'd love to see it for the terribly played music delivered as if it's miraculous.

There's a YA book not at all like this play, Adam Silvera's "They Both Die at the End." In it, there's an agency that contacts people and let them know that today is the day they die. They have no agenda. They do no harm. It's a boring, ruthless costumer service job. After reading it, I always wondered after the lives of those employees. In a way, this show seems to be the answer to my question. The answer is: soul-crushing. Capitalistic. Quota-filling. It's nothing personal, it's business. And business is cold. Another excellent world and show by Daniel Prillaman.

When you have no answers for your questions, only wanderings and dreams, where does your mind go? The show has a rich and dark world we only see glimpses of. We do not know for what the doctors are imprisoned, if it is just, and if they are even decent people. And none of that matters. In the end, we are all people. All lonely and scared. All longing for something, looking for a brighter future. How do we create hope when we are hopeless? How do we bring the people we've lost with us? This a lovely, haunting show.