Recommended by Heather Helinsky

This play grabbed me right away with it's bold theatrical visual vocabulary and its memorable characters who speak poetically about heartbreak. Why not put Kim Jong-Il in the middle of a rom-com as he's searching for a South Korean bride at a resort wedding while he's trying to destroy America with nuclear weapons? I was particulary drawn in by Turtle-Man, Crab Girk, and of course, the Elvis Impersonator. The metaphors are rather clear in this irreverent, fun romp.

As Stacey's dramaturg for the Lee University premiere, I witnessed the transformation of this play from the copious amounts of research on the history of Harlan County, Kentucky to an epic journey of a community of women who are cut off by both the landscape & corporate greed, and must band together to fed for themselves. We need to be listening to stories from this region of the country. The responses from the talkback praised Stacey for the authenticity of the writing. If you're looking for a woman-empowering play about faith, doubt, anger, perseverance, humor, & community--produce this one.

"Y" produce this play? Small, nuanced moments, carefully crafted, character-centered storytelling. I was definitely along for the emotional ride with Wyatt and Merryn as they navigate a way forward through their grief.

If you're looking for a play that has that feeling of "Cheers"---where lonely people gather for companionship and hope for the possibility of romance, take a moment to pull off the superhighway and give this one a read. But this is more than a sit-com or rom-com genre---Gina's writing is relentless, full of energy, full of questions, and not afraid of dealing with tough conversations about past pain. I also liked the metaphor of the piano in this store, and why it's there.

Robin’s plays often dramatize characters who are outsiders. The questions this play raises in this small town are “who goes, who stays, who belongs, who wins, and who ultimately loses?” All of her characters are forced to take a “side”---something that feels relevant right now. I also appreciate the metaphor of coming home to a community with a lot of fog and dirt. It's hard to cleanse ourselves of the dirt of our past. And when we absent our voices from the community, we perhaps allow darker forces to roll in and bulldoze over others.

I highly enjoy plays that take us away to another world, but the world depicted in JILT, unfortunately, is rather close to our own. Even though this is a "near-future" world, it's more than just a dark mirror that reflects our own. Jae is trying to pursue justice for Aika in a world where language is manipulated by the powerful. Jennie Webb's use of language is jarring, playful, and pointed. Language in this play describes, normalizes, and cages us in. I hope this play gets an opportunity to go from the page to stage soon.

Intimate story of three young Christians, struggling with similar questions to the biblical Job: abandonment, where is God right now, why are these events happening to me? I enjoyed the red/white imagery, and the significance of the events occurring over the Easter weekend. Well rendered.

Why is "the human element" always bringing chaos to a Utopian society? Because of course, ideals are difficult to live with. In this self-aware new comedy, read recently at Great Plains Theatre Conference, Nell has to decide if she is going to truly live by her ideals when one of her fellow farm-mates brings home a "dude". I love the twist when we see Leif genuinely trying to embrace the community, in his own way. He may be one of the elements of chaos to the community, but it's really human nature and good intentions that get parodied the most.

From the first time I read this play in 2015 to when I saw the Boston Playwrights production in May 2017, I was impressed by Raker's re-imagining of this Southwestern myth. It questions how young women are raised, their image of body and self, and relationship with the world. Will these three young women get turned away by St. Peter at the gate, like La Llorona? This piece, like water, flows organically through important feminist questions in a relatable, funny, irreverent way.

Vivid, intense, fluid storytelling. It's hard to replicate the feeling of the first time you read ARABIAN NIGHTS or ALICE IN WONDERLAND, but this one will take you down the rabbit hole. This play will make you feel both overwhelmed by the city, lost in the crowd, but also an individual who has the right to laugh & grieve. This piece deals with loss and abandonment; I feel in good hands with Capodicasa's poetic writing. Audiences will purchase a ticket to Mastavia, and after visiting (if they can find their way out of the labyrinth), will leave cathartically changed.