Recommended by Sam Heyman

"It was like a vice squeezing the culture out of us." In this compelling monologue, Christopher Soucy articulates a painfully common experience, of the way that racial oppression and its assimilationist imperative shapes and twists the experiences of so many, but particularly Asian people in America. The specificity of this monologue allows it to tug at the heart strings and elicit a quiet rage on behalf of its speaker. Powerful.

What a marvelous, hilarious short play DC Cathro has produced! I had the pleasure of seeing this play read at the Valdez Theatre Fringe this summer and the energy in the audience was electric. "Harry vs. James" is a play that demands strong comic timing from its actors, but the comedic rewards for the cast and the audience are considerable. Perfect for any short play festival!

As a former teacher with not even the smallest iota of the experience Mrs. Frederickson has, I connect with this exhaustion, this rage, this embattled passion captured by Wyndham's words.

This is a powerful, scathing piece of theatre that speaks truth to a power that is increasingly ignorant, negligent, and unqualified to lead. Teachers do more work than they are paid for, and are paid much less mind than they are qualified for. It's not just Florida that has these problems, but the specificity of this monologue lends even more strength and immediacy to the problems highlighted. Excellent work!

Wow! Morey Norkin has come up with something sinisterly special here. Rewind is a tight ten-minute play with more than its share of twists, and I loved every minute of it. That it left me wanting more just means Norkin is on exactly the right track - I have no doubt it will be a hit at short play festivals, provided they have a good prop budget!

Funny and furious in equal measure, "welcome to the neighborhood" effectively juxtaposes neighborly politeness with unrelenting rage. I love how Dettloff gives the actor total freedom over the choices made to create this character, as well as their approach toward gentle -- or not-so-gentle -- confrontation. A treat for a gifted comedic actor, even better than fresh blondies!

Kelsey Sullivan has a brilliant, terrifying mind. "Stinky Girls" showcases a sensibility unafraid to dig into the unpleasant, unsettling sides of humanity in general, and womanhood in specific. It is a play whose laughter and connective moments give way to horror and despair in exquisite and theatrical ways. I am in awe of this play, and I may need a shower. Highly recommended!

I was on board just from the title, but with "Midler on the Roof" -- and all of his plays -- John Busser DELIVERS. This play has got it all -- shoe-related gags, wholesome, if dopy cops, digs at Kathy Najimy -- and it moves along at a breezy, joke-dense pace. This would be a hit with audiences, and hopefully with the Divine Miss M herself. Hilarious!

Dreams are a funny thing. There are often a lot of strange thoughts and feelings wrapped up in them, and whether you understand what they mean or not, sometimes the only way to process dreams is to share them. With "just jelly beans," Sarah Jae Leiber captures one such instance of a dream being recounted, and all the strangeness and intimacy that comes with it. Semi-sweet and sad.

THIS GRASS KILLS PEOPLE is a pointed fable about warnings and willful ignorance -- and what happens when people value personal freedom over the clear boundaries that the world sets to protect them. It is disconcerting, but important theatre, economically told. Excellent work!

"Founders, Keepers" is an exceptionally moving piece of work that explores its darkly comic premise with the humanity it deserves. Aurora Behlke's young characters navigate friendship, puberty, dreams, death, and what may prove to be the end of one country and the beginning of another - these girls have so much to say, and they don't always know how to say it, but they are trying their best with what they have. Frequently hilarious, even amidst heartbreak, "Founders, Keepers" deserves to be seen by audiences everywhere.