Recommended by Dan West

Set in a late-19th-Century Swedish mental institution, this "based on true events" ghost story examines how memory and tragedy can shape peoples lives and how we perceive them. Young Per Nilsson is awoken each night by the ghost of his murdered wife, a murder that his own mother has been executed for; but, as the hospital staff does their best to help him overcome this trauma, we begin to suspect that not all is exactly as it seems. Dark, chilling, and expertly crafted; Donald Loftus' "PER" is a psychological thriller that is sure to leave its audiences talking.

A carefully crafted and poetic ensemble piece about how our military establishment seeks to create ideal soldiers out of individuals, but fails as a system to protect the individuality of the soldiers it creates. Marus Anet use of a Greek chorus and verse drama provides a fine counterpoint the inflexible structure of the rigid institutions being deconstructed. A sympathetic and insightful exploration of patriotism and war and who exactly we label as heroes.

This short dark play about the loss of a child expertly navigates the middle ground between maudlin and insensitive without ever really risking wandering into one of those realms or the other. In a story that (IIRC) is founded in an actual event, a mother seeking to commemorate her recently deceased child is offered a chance to speak her mind to the corporate lawyer assigned to protect the copyright of a well-know (& litigious) global media giant. Gibbs manages this potentially difficult, darkly comic premise with sensitivity and with great humor.

Who doesn’t love a good mad scientist farce? Well, I bet you wouldn’t if you were an erstwhile alchemist/traveller abducted during your journeys and bound to a table to have your brain bisected by the deranged Dr. Hossenpfeffer. Luckily neither you nor I are in such a quandary , so we can all enjoy this short, comedic Sam Heyman two-hander and laugh to our hearts content as we watch The Traveler attempt through wit and wile to escape their dastardly predicament. Such great fun.

Rich and Dorethea Helms have written a heartfelt short play about loss and memory and when to let go of the objects from our past (and when to hold onto them). This piece will touch any and all audience members that have either lost a parent to death or may be losing one to dementia.

It's not easy being a teen in the early mid-21st century. Constant feelings of panic, mom thinks you're a demon, your psychiatrist wants to give you Adderall when what you really need is Prozac... And then your absentee father shows up, and he is not at all what you expected... It's enough to drive a girl crazy. And make and audience go nuts with laughter. This is one smartly written and downright hilarious one-act. Devilishly funny.

The Peter Principle states that employees will rise to the level of their incompetence. But what if you were never qualified to begin with? What if you weren't even sure what the job was or why you were doing it? How far could you rise then? In this short absurdist farce, a solitary man hired to participate in an unexplained scavenger hunts learns that success is often achieved by setting your questions aside and simply following directions. There is a lot chew on here. And I quite enjoyed the chewing.

The world can be a stressful place. And it is totally natural to want to withdraw from it from time to time. It is also natural to want to share your sanctuary with those you love. It is less natural to lead your beloved to a self-excavated catacomb far beneath the earth with the intent of spending the rest of your days there. And yet, this is where we find Doug and his boyfriend Lynn - and Lynn is not impressed. An earnestly dark and thoughtful tale about what in means to find solace in the darkness.

Father Dan is just finishing up the days confessional when an unrecognized woman shows up with unique problem to confess. During the next ten minutes; the Father is forced examine his beliefs, explore exactly how much he is willing to accept on faith, and determine if he is even qualified to assist the very special parishioner at all. A short play that earns its laughs while leaving you ponder far weightier matters.

The world is filled with people haunted by the ghosts of their pasts. But what about the ghosts of our future? In Christopher Plumridge’s “Samantha’s Friend”, we bear witness to a ten year “haunting” of young Samantha (just four when we meet her) and her parents by a mysterious “imaginary friend” whose portents become more and more foreboding as the family closes in on a calamitous (and perhaps inevitable?) point in time. Haunting, chilling, and finally quite moving. This is a terrific short suspenser.