Recommended by Joe Swenson

  • I Spy
    12 Jan. 2022
    Randy Hunt’s I Spy is a fantastic story with two layered and well-thought-out characters. The premise is so fun, the expectations though are more fun. This show will also make you crave Funyuns. Loved it!
  • Who Put Bella In The Wych Elm?
    12 Jan. 2022
    From the moment the play starts until it’s unexpected ending I couldn’t put this play down. It will literally haunt me! Katherine Vondy’s ability to take a real story, a real unsolved mystery, and give it such depth is fascinating. Throughout this play Katherine’s dialogue and relationships accentuate the expectations of women in the 1940s. Absolutely incredible. 1 of my favorite NPX shows.
  • I Can't Ride Trains Anymore
    12 Jan. 2022
    One of the most courageous written pieces I've ever read. I Can't Ride Trains Anymore is amazing, it's vulnerable, heartbreaking, and empowering. There is so much that I want to right, that gives away the subtilties and the in-your-face narrative about transition and ultimately trans-life, so I won't. I implore you, all of you to read this. Read August Forman's words, especially those (including myself) that are/were ignorant. You will walk away changed. This monologue has changed me for the better, forever. Thank you August.
  • Knock Over the Milk Bottles - Win A Prize!
    12 Jan. 2022
    There wasn't a moment in the entirety of this play that I wasn't smiling. Dana has built a splendid piece where purpose is escalated for at least this one time. What a fantastic concept, wonderful imagery, and an ending that you root for, for all of mankind, essentially. It's so good that I even imagined the carny that works this particular game after the show ends and the explanations that would come from that. Brilliant piece by a wonderful playwright. Kudos.
  • Tales of the Sun King
    12 Jan. 2022
    What an incredible piece of art. All of it. The incredible amount of work that Kenneth N. Kurtz put into this piece is awe-inspiring. Visually stunning, it doesn't take much imagination to understand the artistry that is taking place. The rhythm of the piece and all of the exceptional secondary characters add so much to this stunning work. This work of art deserves a stage. Breathtaking.
  • Frankenstein Hums
    12 Jan. 2022
    What a trip. It starts weird, gets weirder, and then just when you think it's over, it gets weird again. Jim has done an incredible job of creating four very well-defined characters. But, because of the smack-talk (cattiness) of the two attorneys, you find yourself not only rooting for Mary to find her missing thing, but also Cody's. Then Jim throws in a fantastic monologue for Mary where the audience once again feels guilty for rooting for Cody and Mary and even drops hints to an alternate ambiguous ending. This is an excellent show, with great tension. Kudos.
  • FRAMED ( from the MAD FOR MYSTERY Collection)
    12 Jan. 2022
    The wonderful chemistry in dialogue between the Stillwell sisters makes this play a highlight for all that read or listen to the show. A twisty whodunit that uses a bit of slight-of-hand, to reach its unpredictable conclusions brings about the fun and the energy. The visuals painted by Vivian are fantastic and true to style, Lermond delivers throughout. Fantastic work!
  • Janmadin
    12 Jan. 2022
    Vince Gatton takes us on a very intriguing ride from corporate restructuring to save jobs to birthday parties, to the supernatural world. At the same time exposing prejudices that build into the escalation strategy. There is so much to unpack here to as Vince raises the stakes gradually throughout the show. There are also four strong characters that give the story an authentic appeal. Well done.
  • Rosemary
    12 Jan. 2022
    What a fun and imaginative spin on the supernatural world. When you think about the baseline familiarity of the skills of each of the four main characters, you appreciate the extras that Christian St. Croix sprinkles in. Then there are the rules, the special relationships supernaturally, and you have the recipe for Supernatural Skills fans, like myself, absolutely love. Throw in a measured escalation strategy, additional layers of stakes, and complicated interpersonal connections and you find yourself immersed into the culture and environment that St. Croix creates. Also love the somewhat ambiguous ending. Excellent play.
  • 'E'Scape
    11 Jan. 2022
    Finally a show where you embrace so many of your senses from the luxury of your E'Scape sunglasses. The imagined imagery menagerie is managed so expertly and efficiently that you have to go back and read the word play that is at hand that serves as the catalyst for the story. I read it twice, once to get familiar, and then again at full speed, and Chris Plumridge did not disappoint. The best part is not that everything ends up in maximum chaos, the best part the window. It's unexpected, it's hilarious, and it's brilliant. Another triumph!

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