Recommended by Roni Ragone

Clownfishing is one of my new absolute favorite plays. Ever. BJG’s witty dialogue and hilarious moments keep the audience afloat, all while laying the ground work for one of the most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever seen. Every character has incredible nuance, and I cannot stress enough how important this story is— This play has a long future ahead of it.

“You haven’t heard the last of me!” “I’ll hear more from you later, as you seem to pop up a lot in my life.” In just 10 minutes, Smith brings us to a colorful world with big belly laughs followed by yanks on the heart immediately after. I am always impressed with the amount of emotional real-estate Smith is able to capture in even short plays, and I truly cannot wait to see a full production of this delightful yet incredibly honest piece.

And suddenly, I am back in middle school again — dreaming palpable yet seemingly unreachable dreams, the way anxiety seems to choke us, and the beautiful friendships too. Daniel’s ability to capture young voices and create dynamic human beings is so remarkable. I laughed, I cried, and I am left wondering: am I too eating Oreos the wrong way?

Bailey Jordan Garcia will never fail to amaze me— they always create the most interesting worlds that you want to get sucked into and leave me with tears in my eyes, not knowing it’s possible to laugh so hard in just 10 minutes. This play specifically is one of my favorites of theirs— the clever word play, these wonderful characters, and the general wacky premise that you’ll never forget— Garcia is a master at locking in an audience quickly, then keeping them captivated the whole time.

I don’t know how else to say this play haunts me in a way that I thank it for. Smith continues to show that they understand the human condition more than most of us ever dream to. The imagery is so daunting in a way that begs to be performed. If you are considering doing this play, DO IT. And then tell me so I can come see it!!!