Recommended by Morey Norkin

Be good to your piano and it will be good to you. And that may be true of any instrument employed by artists of all stripes. Larry Rinkel makes this point in amusing fashion as an obstinate piano and the legendary Vladimir Horowitz provide a quick but important lesson to an amateur player. How maestro Horowitz came on the scene is possibly the funniest bit in this short piece filled with laughs. Great fun no matter your musical ability.

Novice campers stumble upon a cabin in the woods. Creepiness ensues, but that creepiness comes from an unexpected source. Scary good fun for audiences, great characters for actors, and a real challenge for scenic designers. This will easily be the hit of any horror themed festival!

Who am I to judge the writing of Joe Swenson? That’s really the question at the heart of this clever comedy. Will shares his new play with a reading group and discovers how opinions can change in an instant. Whether this was written in a day or over a period of months, the result is a comic delight.

So funny and so true. If you’ve not yet reached 50, just wait. AARP solicitations, assisted living promos, etc. Nora Louise Syran gets right to the point and delivers the perfect punchline. Only a minute, but what fun!

Satire at its best! This smart one-act from Alyssa Haddad-Chin will have you laughing and shaking your head simultaneously. The complete lack of irony on the part of the males in this piece shows that when it comes to motherhood in America, father (and the US government) knows best. Brilliant!

This laugh fest from Melissa Milich is like a cross between Deliverance and The Beverly Hillbillies! Hilarious dialogue and visuals make this short piece irresistible. Great roles for character actors and possibly one very tall performer. If you’re lucky, there will be a sighting near you!

A chilling sci-fi thriller! Brenton Kniess packs a lot of tension and emotion into ten well-crafted minutes. You can’t help but feel Nick’s pain, particularly with the ending, which is more like another beginning. Well done!

With a nod to noir and tropical fruit, Charles Scott Jones provides a clever story with easy banter reminiscent of Nick and Nora Charles. Will assistant private investigator Finn overcome his nightmare and become a full detective? Will his charming wife, Hope, have her vision of them living in paradise come true? I’m betting on the pineapple! Speaking of Hope, I hope we get to see more of these characters!

College hunk Brad has met his match in Jennifer, just not in the way he hoped. Turns out Jennifer has her own plans for Brad and his fraternity buddies. A clever, fun-filled short where true love and animals are the winners. Enjoy!

Like the view from atop a Ferris wheel, this short play from D. Lee Miller is breathtaking. Miller’s story spans 57 years, covering a couple’s life journey as they mark milestones and reflect on their joys and sorrows. Beautifully written with an ending that will clutch at your heart. A lovely addition to any festival.