Recommended by Morey Norkin

A nifty little museum mystery. A painting, something to do with origami bees, is missing. Besides the mystery of what happened to the painting, there’s the mystery of what value we place on art. Adam Richter adds a fresh take to the title challenge and gives us a most welcome hero in Linus the janitor. Well done.

This story of Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union touched me deeply. My mother was one such immigrant although a half century before the characters in this play first arrived in the 1970s. I can understand the confusion, fear, and uncertainty of living in a new country and the pressure to conform to community expectations. A wonderful short work that could easily support a longer version should Izolda Trakhtenberg desire to expand it. I for one would love to see that.

An excellent mystery that also serves as a cautionary tale. Christopher Soucy does a terrific job of building the suspense and creating a noir atmosphere. Definitely a story for our time.

YES! A noir parody overflowing with bee puns! I was laughing throughout. I think you will too.

Mike Byham shows us beautifully that empathy and justice can go hand and hand. Larry’s gesture toward his wife and the Judge’s subsequent ruling demonstrate the best of humanity. A moving two minutes.

We learn, or we’re supposed to, at an early age the difference between right and wrong. Between being a “do bee” and a “don’t bee.” The Child in this story has learned that lesson, and Nora Louise Syran presents it beautifully.

What a great opportunity for actors, directors, and audiences proficient in bearspesk to show off their skills. With no human dialogue, Matthew Weaver has woven (sorry) together a fun tale of bears in search of honey. Oh, but watch out when those bees arrive. Great fun for all ages.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, this is the perfect love story. Filled with sweetness and an abundance of bee anatomy jokes, this play is also a reminder of the importance of our endangered bee population. Enjoy!

Kieran Khanna turns the tables on traditional fairytales and has a determined Queen Bee in search of a husband. But maybe men aren’t all that buzz worthy after all. I can see this becoming a Disney classic, and I would love to see what creative minds would do with costumes and sets when this is produced on stage.

There is so much going on beneath the surface in this conversation between Shelly and Brady but it’s also in plain sight. That’s the marvel of DC Cathro’s writing. A terrific study of a relationship on the rocks.