Recommended by Ian Donley

This is such an emotionally charged play! The uneasiness that comes with being a teenager in a COVID-era world is something younger audiences will relate to. Avery also understands how write characters with different identities and make them multi-dimensional. There are many hard truths about life within this play, and Avery manages to write a play that delivers them in heartfelt and even bittersweet ways. Nothing gets left behind, including internalized queerphobia. I'd love to see this live!

Ah yes! I remember my teenage years falling in love while committing felonies! In all seriousness, this sweet play is filled with so much subtext. Each character feels drawn out to the max and is given a strong and captivating arc. The relationship between Ty and Maisie has as rich and organic chemistry to it. Vic Lucas's dialogue they have written feels real and natural, making their love story deserved. High school theater programs would enjoy producing this play.

I have read this play a couple of times and even wrote an essay on it for a class assignment. This is a perfect two-hander that isn’t afraid to call out the bias we have within ourselves no matter what side you’re on. It is critical in how it portrays its two characters, but they are given so much detail and nuance for actors to explore and to paint a proper picture on what race relations looks like in a Black Lives Matter world.

This very silly and ridiculous play has a lot of meat to digest (pun fully intended). It's clear this play is inspired by the Theatre of the Absurd infused with SNL sketch comedy. Together, these elements bring a lesson on chasing your dreams no matter who tells you no. The fact that these characters can be interpreted in different ways will give any director the freedom to make their own stamp on it. Filled with clever wordplay, the comedy can't help but come out organically.

Alaina Tennant's play is a sharp and microscopic look at some of the most well-known figures in American history. Despite that, this play is a lot of fun and never takes itself too seriously. Through modern dialogue and fast-paced action, it leaves us to think about what it means to stand up and do the right thing (even if you're a fifteen-year-old boy). Underneath the historical aspect, this is very much a play about family and how the choices we make influence the kind of people we become.

This play reads like a love letter, filled with vivid emotions and detailed imagery. Rather poetic in structure. Amy Berryman takes on the classic theme of friendship and paints a meta and even surreal image with it. It also is a play that tackles motherhood, both through heteronormative and queer lens which is something I've never seen before in one play. Berryman understands when to be playful and when to be sincere, drawing you into the world created here. A play with something for everyone!

This play is both tender and honest in its depiction of college life. As a Gen Zer who is currently in school, I definitely could recognize each and every character in this collection of plays (whether I personally know them or not). Although this play can be performed as a whole, the writing in each individual scene gives enough of an arc for each character. There’s room for every actor taking this on to find their own footing, which any great piece of writing should be able to offer.

Silly and gushy! Reminiscent of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park but in the modern, technologically-advanced era. The way Julie Brandon utilizes emotions to swiftly move their argument feels relatable and appropriate for young souls in love. It even gives us that critical reminder to make sure you check your sources (something everyone can keep in mind for anything).

I'm an early-diagnosed autistic (just for context). Even with that, I couldn't help but be moved by the emotion in this short play. At the end of the day, we all want to be accepted for who we are no matter where we're at. Dave Osmundsen brings this up so clearly while also calling out social norms, such as stereotyping autistic people which strips them of their individuality. It also calls out how being a minority doesn't make you immune from being discriminatory. Great work!

I'm a sucker for modern retellings of classic stories (the Greek tragedies certainly have seen their fair share of them). Jillian Blevins takes one of the most well-known stories and gives us a sort-of sequel with one of its side characters. Through this, Blevins delivers a nuanced look at grief in a 2020 lens. You don't even need to know the original story to understand what's going on here. The strong emotional undertones will draw you in already. The catharsis at the end is well-deserved.