Recommended by Morey Norkin

Two characters struggling through hardships connect by sharing their truth. A lovely, moving play that is welcomed any time of year.

James Perry takes a well-known scenario and adds his own fresh take. The chess moves are are fascinating and add to the intrigue. Like a grand master, Perry brings us to a winning conclusion. Looking forward to the rematch.

Brian Cern sets up a Norman Rockwell image of the perfect American family and BAM! Brilliant, biting satire. Speaks, no screams, volumes about American gun culture. Listen up and produce this!

Whether this is a play about the trauma of being the new kid at school or a play about a play about said trauma, it will keep you guessing as it moves along at a lively pace. You can’t help but feel for Mina as she deals with awkward questions about her ethnicity and tries to adjust to her new role. School theatre clubs should be lining up to perform this piece.

This brief romantic comedy is so sweet, just like the pez I remember from my childhood. Arianna Rose treats us to an awkward encounter that ends up showing promising signs. I would love to see more of these two and the pez dispenser.

A fascinating bit of history brought to life in entertaining fashion by Iyna Caruso. The play raises interesting questions about the intersection of art and capitalism and even communism. The central question, to me, is what is an artist’s obligation when producing a commissioned piece? This would be a lot of fun to see on stage and is guaranteed to keep prop masters and dry cleaners busy.

Although it harkens back to the height of the pandemic, this short piece is still comedy gold. I relate to this story so much since trash day is a big deal for me. And rules are rules! Eric Pfeffinger offers actors a hilarious script with loads of opportunities for physical comedy. Hope to see this on stage.

Bloody good fun! You might expect working the graveyard shift at a fast food restaurant to have some weird moments. But maybe not as weird and hilarious as it gets when John Busser brings his special brand of weirdness and humor. Actors, audiences, and prop masters will have a ball with this one!

This may not be that Monica, but she could be any woman who achieves a certain level of public fame or notoriety where her sexuality or relationships define her more than her own accomplishments. The structure of this play, the brilliant dialogue, the depth of character combine for an amazing, emotional roller coaster. I’m officially a Dianne Nora fan!

Hannah Lee DeFrates channels Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, and her own vivid imagination to bring us a familiar yet fantastical holiday story. It’s a holiday that borrows some elements from others but is certainly unique. As with all of DeFrates’ incredible work, this one promises to be a visual feast if designers are up to the challenge. I would love to see this come to life!