Recommended by Sam Heyman

By taking emphasis away from what can be seen and leaning on the sonic elements of the play's setting, Mackenzie Kirkman has crafted a two hander that is a sound designer's dream. Her squabbling teen protagonists find themselves navigating unknown territory without even a dry match between them, and Kirkman's expert dialogue balances edge-of-your-seat tension with fits of humor. "They Bumped the Lantern Over Just Before the Play Began" would be an excellent addition to a night of innovative, gripping theatre!

This is a powerful and incendiary piece from Sam Danko. As a former educator, many elements of this play rang painfully true, as they will for any American who's been paying attention to the ongoing assault on our education system. "It doesn't have to be this way" -- and until things change, works of art like this one will demonstrate this truth in a way that scalds.

Scott Sickles is a master of nuanced, human communication - Boardwalk Concessions starts out as a silly scenario anchored around heartbreak, but it proceeds to develop its two central characters, Vesper and Kaden, and their flawed friendship in rich, unexpected ways. This play demonstrates how difficult it is to overcome ones shortcomings, even when they are obvious to those around you--and the way that learning a lesson does not absolve you immediately of your wrongs. What a lovely portrait of friendship for adult audiences.

There are few things more vulnerable than debuting an original song at an open mic -- and few things more horrifying than the thought of someone else stealing your work! In "OPEN MIC AT THE BISTRO BAR," Monica Cross navigates the perils of artistic theft with humor and imagination, providing theatre goers and theatre makers with a special sort of play with the potential to be different in each production that gets staged. I, for one, hope this play gets staged very soon, and that I get a chance to see it!

A hilarious, at times uncomfortably sexy take on the phenomenon of bicurious straight guys and the gay men who love them, “Two Gays Contemplate A Straight” is a relatable, revealing delight. I appreciated how double standards of sexuality are brought into the light and how effectively Duncan Pflaster lampoons the ways that gay men perceive themselves in relation to their straight charges versus straight women. Well done!

“Soccertes” is delightful piece of work, well suited for young actors and young audiences but also substantive enough to satisfy adults as well. The dynamics between the characters, the push and pull of wants and the butting of heads among the personalities at the play’s center prove to be compelling and authentic—not to mention hilarious. Bravo to Brandon Urrutia for creating this excellent one act!

There's a certain sort of resonance to Rachel Luann Strayer's zombie apocalypse comedy that grounds it in our present moment. When a mother and her child come upon a stranger untouched by the apocalypse they've been fighting through, these two battle-hardened survivors find themselves struggling against their most frustrating foe yet: good-natured ignorance. "Safe As Houses" is a short play with humor, heart and more than a little meat on the bone to satisfy readers and audiences alike.

There is such a richness of character and relationship in this play that it feels compulsively readable. "Like A Girl" is an intimate portrait of male friendship, love and mutual aid. Ashley Cowles has written a play with a huge beating heart that manages to blend awkward, odd-couple comedy, heartwrenching drama and a slow-burn love story into a tight, concise package. I love every character, and how the play contends with both old-fashioned and modern associations with masculinity and queerness to create a story that is as timeless as it is timely. Excellent work.

When people talk about vital, urgent theatre, THIS is one of the plays they’re talking about. “So You Think You Can Stay?” is an exceedingly striking and visionary work that immerses audiences and readers alike in a nightmarish scenario, masquerading as entertainment.

Uncomfortable as it is, Ariel Cipolla distinguishes this pitch black satire with well drawn characters and the role of a century in the form of the show’s venerated and loathsome host, America herself. This is a play—and playwright—to watch.

"The Oktavist" is a short play that feels incredibly lived in, despite its relatively short run-time. Vince Gatton imbues his characters with humanity and nuance to tell a story about how identifying one's passions can be obfuscated by one's cultural circumstances. Even if Dimitri's dreams of becoming an oktavist are misaimed, Gatton's evocative dialogue shines--and sings!