Recommended by Morey Norkin

Free! Powerful Muscles Fast! paints a portrait of an era that many can relate to.
The barbershop that smells of Vitalis and cigarettes. The assorted magazines and superhero comic books with their strange ads making fantastic promises. And the muscle ads were especially intriguing for us 98 pound weaklings. And what young boy didn’t want to be like Superman? Today, whenever there’s a feel-good news story, we hear the phrase “not all superheroes wear capes.” I don’t know Philip Middleton Williams’ wardrobe, but he’s a superhero when it comes to creating honest, intelligent. character-driven theater.

Deb Cole hilariously captures the societal annoyance known as the “Karen.” In Battle of the Karen’s” we get to watch two disagreeable finalists berate an actor playing retail help, the perfect target for any aspiring Karen. If this play is not a winner in multiple contests, I demand to speak with the manager!

A simple, family style Italian restaurant where unlimited bread for $5.99 is a hell of a deal. Enter Val and Arlo, a young couple having a normal evening although overindulging on the meal and, of course, the bread. But when they ask for the check, they suddenly discover they are in the Daniel Prillaman Zone! What a funny, creepy story! I would absolutely love to see this performed! If there’s a moral to the story, I think it’s if you want to eat out, do it at home.

Andrew Martineau’s Etched in Stone is beautifully written with rich characters that instantly draw you into their lives, past and present and fully aware of the future. Fanny and Peter’s charming graveside picnic conversation segues seamlessly to memories of their youth with their now departed spouses and the events that shaped their lives. It is an emotional journey well worth taking.

No one wants to laugh at a funeral. And certainly not 14 of them! But with Fourteen Funerals, Eric Pfeffinger has created a comic gem. Even the method of the deceased’s passing is comical. But there’s much more to this play. At its core, it is a story of relationships and two interesting characters trying to find their way. The reading just flew by. Seeing it performed would be a delight!

So very funny and so true! I can identify with the Writer, and maybe that’s not a good thing. But I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Adam Richter has written a 10-minute play that hilariously defines what doing so entails. And he coined a new term in the process: “Shatnerize!” Love it!

I actually took a break in the middle of today’s puzzle to read these perfectly on target short plays. Adam Richter cleverly captures the competitiveness, frustration, and occasional satisfaction that Wordle players experience. Is there a Wordle convention looking for entertainment? We have a winner right here!

What is comedy? How do we know we’re funny unless someone tells us? These perplexing questions even confound two of the greatest comic actors of all time, Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. On a ship headed to America where they will discover their comic voice (or silence in Chaplin’s case) and the world will discover their talent, the pair discuss these weighty issues just as any young people on an adventure to the unknown. Kevin Broccoli has created a lovely portrait of these two artists. I hope he has more to share!

It may be called “You Don’t Know,” but with Rachel Feeny-Williams you always know you’re in for a treat! This taut mystery is filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. At the heart of the story is a severely strained relationship between a detective and his daughter. Is that strain enough to result in murder?! All will be revealed… almost!

Christopher Soucy has crafted an elegant theatrical work steeped in American history and literature. What an event to be privy to: A social gathering that includes Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, and William Dean Howells. Narrated by Twain’s daughter, Clara Clemens, this piece could work wonderfully as readers theater, staged reading, or full production. I would love to see it in any or all of these incarnations.