Recommended by Hope Villanueva

This piece really sneaks up on you. You think it's going to be a bold statement on American violence against Black bodies, but then it's a family story about how to use the memory of a lost loved one, until... SMACK! You're suddenly right in the hurt of these characters, mirroring the way that grief creeps up out of nowhere and doesn't respect time. Please go produce this play. It's humanizing and beautiful.

A terrific ride that combines the thrill of a psychological drama with very real questions about who "owns" one's story. Following the protagonist, Phil the documentarian, I entirely understood his blind drive to make art, while hating him for being unable to see who he ran over in the process. In particular, the final extended scene is a complete rush to the end in the best way, delivering comeuppance and humanity in a complex bowl of stew. This play needs producing (or catch the short film now doing the festival circuit as of summer 2020).

A completely fascinating musing on the future and aging (and not aging) that still manages to remain personal and human. It's possible to see each character's struggle clearly, making it impossible to take sides in the play's central debate: Is it better to age or stay forever young? I'd love to see this play in production, as well, and learn what a good group of designers will do with the future technology elements.

A charming story up front about a family that feels familiar, but is unexpected thrown into complication by the good fortune of winning the lottery. Young Alfred is particularly interesting to watch, balancing his need to care for his family, the desire to keep the whole thing quiet, and wrestling with the struggles of being Black in America. A very worth while read!

If you're looking for a charming romp, this fits the bill. Featuring lead roles for mature actors, Mary is a leading lady full of spunk and sass. This is a welcome break from plays about 20 year olds (no offense!) and reminds us that life and romance are still a vital part of later life.

An intriguing mix of horror film, psychological magical realism, and contemporary truth, "Into the River I Went" kept picking up steam as it went along. As someone who does a lot of technical theatre work, the idea of bringing the Beast's being and all the ways it could be represented was thrilling. A timely story of two very different women with one tragedy in common.

It would be easy for a play about mental degradation to too technical and scientific, but Polak's play keeps us tightly with the characters and in their story. Sentimental in just the right doses and jarring as this journey must be, I found myself relating to every one in the story and understanding even their poorest decisions. Delicately and beautifully handled. It also leaves nearly everything to the imagination of the director and designers, so I would love to see this play staged.

Wyndham has created a story of a very personal choice that moves with an exciting pace and a mix of characters not normally thrown into this kind of plot. Allegra has a rich and complexly human life and has to weigh so many things that it seems almost impossible to put herself first. A play about the struggle between what the world thinks you should do and listening to your own truths. A casting challenge, but wonderfully worthwhile piece.