Recommended by Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos

I don’t know how it is I’m the first to review this play, but I feel like I dug up a diamond. Boynton’s heart wrenching and tangible imagining of the first and only female Pope offers us a poignantly impossible love story, a lesson in gender studies, and fully wrought characters all wrapped up in a language that’s beautifully elegant, sophisticated, and smart. This play wrestles with many themes, all of which are intellectually choreographed brilliantly by the writer. High theatricality and intense drama, with such an economy of effort (seemingly) is a wonder. Highly recommended!

What I like most about this short is it’s unexpected. I didn’t expect to get to know both characters so well. I didn’t expect to switch loyalties from one to the other. I didn’t expect the ending. It’s also an effective reminder that the way we see ourselves is not always how others see us.

What I like most about this beautifully executed play, is how palpable the terror feels for the mother. And rolled out alongside Halloween, as if the true horror for Edna is her very real concern for the safety and well-being of her child, is just brilliant. The title is quite smart, too. Wonderfully crafted characters round out this stellar 10 minute play. What a gem!

Wow, what a perfectly compact play. Its lean, beautiful language belies how profound it proves to be. It's funny, it's stark, it socks you in the gut. A lesson on how great a 10 minute play can be.

I don't want to give away the premise of this brilliant short play, but suffice it to say, I so want it to be true. The play is so well written and believable, I happily went along for the ride. It's such a smart play, too. In just a few pages, Gill says so much about Americans' cultural values. Highly recommended.

Wedding day jitters serves as the backdrop for this sweet, uplifting look at love when it's still new and perfect. Though essentially a two-character monologue, both characters are so well developed, I could see them fully materialize as I read the play. Martin is so very good at crafting feel-good stories, and this short will not leave you wanting. What a lovely piece to include in a short play festival.

Honestly, I was attracted to this play because of the title, and you'd think a play with such a title would be a little wacky. It is. Weaver does a good job of pulling in all number of random story points in a fun blend of "anything goes" in dreamland. Just weird and nonsensical enough to be interesting, while still making sense enough to be a story that holds the reader's attention. I especially liked the idea of the "NOT Jessica Alba" character (read it and see what I mean ;)

A short thriller perfect for any terror-themed play festival. A fun read, I want to see this play produced if, for no other reason, than to see the highly-theatrical elements fully staged in all their glory. The characters are well-rounded and challenging, too. So much artistic fun and potential to be found here.

'Overeater' is an empowering monologue told from the perspective of a type you don't normally associate with eating disorders. In a short span, it travels the distance from confession to triumph. Not so much uplifting as it is accessible and real, which brings all the more authenticity to this character. Wonderful piece for competition.

This one-minute play is like my first week in pandemic lock down, I chortled until reality set in.