Recommended by Matthew Weaver

Future theatrical scholars will look back on Wyndham's writing, I am convinced, and wonder at the thought processes and experimentation that led to such a diverse body of work. For Wyndham is an inspiration to us all, constantly stretching and trying new things. Here is a work that offers us a sneak peak into his creative process; the results, as you will not be surprised to learn, are staggeringly, astonishingly, stunningly good. Future theatrical scholars may have the vast, complete collection of Wyndham's words to treasure, but we are especially fortunate to have him living amongst us. Here! Right now!

So intimate it feels like we're intruding. Gonzalez delves DEEP into this story of complicated, flawed, messy love and lust and friendship and betrayal and, it bears repeating, love. Love runs through the entire script, as Gonzalez examines it from many angles, even the warts, especially the warts. Gonzalez never fails to deliver, and here is one more fine example of his excellence. Give it to your performers who know how to play with the forbidden; set them free and watch the stage catch fire.

With a title like that, OF COURSE I'm gonna read it. Williams gives us a brief, hilarious glimpse into the everyday life of our four-legged friends and how their minds (most likely) actually work. Should be an automatic acceptance into any one-minute play festival. Piss on a tree!

*joyful noise over another Hageman full-length*
*falls over*
Hageman puts all her signature moves - adorable teenagers, a mix of heart, HUMOR and heartache - to very fine use here, a response to gun violence in school mixed with a Chinatown-esque mystery and then the way we, all of us, are just stumbling around trying to make sense of things.
Produce her work produce her work produce her work, my god, produce her work
If you've never read her writing before, you are in for a treat. If you have, this is the same excellence you are right to expect.

Searing, scorching, acerbic satire that should be read by every actual play selection committee before they commence with the business of selecting plays ... or perhaps, right after, to see just how their selections hold up? While the reality that Hageman comments upon is maddening and pathetic, how fortunate we are that she vents her frustrations in such a hilarious and heartfelt way. (This is no surprise to anyone who's been fortunate enough to read her work.) You'll want to grab all the men here by the scruffs of their neck ... good! Produce this yesterday!!!

Lovely, just lovely. Krantz explores SO MUCH in just 10 minutes here, and yet the play takes its time, moves at its own pace, hovers between innocence and wisdom so well that it's hard to tell which is which. Tear-inducing. I've seen other takes on children playing at being grownups; Krantz teaches a master class in it. A grand addition to any festival or, better still, evening of Krantz plays.

Martin is SO GOOD in everything he offers, but 153 is particularly special because of how much he shares with we the audience. Theater is supposed to be intimate and deeply personal, and we are truly gifted with a warts and all self-examination. Better yet, it's a fascinating exploration to which any audience member can relate: Who are we now? Who were we? Who will we become? Martin gives those intense moments of grief and self doubt equal time with moments of light and hopefulness, and the world is better for it.

Sickles holds Skylar Chapin's experience aloft for we the audience to examine, forcing us to ask ourselves: Were we in this situation, would we fare much better? A fabulously ingenious premise - think a darker, more wicked version of that classic YA novel HATCHET, by Gary Paulsen, in miniature. The entire monologue feels like a classic, good Stephen King tale, but with Sickles' own signature wit and style. Instantly feels like a classic. I fully anticipate this will wind up being performed at a TON of festivals, and deservedly so. It's creepycool in all the best ways.

Gonzalez's characters spend the play talking about all the things we're not supposed to talk about, and it's thrilling, forbidden, and just a little bit steamy. Actually, a lot steamy. The desires between David and Maria leap off the page. Give this to your performers who embrace subtext with gusto. This is the sort of play where an audience can just sit back and enjoy the ride a gifted storyteller takes them on. Intelligent and adult in all the best ways. Simple staging, and yet I bet it'll be the play the audience can't stop thinking about after it's over.

Secret confession: Chaucer's CANTERBURY TALES was perhaps my favorite required reading in high school: Finally, a classic with sex in orange trees and fart humor! Rinkel does Chaucer proud with this updated, verse version of the Miller's Tale, every bit as fun and steamy and bawdy as the source material, told with a sly bent towards modern audiences. In the end (get it? get it?) Rinkel tells us to forget the moral and just have fun. After CANTERBURY, have your students read/perform this witty update, and discover the seriously great literature that their teachers have been hiding from them.