Recommended by claire dettloff

This expertly written, perfectly-paced two-hander is so thoughtful in its exploration of power dynamics and the loaded question of "who gets to have the floor?" The repeated idea that intention is irrelevant when the outcome is harm speaks directly to the here and now. Zach Barr's voice is cutting, clear, and exceptionally unique; a brilliant storyteller.

"it's a comfort to exist without being seen." this line represents so much about the world women are living in, and there's nothing i love more than a play about women healing. blevins' play "the female gaze" expertly illustrates the bonds that form between women who want nothing but to take their power back and eat some fruit in peace.

this play is loaded - with history, nuance, gravitas, and humor. the world blevins has crafted is so beautifully specific and functions perfectly for the subject matter. with the resurgence of so much hateful, anti-semitic rhetoric, space laser, in space! couldn't have come at a better time.

from the very first line, "18" expertly grabs the reader's attention and brings us along on an intense journey across just 14 pages. it's a feat to craft completely compelling characters in such a short time, but buckley does this with ease. this is a truly beautiful play about police brutality and mass incarceration that should be produced everywhere. a must see/read.

A super cute 10-minute that perfectly captures the romantic mundanity of tax season.

"the apathetic are unfit to govern." in 15 pages, danko crafts a suspenseful, anxiety-inducing crescendo that comments on the reality of students (of all ages) in america. the ending rattle of a doorknob illustrates the haunting truth that in this country, we are never as far-removed from gun violence as we may prefer to think. this play is artful and timely and painful and important.

soul magnet beneath the limestone has the type of relentless energy you'd only find in a spiritually disturbed bar after hours. futrell expertly plants a seed of unease from the get go that festers as the play goes on and ultimately explodes in way that no one expects. the many twists and turns of this play make it equally as enthralling for actors and audience members.

as artificial intelligence cements it's place in the world, this play's commentary on humanity, gender roles, and robots grows more poignant. bo's fragile masculinity suggests his only option left for companionship is a robot he routinely resets for fear she will become overly sentient. this play's use of sharp, swift dialogue and chilling parallels to the mundanity of our world offers a glimpse into what we may become if we aren't careful.

everyone's true colors come out during a game of catan, and that rings true for our three characters in triptych. heyman expertly reveals the ways in which these three people are intertwined, drawing you in and allowing you to see the good, bad, and ugly in all of them. this play is deeply human, deeply funny, and any short play festival would be better for having it in their programming.

what begins as a tik tok dance by the pool quickly spirals into the breakdown of our main character in is anyone watching this. with quick wit and a deep knowledge of the inner-workings of social media, kane brings the audience down the rabbit hole of a truly bone-chilling, haunting commentary on isolation and adolescence in the twenty-first century. highly recommend!