Recommended by Sam Heyman

It’s a wonder that many church goers can call themselves Christian, considering how few of them revere Christ’s words and actions. This monologue from Don Baker shines a light on the modern Christian (evangelical) perspective and examines the vengeful Old Testament God and as Baker puts it, “namby-pamby” New Testament Jesus, and where certain followers draw their lines. Excellently incisive.

'A passionate voice memo' is right! Ian Donley's 'kindred spirits' will resonate with anyone who has let the throes of bromance (and romance) send them down rabbit holes of fantasy -- whether the object of their desire is straight or... straight-ish? A humorous, modern short.

A lovely, poignant short that will tug at your heartstrings in all the right ways. Jacquie Floyd-Priskorn's 37 Origami Bees will stay with you long after the lights fade.

Grief can be a mountain hideaway, and it can also be a prison. Rachel Feeny-Williams’ “Alone?” powerfully explores this aspect of the human experience, and suggests a greater world beyond George’s secluded sanctuary. Check out Theatrical Shenanigans for an excellent production!

Growing up can be a minefield. Just as it can be filled with sweet joys and summers of excitement, it can also visit tragedy and loss upon us. In "Swimming Off the Big Dock," PMW gathers a group of privileged young people together for a viewing of the 1969 Moon Landing, and brings his share of trouble, as well as subtle beauty, to their proceedings. Although this play is tied to another full length in Williams' canon, it fully stands on its own and is sure to move audiences the world over.

Everyone can appreciate an extended vacation, but this couple takes special pleasure in their circumstances. Beached is a delightful, unexpected short.

Leave it to Scott Sickles to turn a bloody murder scene into a tender lovers-to-friends comedy! "There's Nothing To See Here So Just Move Along Already!" may seem overly defensive at a glance, but dig a bit deeper and you'll find it disarmingly sweet and convincingly procedural. Another excellent short from the master of meet cutes and unconventional romance.

Jillian Blevins' Schnoz has its metaphor and characterizes it too with Babushka, an unapologetically Jewish figure who is as magnificent as the nose she personifies. The relationship between Jews and their noses can be a complicated one, but as Blevins' comedy demonstrates, it always comes back to love.

"goddammit i miss you" is a complex, compelling mosaic of remembrance that gains resonance as its numerous vignettes proceed. Each individual moment is richly drawn and evocative, but the play as a whole accumulates depth and meaning to create an excellent piece of theatre. Strong work from Ian Donley.

Sometimes a book is a gift given to another in place of words and feelings that could never fully be expressed without them. “Twelve Books” meditates on the tenderness with which those gifts are given, and the hope that they might one day be read — and received — in full. Books, and plays like this one from Philip Middleton Williams, have the power to bridge gaps between generations, between hearts and minds.