Recommended by Sam Heyman

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    I THINK WE'RE LOST is a time-hopping, magical, and inventive take on Peter Pan that explores the dangerous allure of never having to grow up. From the dark implications of a life defined by pleasurable stagnation to the heartfelt journeys taken by each of Fenton's characters, this is a play that will delight audiences and designers alike!

    I THINK WE'RE LOST is a time-hopping, magical, and inventive take on Peter Pan that explores the dangerous allure of never having to grow up. From the dark implications of a life defined by pleasurable stagnation to the heartfelt journeys taken by each of Fenton's characters, this is a play that will delight audiences and designers alike!

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    I had the pleasure of watching a recording of BUM BUM and came away from the experience with a profound sense of hope — hope for a world, a cultural landscape where autistic artists, dancers, comedians, PLAYWRIGHTS get to be themselves, uncensored, unsanitized, and unapologetically so. Dave Osmundsen is at the forefront of what theatre is and can look like. BUM BUM, OR, THIS FARCE HAS AUTISM is funny, profound, and deserves to be seen by audiences all over. Produce this play!

    I had the pleasure of watching a recording of BUM BUM and came away from the experience with a profound sense of hope — hope for a world, a cultural landscape where autistic artists, dancers, comedians, PLAYWRIGHTS get to be themselves, uncensored, unsanitized, and unapologetically so. Dave Osmundsen is at the forefront of what theatre is and can look like. BUM BUM, OR, THIS FARCE HAS AUTISM is funny, profound, and deserves to be seen by audiences all over. Produce this play!

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    Patriarchy Flourishing Under The Sea? Whale, Actually skewers male entitlement in a way that is both hilarious and hard hitting. Regardless of where this play may fit in the timeline of Amelia Earhart’s real life, this is a short play that is sure to have audiences laughing hard and fighting harder to keep from strangling these Certified Vintage misogynists. Produce this play!

    Patriarchy Flourishing Under The Sea? Whale, Actually skewers male entitlement in a way that is both hilarious and hard hitting. Regardless of where this play may fit in the timeline of Amelia Earhart’s real life, this is a short play that is sure to have audiences laughing hard and fighting harder to keep from strangling these Certified Vintage misogynists. Produce this play!

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    Some say Hell is other people, but “Fresh Hell” is a whole other play! Brian Cern captures the frenetic, furious madness of trying to sign your kid up for summer camp and secure yourself some well deserved peace and quiet. I had the pleasure of seeing this play presented at the 2025 Midwest Dramatists Conference and I am a firm believer, this play is a cathartic crowd pleaser. Hilarious!

    Some say Hell is other people, but “Fresh Hell” is a whole other play! Brian Cern captures the frenetic, furious madness of trying to sign your kid up for summer camp and secure yourself some well deserved peace and quiet. I had the pleasure of seeing this play presented at the 2025 Midwest Dramatists Conference and I am a firm believer, this play is a cathartic crowd pleaser. Hilarious!

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    I love the world Don Baker creates in this play so much. The all-gay-male retirement community of Chateau Rainbeau could support so many diverse stories, but I am thankful that it gave birth to this poignant comedy about moving beyond one’s grief. I would gladly pass many half hours with Ray, George, and James Randall James and audiences will delight in this play’s heartfelt and humorous storyline. Presented as part of the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series, it was a delight for all involved.

    I love the world Don Baker creates in this play so much. The all-gay-male retirement community of Chateau Rainbeau could support so many diverse stories, but I am thankful that it gave birth to this poignant comedy about moving beyond one’s grief. I would gladly pass many half hours with Ray, George, and James Randall James and audiences will delight in this play’s heartfelt and humorous storyline. Presented as part of the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series, it was a delight for all involved.

  • Sam Heyman: BRIGHTLY BURNING by Julie Brandon
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    It can be difficult to take stock of the gifts that our parents give us while they’re alive. In Brightly Burning, this engagingly structured drama from Julie Brandon, this sentiment rings poignantly true. I was honored to present this play as part of the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series and recommend it for anyone seeking plays engaging meaningfully with family relationships and the ways our upbringing can inform how far we go, and what legacies we leave behind.

    It can be difficult to take stock of the gifts that our parents give us while they’re alive. In Brightly Burning, this engagingly structured drama from Julie Brandon, this sentiment rings poignantly true. I was honored to present this play as part of the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series and recommend it for anyone seeking plays engaging meaningfully with family relationships and the ways our upbringing can inform how far we go, and what legacies we leave behind.

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  • Sam Heyman: The Country Squire by Philip Middleton Williams
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    Philip Middleton Williams is the master of the “lived in” play world, and this pays off beautifully throughout The Country Squire, his latest full length effort. Everything from the affluent, storied community in which the play is set, to the central family and its various dynamics, feels meticulously crafted. Details that feel like decoration sneak up on you, and help to produce a poignant, lovely piece of theatre. A rich ensemble, ready for the stage.

    Philip Middleton Williams is the master of the “lived in” play world, and this pays off beautifully throughout The Country Squire, his latest full length effort. Everything from the affluent, storied community in which the play is set, to the central family and its various dynamics, feels meticulously crafted. Details that feel like decoration sneak up on you, and help to produce a poignant, lovely piece of theatre. A rich ensemble, ready for the stage.

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  • Sam Heyman: Rendezvous by Ken Love
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    It's a wonder what some women have to do to survive encounters with men. The simmering hair-trigger rage that lurks beneath the surface of spurned men can be terrifying. Ken Love's "Rendezvous" darkly and honestly explores these tensions in a tight ten minutes that will keep audiences rapt. An excellent short piece.

    It's a wonder what some women have to do to survive encounters with men. The simmering hair-trigger rage that lurks beneath the surface of spurned men can be terrifying. Ken Love's "Rendezvous" darkly and honestly explores these tensions in a tight ten minutes that will keep audiences rapt. An excellent short piece.

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  • Sam Heyman: ERSTWHILE by Julie Brandon
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    Sometimes the only one you can trust is yourself. In this clever, cerebral take on “Erstwhile,” Julie Brandon splits a character’s mind into two so they can work to solve an attempt on their life. This short is humorous and surprising, with a satisfying sense of justice. Excellent!

    Sometimes the only one you can trust is yourself. In this clever, cerebral take on “Erstwhile,” Julie Brandon splits a character’s mind into two so they can work to solve an attempt on their life. This short is humorous and surprising, with a satisfying sense of justice. Excellent!

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  • Sam Heyman: Erstwhile by Christopher Soucy
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    Dreams, death, and past lives converge in this haunting short from Christopher Soucy. “Erstwhile” proves to be a title with multiple resonances - do our dreams give us entry to lives formerly lived? Or do they unlock something darker within us, lying dormant? Excellent and chilling.

    Dreams, death, and past lives converge in this haunting short from Christopher Soucy. “Erstwhile” proves to be a title with multiple resonances - do our dreams give us entry to lives formerly lived? Or do they unlock something darker within us, lying dormant? Excellent and chilling.

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