Recommended by Brian James Polak

"dark play" was the first important play in my development as a writer. The story, which in some ways seems dated due to the rise of social media, is anything but dated as the concept of "catfishing" sadly catches on. This script intensely captures that need to be loved, to be touched... to feel something. It feels youthful, but these urges never leave us as we age.

One of the best plays of 2018. I felt so emotionally invested in this family, it was as if I was part of it. The play had me vicariously investigating the challenges of my family as I watched these characters navigate their complications all while one of them was stranded in a hospital bed. This play is hilarious, and sad, and wonderful. I think it's a masterpiece and want to see it again.

This is a funny and dramatic look at life in the crazed culture of 2018, but is (thankfully) not focused on the insanity of politics as much as it is about social media, the need for attention, and the slippery slope of online news. This multi-media driven piece is funny, thought-provoking, and could be a powerful production for an ensemble theater company.

A rich and layered drama/tragedy about family, attaining wealth, and the stranglehold opioids have on people. DERAILED is a time capsule for the culture we live in today.

The world has ended, but it isn't over. A few survivors of an apocalypse try and figure out what life is now that everything they understood to be "life" is gone. There is so much to admire in this play. I love the humor Cory uses to signal these people have no quite given up. I love how the heart of the story is never lost in humor or in darkness. Most of all I love the end when a new hope emerges and shows us if we hold on long enough, what we love of life will return.

A town awaits a soldier's return from war, fearful of the damage done. This play is operatic for its use of music and for extraordinary stakes - it is about surviving a tumultuous time in a place desperate for hope. This town has nothing but the people… and they have each other, which in the end is all they need to cope with the endless cycles of war. The play’s power washed over me. It’s a work as much for tomorrow as it is today - we’ll never not need reminding of the terrible consequences of war.

I'm a sucker for plays that explore the impact of charlatans on people. Dolores' play "Man of the People" tells a story you wouldn't believe was true; and it's as funny as it is unbelievable. And the crazy thing is, this play demonstrates its own relevance as Americans navigate life with a charlatan in charge. This would be a great play for an ensemble theater company.

This is such a great play and fantastic adaptation of a short story. The play is deep, funny, wonderfully theatrical, and so relevant. It is science fiction, but don't let the arrival of space aliens fool you. This play is as much about our time and place as anything you'll see.

This is a fantastic play. It is funny, layered, and full of great characters. The play centers on Jewish experiences, yet the story is universal.

This play exists inside the complexities of relationships on the verge, but this is certainly not simply a play about relationships. "Infatuation" is about sexual harassment, male dominance in academia, art, love, and.... infatuation. There are no heroes or villains, there are simply humans with plenty of warts, and just as much love. Of the many quotable moments, I loved this the most: "What do we do with all these feelings?" "We feel them."