Recommended by Morey Norkin

A high school nerd and jock come together over grammar tutoring; however, there is more to their meeting than the use of a semicolon. The two young men reveal a mutual attraction that may not find broad acceptance in their school, but at least they have each other. A sweet story cleverly told. You can’t help but root for all the Connors and Drews wherever they are.

This intriguing short piece reminds me of a line from Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns.” “One who keeps tearing around, one who can’t move.” That seems to neatly summarize the relationship between Artist and Model, making the jarring ending actually feel inevitable. A lovely work of art that hopefully finds its way to the stage.

Two things are clear from reading THE FINAL OUT. Joe Swenson is a masterful dramatist and a huge baseball fan. This story of a major league superstar who is gay but not out highlights the struggle of a celebrity trying to manage his own narrative while those close to him are denied their own identity. The situation and characters are so real you almost expect a story like this on the news any day now. Swenson does a nice job of balancing the drama with welcome humor. Check out the the home plate umpire’s name.

Amanda Schumacher brings Siri, Alexa, and Cortana to life in this clever look at what it takes to be an AI assistant. Let’s face it, this is one job humans do not want to do. From the repetitive requests to not following directions, we humans don’t make their job any easier. If you’re ever lucky enough to see this performed, remember to silence your phone so you can hear what these SMART GIRLS have to say!

Terrific family comedy! Dad’s pants are way too tight. There are a couple of missing cellphones, and mom is up to something. It’s all in good fun with plenty of laughs. You don’t even have to be a cheesehead to enjoy it!

What an absolute joy! Perri Ann Barley’s comic writing sparkles in this charming story of family, separation, troubled teens, nosy parents, and love. These characters would be a hoot to see on stage, but I can also easily see them in a hit BBC comedy that turns into a successful American import. I wonder how “toad in the hole” would translate to an American audience? Fast-paced, clever writing, hilarious physical bits. So well done!

How to plan the perfect bank heist. Kenny, a seasoned veteran robber, offers sage advice, mostly from the movies, to his young counterpart. This is a thoroughly engaging story as Kenny’s reminiscences draw you in. And, as Paul Smith always does so well, there’s a twist that’s guaranteed to bring a smile, although you’ll probably be smiling throughout this piece. Another winner in Smith’s collection of bench plays.

A secret weapon that will wear down any army, The Karen! John Busser cranks out the jokes and puns to the maximus. Phoenician blinds anyone?! If you haven’t read this yet, I suggest you hoplite to it!

What a clever, original, and riotously funny look at today’s dating scene, which I’m so glad not to be part of. The image of these three women performing a scene like something out of Top Gun to show the perils of dating is something I would love to witness. Here’s hoping there will be plenty of opportunities to do that.

So many life lessons to be learned from this delightful tale of a refrigerator in need of repair. The frustration of the woman who owns the fridge is something we’ve all either directed at someone who wasn’t meeting expectations or had directed at us for the same reason. But for refrigerators and humans, no matter how hard we try, some things are beyond our control. Clearly, this play speaks to something we can all relate to. Excellent!