Recommended by Ian Donley

This is a very meticulous piece! The play feels like two waves crashing into each other just to pull away. The two narrators, despite giving two separate speeches, are connected in the common denominator their speeches have: faith. It's very confronting and even uncomfortable, which makes it a piece of theater worth performing. Wendy Vogel doesn't hold back in expressing Rachel's frustrations with the church, but she also provides layers within the Pastor that round the play out.

This is such emotionally-charged material. The actor who plays Judd will have a lot of work to do. But Mike Byham’s writing will give him plenty to work with. There’s so many moments where the writing will push the actors, particularly the monologue about Judd’s grandpa and the German soldier. Having the play take play at Judd’s grandfather’s grave is a simple yet powerful choice. It drives the story along and gets us to see these characters for who they really are.

This very short play has some strong undertones, serving as a warning for the social media age generation to be careful of how much they rely on it. Despite being a “nightmare.” Stevie really serves as a guardian angel meant to steer people away from harming themselves. On top of that, the actor playing Robin could play the role in many different ways and still have the message of the play land. Such simple and effective work!

The fact that this play is able to honor the serious nature of the circumstances yet provide humor in a fresh way is incredible. I couldn’t help but think of James Goldman’s “The Lion in Winter.” Like that play, this play gives us very real dynamics and circumstances in an entertaining way. Plumridge, like Goldman, gives his own signature stamp on how he presents these very real people. I would love to see a full-length version of this piece.

This play is a "what if" story expertly told through reversing gender roles and exposing hypocrisies when it comes to hot-button topics. Many ideas expressed here are familiar, such as the idea of holding men accountable for their roles in creating a family. On top of that, our main character is a woman who champions vasectomies, except when it comes to her son. Very uncanny given the number of pro-lifers we see who opt for abortions when it benefits them. Great thought-provoking stuff!

The language used in this piece provides a vivid image of how living in 1950 was but also feels contemporary in how it addresses the stigmatization queer people have experienced (and continue to experience) in America. Baker's script is filled with rich and emotionally charged dialogue, making the work required of the actors simple. Definitely a good character piece to have on your list!

This is a very dark yet high-energy comedy that gives you a well-deserved ending. It's the kind of show that will make you feel shell-shocked in the best way possible. The comedy and drama in the play blend together well, rising the tension that it becomes so thick you can cut it with it a knife (blow it up in an explosion). The dynamics between the characters are strong, making the world of the play solid and something the audience can feel invited into. The play is

This is a very bold and even cathartic play. It characterizes politics, almost in a sketch-like manner. Yet, through doing so, we see the underbelly of a system that never really cares about the people. It exorcizes itself of having to be responsible for the harm it does. Ricardo Soltero-Brown is throwing our expectations for our government in our faces, getting us to remember the classic saying "when people show you who they are, believe them."

This is, by far, the most nuanced depiction of autism I have ever read. Being an autistic artist myself, there is so much meat in this text to digest. From internalized ableism to brotherly dynamics, this play will truly shatter the glass ceiling for us autistic people. The play prioritizes the perspective of a medium-high support needs autistic, which gives the audience the opportunity to reflect on their own pre-conceived notions of what autism is. Beautiful work here!

Annie Wood's "It's About Forgiveness" is a quick and sharp look at how what's done in the dark shall come to the light. The brothers are distinct with plenty of room to explore even within this short play. It's a story of family secrets many can relate to. The dialogue is concise and true-to-form. I can only imagine what it would sound like performed.