Recommended by John Medlin

For a play about the world of fortune-telling and mysticism, this play is so grounded in reality. It showcases the awkward glances and tentative touches that come with meeting a crush. This play is equal parts heartwarming and funny. And a great reminder that sometimes the best things in life are the little surprises.

It's amazing how easy it is to trivialize other people's experiences when one's never experienced it themself. In the case of this play, that is horrible car accidents. One can sense that Dave Osmundsen writes with the macro in mind. To me, lines like "if they didn't want that attention, they should've been more careful driving" harken to arguments about SA and women's rights. It's a short play that is surprisingly and deceptively deep, while still being enjoyable. This is thanks to the two detestable, but relatable protagonists. I highly recommend this show for a short play festival.

"The Seconds in Between" explores the things that happen when we aren't paying attention. This chilling short play shows a disturbing world where looking at the wrong place at the wrong time can result in being torn in half. Or not. Mia Todarello cleverly uses ambiguity like classic gothic horror in a piece built for any season in need of some creepy fun.

Sometimes it can be hard to understand what other people go through. Especially when its being yanked by your eyelids into a UFO for probing. "Alienated" is a well paced monologue with plenty of laughs throughout. Rachel Aberman has crafted a piece that balances frustration of not being understood with humorous tangents to great effect. This monologue is a fantastic audition piece for someone looking to have a storytelling monologue with some comic heft and meat to it.

I read this imagining the characters were played by two women, and it was perfection. "We Were Such Friends" is a fun short play about the memories bros share. Both good and bad. The more insane the memories are, the funnier it gets. Ben Rosenblatt has created a great short play that would be a good choice for any short play festival.

The stuff we have can be so entwined with the memories associated with them. Mark Harvey Levine's one-minute play is a sentimental piece on the power of memories and attachment to the inanimate. As well as the frustrations of being with someone who can't seem to get rid of stuff, something I'm very familiar with as my husband keeps just about everything. This is a charming play that would do great in any one-minute play festival.

How different would life be if we lived without fear? Marcia's one-minute play is an excellent example of an opportunity missed. The tragedy of could-be companions squandered due to fear or anxiety. It is a relatable tale of a circumstance that everyone has had at some point.

Failure can be devestating. Golem knows this as neo Nazis parade through Charlottesville as they have many times before. While the golem questions their failure, the audience can't help but question the failures of society. To let hate go unchecked for so long. Jacob's monologue is melancholic but enlightening. It's a story monologue that still manages to engage and enthrall. I always enjoy hearing stories from other cultures, and this one was a joy to read. Job well done.

Rachel has written a scathing monologue about the apathy of those in power. What starts innocent becomes charged with rage as Lucy dissects the various ways the world is falling apart around her. You can't help but relate to this character who sees so much suffering, only to be met with apathy and, even worse, fake sympathy from those who have the power to make a difference. It's a shame that people around the world are putting the need to change on the shoulders of those who follow us. This is an example of one who crumples under the pressure.

Is this an interrogation of a convicted person, or is Gerald being tried for something much more sinister? "All the Silver Cars or (Virgos Do it Best)" is an excellent monologue of a Virgo performing at their best. Gerald is a delightfully deranged speaker. Their story grows steadily more sinister as they speak to an unknown person. All the while begging for a glass of water. This monologue would be fantastic to perform on its own. It would also be an excellent addition to any actor's rep book.