Recommended by Matthew Weaver

Hageman gently tweaks the overly sensitive crowd in this utterly pure, utterly hysterical short comedy that is sure to be a guaranteed crowd pleaser. This is our next NOISES OFF, our next BLACK COMEDY, and it's acerbic and sharp as hell. Come for the physical comedy, stay for the social commentary and the chance for performers to really strut their stuff. Hageman is a maestro, and this is no exception. I had the pleasure of reading this for Trade a Play Tuesday, and it was a gift to find in my inbox. Hashtag hilarious, hashtag brilliant.

Can a play be dreadfully sobering and an awful lot of fun at the same time? Wyndham's one-minute here is a resounding YES. The moral of the story is: Always do the science reading. This would be a lively addition to any showcase featuring middle-school age performers: Cast 'em and turn 'em loose! Love that Wyndham is working so hard to provide opportunities for youth, and this is another stand-out from him. The actors, and the audience, will have a fun time hanging on for dear life.

"My play was selected," poor Leah says, and Carnes knows that's when all the trouble REALLY begins. Being a playwright can be lonely work sometimes, but Carnes captures hilariously how claustrophobic it can be when a seven-character, 10-minute play involving a live parrot is being put on 3,000 miles away. It's so far, and yet still not quite far enough ... The cardinal rule is no children, no apex predators and heaven help you if the production is in the meatpacking district or your director falls down a flight of stairs. Smart and hysterical, with an extra wince of truth.

Carnes offers an off-kilter, odd, quirky tale between two unseen individuals that will have an audience leaning forward in anticipation, although the results will never be something they can predict or expect. This is great metaphor for what's expected in a given work environment - one has to learn to say "Meow" exactly right, and learn how to reach into a bag of snakes just so. And I love the concept of this being done entirely in the dark, allowing the audience to fill in the details with their own imaginations. Just be careful with the photocopy machine; it's finicky.

A darker offering from Martin, and the results are uncomfortable and riveting. Abe addresses an unseen hostage and he confesses his - and our- shameful truths. Who among us hasn't had a moment where we seek to lash out, really lash out, at someone who has wronged or disappointed us - the competitor who bested us, the jerk who cuts us off in traffic. Abe seeks help from his audience, a witness, but not the sort we want to give him. A good showcase for a strong actor in your ensemble, who isn't afraid to lay bare the ugliest honesty.

Kindness permeates throughout Martin's work. Here is a play that tells students it's OK to be as smart as they are, celebrates them for that kindness and recognizes that smarts aren't the only thing in the world. Martin captures how stunningly easy and even chillingly tempting it can be to hide our true visage from the world, as when Anna Macadamia ever so "nicely" suggests that Inez give the WRONG answer once in a while. It's a slippery slope. Fortunately, Inez has Miss Ella Louella as a teacher. Teachers always know. Special shoutout to Joshua Sausage's math problem answer.

Tense, taut and a fine line of wry humor throughout. Imagine A FEW GOOD MEN set after World War II, told with spies, ghosts, oodles of psychological drama and sons trying to live up to their fathers and you get Triplett's play, all the best of Aaron Sorkin and John Le Carre rolled into one. Everyone, every single character here, works with at least three levels of motivation, a stellar accomplishment on Triplett's part. I particularly liked the Philpott/Donovan rivalry. Readers/viewers will be helpless to do anything but watch as secrets fill to the brim and spill over.

Boys! Boys having feelings! Boys coming together to support a friend! Hageman does an excellent job of playing with society's expectations of the friendships and behavior of adolescent males. The characters initially display some discomfort over the prospect of showing vulnerability, but when the chips are really down, they are given the chance to shine and rise to the occasion. Would be an excellent resource to show in high schools, sure to inspire conversations, and an opportunity for talented young performers to showcase their range.

Goldman-Sherman speaks her truth honestly and creatively, in hopes of lifting up audience members with a similar experience, as well as elevating her own past, present and future. To call this "bold" and "unflinching" feels like just using buzzwords that have lost their meaning, although I do think it is bold and unflinching (although her characters do flinch, and we love them all the more for it) and on Goldman-Sherman's own terms. This is her story, told in a way only she can. She's trusting us with it. May we all prove to be worthy of receiving it.

An honest, kind, open conversation between two men about women at different stages in their lives. Seems particularly timely with current events, and yet also feels flawlessly timeless and yet with a hopeful end that maybe some things - "We are the monsters, aren't we?" - can change, even if it's in the small act of throwing something in the garbage when nobody's looking. The revolution begins quietly.