Recommended by Brent Alles

Love the concept and the world established. Characters are fun and progress of the plot is exciting. Who knew a writing competition could be such high drama? The transference of the ideas in this work to other areas is very evident, and I found myself nodding throughout the reading of it. And then... "Collecting Rejections." Suddenly, I got that pang of realization that I don't always get with a musical, but I definitely got it here. Nostalgic yet futuristic, satirical yet awfully earnest; this is one heck of a musical concept and I can't wait to see how it develops!

What is reality? What is free will? What is our part in it? Hell if I know, but Mr. Jones does. What entails here is a sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating (on purpose) confrontation between an "everyperson" and the "reality" that Mr. Jones represents. An intriguing musing on the nature of reality itself can be found in this very entertaining short play by Cern.

A beautiful scene between these two characters. A very moving exploration of grief and how we move on, if at all, when the unthinkable happens. You're left at the end with hope, which sometimes is all we can ask for. It's indicated that this is part of a larger work, but this scene also works very well on its own merits. A very good read that would do well in a performance!

An incredibly powerful monologue, starting on the surface... but beneath the surface, there is darkness. When you finish this monologue, you sit there for a good while, considering all the implications. It's a raw look at the dark side of humanity packed into one intense monologue here. Words do indeed matter. This would make for an incredible showcase for an actor who chooses it for a showcase. Recommended!

Oh, this was delightful! I was enjoying the play from the start, and so I did not see the ending coming. When it came, I was totally, pleasantly surprised. On the whole, Vogel packs a lot in here: some funny parts, some wistfulness, and some actual wisdom about raising children. Quite a task to get all that in a 10-minute, but Vogel succeeds! This would be wonderful for any 10-minute festival to have as part of their itinerary. Recommended!

Another piece of unusual fun from Patrick. He's one of my favorite "genre" playwrights to read, and this latest 10-minute doesn't disappoint. The music for his work is always delightfully catchy and off kilter, and it holds true for this work as well. Can definitely see high school and college theater groups having a lot of fun putting on this particular 10-minute!

As much as this hits me in the gut as a PLAYWRIGHT (yes, ALEX, that's what we are!), I have to admit I laughed heartily several times at Cern's 10-minute here. The frustrations are real, but Cern still has fun playing them up and makes some, well, perhaps not "good natured," but let's say "natured" jabs at the theater industry. Keep on writing, Alex... and mind the submission fee. This is definitely a fun 10-minute that would certainly get a lot of laughs from the "in crowd," if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

A wonderful read, a wonderful show. The characters are just excellent; tropes are quickly shattered as CECIL the clown (my favorite part) makes his arrival. I just love his absurd as hell but totally necessary presence in this work. I laughed many times throughout. The back and forth banter and dialogue between characters is great. The plot moves along at a zippy pace and holds your interest throughout. It's also a wonder that Perry mixes some thoughtfulness amongst all the wackiness, but it's a good balance. Can't wait to see this staged at some point!

A very funny 10-minute, though I feel like I need a Xanax after the back and forth. Seriously, it's a situation that we've all probably been in, and Swenson does a great job in coming up with a fresh perspective on how to portray it. I like the regularly funny touches AND the absurdist funny touches. Great mix of both, and this would be a very funny 10-minute to see staged!

Really dug this play! It's contemporary and provides a good perspective on what dating is like these days. The characters are funny and varied. I like that this play isn't afraid to be sexy when needed! That being said, there's a revelation towards the end... hoo boy. My jaw about hit my lap. I can just imagine how audiences would react to it, though, and I would think that it would be in the way that the author intends. Jenkins definitely brings a unique perspective to the old-fashioned rom com... this is not old fashioned, to say the least. Recommended!