Recommended by Morey Norkin

In “Tesseract,” Scott Sickles picks up themes from his Second World Trilogy, particularly about a dystopian divided America. This time, the dangers are more stark, if that’s possible. The extensive research that went into this work serves to heighten the fear that this is indeed what the future holds. This is a play that must be read and seen so that hopefully enough people will recognize the threat posed by the far right and not allow “Tesseract” to be our future.

A story of loss told matter-of-factly in a deceptively simple way. The words lead us to the inevitable emotional conclusion. There is nothing simple about this monologue from Paul Smith except that it is simply breathtaking.

Unversed as I am in New Testament scripture, or any other for that matter, I still found this to be a compelling piece of theatre with a profound lesson. Three characters in a simple, but perhaps unusual setting demonstrate perfectly that patience is a virtue and that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. That’s two lessons! And you may find more, which is why this play works so well regardless of your background.

A powerful piece about dealing with grief as well as a moving tribute to fallen soldiers and their families. It’s easy to identify with the young airline passenger who prefers to be left alone with their thoughts instead of engaging with their talkative seat mate. I felt myself sharing the annoyance, and then Joe Swenson did the unexpected. Subtle but so effective. At the very least this play should become a Memorial Day tradition.

This is such a beautiful piece packed with so much emotion. A fantasy, but offering many truisms about real life. Motherhood is hard. Running from problems usually isn’t a solution. There are other options. Ask for help. Admit mistakes. Ask for forgiveness. This is all captured by two characters, a mother and daughter, for whom we can’t help but feel deeply. Have a tissue handy.

This is a clever, fast-paced look at the source of so much of the disinformation campaign during the 2016 presidential election: the Russian Internet Research Agency. Underlying the comedy is a constant sense of tension. As alluded to in the play, the work of the IRA continues. This may be a work of fiction, but it’s far from fake news. A great read and would be an excellent choice for a theater looking for an election themed play during the next year.

Merl has a dull job, a boring lunch, and a Celestial Being is not being helpful. Amidst the light comic banter, which Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn does oh so well, is the constant question of whether to “give up.” Merl, through their own actions and the endearing support of their co-workers, seems to be on the verge of realizing their own self worth. And no amount of mayonnaise can compete with that. A charming play that will leave you with a smile and maybe a tear.

When your superpower is more like a never ending curse, maybe meeting someone with the opposite power (and curse) can act like kryptonite for both. Tom Moran brings us on an unusual and very funny first date, rather meeting, between Hannah and Brandon. All of Hannah’s exes have found successes while she struggles to find happiness. Brandon seems to have too much of a good thing. Is this meeting just business or could it be the start of something big? You’ll enjoy finding out!

Even though I like what’s on the menu for this post holiday get together, I can easily identify with Theodore being the outsider. The inside jokes, everyone talking at once and over each other and not really listening to the new guy. Hilary Bluestein-Lyons keeps the pace moving in this clever piece. Four great characters that will have audiences nodding in recognition.

The perfect title for a perfectly written short piece about a situation that is oh so recognizable. This would be so much fun to see staged.