Recommended by Morey Norkin

Shades of Requiem for a Heavyweight. Brent Alles gives us a ringside seat to witness a pro wrestling champion in defeat and possibly at the end of his career. The physical pain and emotional turmoil exhibited in UNBELTED are palpable. A truly engrossing drama that I would love to see on stage.

Funny and sweet. What more could you ask for in a holiday play? There will be a lot of reenactments of the manger scene this month, but few as funny as this one.

I can hear the thunderous sound of hooves clapping for this wild and wacky Christmas treat! There’s so much to enjoy here. From the setting in Public Domain and the resulting jokes to the reindeer bathroom humor, Paul Braverman’s clever script had me laughing from start to finish. Settle in with a box of Raisinets and enjoy!

Working for the man every night and day. The life of a carriage horse, paid in carrots and sugar cubes, is not so different from low-wage human counterparts. Some see the injustice in a system that keeps them down, while others follow blindly. Jennifer O’Grady’s equine tale is moving and heartfelt. I hope Joel can find the sanctuary he deserves.

This is why I don’t go out on cold nights. You don’t know who or what you’re going to run into. I’m still shivering after reading this.

When you have two characters named Tom and Jerry, you expect a certain level of hijinks. What I wasn’t expecting, but absolutely loved, was line after line of misheard conversation leading to hysterical non sequiters and somehow making sense. I’m glad I read this because, with my poor hearing, if I were in the audience, I’d be trying to figure out what’s so important about red grass in Wales.

Put two strangers in a car at night and I’m immediately on the edge of my seat. And Ken Love made sure I stayed riveted to the spot. Although the story went in a direction I wasn’t expecting, it was thoroughly engrossing. The passenger’s revelation is both frightening and heartbreaking, and the ending leaves us with a lingering sense of suspense. I have chills just writing about it.

As two teenage girls limber up before dance practice, we learn disturbing news about their male instructor’s methods. As happens too often, the girls want to believe that his intentions are well-meaning and they are hesitant to speak out. Rebecca Kane combines great sensitivity and realism to give voice to so many who need to be heard.

Robert Weibezahl gives us a father and son conversation that dramatically and realistically examines issues of immigration and US citizenship. Weibezahl skillfully shines a light on disturbing trends in American politics through the father’s desire to return to his home country and how he views his son’s political career. Timely and disquieting.

An inebriated Santa gives the lowdown on Christmas and shares some warm advice for dealing with the coldness of winter. An absolute delight! Thank you, Christopher Soucy, for spreading your joy to the world!