Recommended by Neil Radtke

The piece really hinges on the chemistry between the two performers, and there’s a lot of room for physicality, timing, and tonal shifts. Cosmo in particular offers an actor a chance to balance humor with something a little more layered underneath. This feels like a play that would come alive in the hands of two performers willing to fully commit to the dynamic. I can imagine two actors having a great time shaping this for an audience.

Route 84 House Fire: Three Miles from Train Tracks, Nine from a Hydrant by Jessie Salsbury draws you in from the early moments. The writing gives actors a lot to work with, especially in how the language tightens and breaks down over time. There’s a real sense of build in the scene that performers could lean into and shape together. This feels like a piece that would be powerful to live inside onstage.

I had a lot of fun reading Dragon Slayers: Quest for the Egg of Armagon by Emma Carter. The game-world logic is used in really smart ways, and the humor keeps evolving instead of repeating the same joke. It’s easy to picture this landing well with an audience, especially with two actors who lean into the contrast between the characters. A very playable, crowd-pleasing short that still has heart.

I really enjoyed Quiet Tonight by Mathew Green. The writing is patient and restrained, and the tension builds in a way that feels earned. Beneath the horror, there’s a really sharp portrait of love turning into obligation, and the play doesn’t flinch from that cost. Excellent!

I enjoyed A Chance of Rain by Bridget Grace Sheaff. It’s a clear, focused two-hander that lets the relationship lead the scene. It’s simple to stage and would fit well in a variety of spaces. I appreciate how cleanly this scene does its work, and I can imagine people leaning in as it unfolds. This would be a great piece for two actors to dive into and make their own. Bravo!

In Two Sleeping Babes, Samantha Oty builds real tension by refusing to answer every question. It’s a focused two-person play that lets uncertainty do the work, which is what made it unsettling. I appreciated that it trusted the audience to sit with that discomfort.

A really clean, effective premise. Taps builds tension through sound and silence without overexplaining anything, which makes the final moment land hard. A sharp, well-contained monologue.

This is a fun noir riff that knows exactly what it’s doing. Christopher Soucy uses the voiceover device cleanly, the humor is consistent, and the piece feels very actor-friendly. A solid short that leans into its genre and enjoys it.

As a teacher, Drill hit me in a very specific way. Stephen Kaplan lets the routine nature of an active shooter drill speak for itself, never pushing a message or explaining the horror out loud. The simplicity and restraint make the play unsettling in the best way, capturing a quiet reality I live every day.

Lucy Curling’s Monologue for an Underworked Actor is a funny, fast-paced piece that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s spent time in audition rooms. The writing has a great sense of momentum and gives actors a lot to work with, balancing humor with real frustration.