Recommended by Dan West

I saw a reading of this comedic “true story” recently and it absolutely hit all the right notes from top to bottom. Roland Carter is the youngest in a long line of medieval brewers who has no talent for ale, and needs to call on different “gifts” in order to win his place in the world and the hand of his beloved. Every one of the characters is richly and fully drawn and great fun for actors and viewers alike. A certain audience pleaser.

The Turing test for machine intelligence was first proposed over 75 years ago, but it has never been so timely as it is right now. In John Busser’s “All to HumAIn”, two researchers place three volunteers in a room with the task of determining through there interactions which of them is human and which is a machine simulation. As the experiment progresses, all three see their “humanity” break down as the scenario devolves into to one no unlike Sartre’s No Exit. A tense and provocative piece with an ending that truly surprises.

This multi-layered meta-theatrical dramatic comedy will keep your audiences on their toes. A pastiche of Chekhov’s plays that has one foot set in the world of Russian Lit while the other appears to explore an area somewhere in between Christopher Durang, early Stoppard, and Paul Auster’s New York Stories. Clever, witty, and literary; “Vanya is Dick” is a play gone wrong that gets it right.

Plays are expected to change (sometimes drastically) from draft to draft; but, when those changes come live and onstage during a script-in-hand reading of a new play, all hell can break loose. In this hilarious meta-theatrical piece, not only to the characters names change during the course of the play; but, so do their relationships, and even their physical bodies. The audience will have to be paying attention to keep up with all at the twists and turns; but, with a piece this tightly (yet ornately) crafted, keeping up with it is a big part of the fun.

Suddenly losing a parent to cancer can be devastating. To discover the betrayal of the remaining parent at the very same moment in time has the potential to be soul-crushing. In Mathilde Dratwa’s “Laundry Day”, the lead character (a young mother) must decide whether to choose spiritual orphanhood or to forgive a father that has done something unforgivable to her lost mother. A chorus of alters/witness supplies sly commentary and witty insights in this comedic drama about what it means to be a wounded child and hurting parent; and both at the same time.

As an autumnal storm pummels the seaside town of Scituate, MA; newly engaged couple Patrick and Kathy feel safely ensconced in her family’s vacation home looking forward to a romantic night alone. When their plans are foiled by a second, less refined couple seeking shelter as they flee from the flooding along the coast; the pair are forced to confront their own feelings and experiences, both past and present. A taut and tightly-crafted psychological drama and takes both the characters and the audience to places least expected.

This short play cycle tracks two seminal moments in the burgeoning relationship of Irv and Sheila, a couple of elderly denizens of the Hebrew Home for the Aged. The first scene focuses on overcoming grief and loss and allowing new doors to open with the second one detailing exactly how far through that open door do you allow someone new to enter. A bittersweet and heartfelt tale of love, and aging, and moving on.

When a federal operative seeks to subvert her popular “Duckie” series of children’s book in order to advance the administration’s political agenda, author Charlotte Winters is faced with the prospect of watching her beloved creation being turned into a tool of partisan propaganda. This short, ten-minute comedy is not only quite funny in its own right, but it packs a very timely political punch as well.

Set in the heart of the free-wheeling 1970’s, two American siblings vacationing in Romanian seek to spend one full night in the (reputed) legendary Castle of Dracula. There they encounter two mysterious residents who may be paid actors be actors set on scaring them away or who could be something far more nefarious. This clever spoof of the classic horror genre pushes its characters past breaking point until everything collapses hilariously into chaos and camp and perhaps even the occasional Bee Gees tune. Well done.

Scottsdale, AZ is hot and sunny. Scotland, UK is cold and wet. These are important facts to remember when scheduling your nudist resort vacation. In Anna Love Hanna's hilarious short comedy, loving couple Chris and Anna end up in that latter expecting a dessert getaway, only to find a willing Highland host with little more under than a sense of adventure under his kit. Riotious fun, just be careful how you handle the Haggis.