Recommended by DC Cathro

Emotional and powerful. Sends a beautiful, clear message that many people really need to hear. A visceral read and, I imagine, would be a visceral experience. Lovely.

>insert three consecutive “laughing with tears” emojis here<

I heart Rachael Carnes

A powerhouse of a short play, full of action, violence, philosophy, and blood. The dialogue between villain and child is chilling, expertly crafted and extremely visceral. Some definite design challenges make this a great piece for actors, designers, a fight choreographer, and a director. Plus (hopefully) the possibility of a sequel!

This zippy horror/comedy pokes fun at woke culture and PC-ness while being twisted enough to satisfy the scary cravings of horror fans. Strong character work and natural dialogue, plus an ending that serves up the perfect capper to this short piece. Great fun!

An eerie Twilight Zone-esque plot that could easily become horrific, but Sickles handles these characters with loving care. A rich history is hinted at, filling the reader with emotions of the past and present while the characters look to the future. Beautiful, visual, passionate. Lovely work.

Intense and creepy, with a slow burn that builds and builds the suspense until the audience is left with a punch-in-the-gut ending that chills and leaves a definite impact. A great solo piece full of mystery and a few gasp-worthy visual moments, plus a fantastic piece for a sound designer to flex their muscles on. Good stuff!

As a comic book fan, I was drawn in by the premise. Our “hero” is in a dangerous predicament and has to escape, foiling the plans of the unseen villain, but there’s a much deeper plot. The rise of Comicsgate has shown that sexism is still alive and all too well in the comic book industry, and Cross grabs it by the throat, so to speak, in this short piece. Creepy fun.

A powerful piece. Malakhow captures the terror and paranoia of hiding their sexuality that so many men experienced back then, and many still experience to this day. I was also unfamiliar with this particular piece of Gay History, so it was fascinating to learn about it through this fictional work. Snappy dialogue and strongly realized characters serve the play well. Excellent.

A very relatable piece for adults AND teens. We’ve all tried to impress and most of us have experienced the crash-and-burn, or some backlash. This spot-on short goes deep and sometimes dark with well-written dialogue and strong character work. Beautiful ending. Great roles for younger actors.

Sweet, sad, and ethereal. A lovely site-specific piece that weaves fantasy and memory with unspoken feelings and wishes. The characters ache and yearn and struggle with life and each other. A rich work, lovingly handled.