Recommended by Noah Masterson

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    Two men try to uphold the patriarchy despite being trapped in the belly of a whale? What's not to love in Ava Love Hanna's sendup of masculinity, Jonah, early aviation, Pinocchio (?) and probably 10 or 12 other things. Very funny and all too real.

    Two men try to uphold the patriarchy despite being trapped in the belly of a whale? What's not to love in Ava Love Hanna's sendup of masculinity, Jonah, early aviation, Pinocchio (?) and probably 10 or 12 other things. Very funny and all too real.

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    I saw the world premiere of "It's Not What It Looks Like" in 2025, and it was the resounding highlight of a full night of great short plays. It's a comedy of manners taken to the extremest of extremes, with seemingly dozens of delightful twists compacted into 10 minutes. This one's a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

    I saw the world premiere of "It's Not What It Looks Like" in 2025, and it was the resounding highlight of a full night of great short plays. It's a comedy of manners taken to the extremest of extremes, with seemingly dozens of delightful twists compacted into 10 minutes. This one's a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

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    As Dr. Strangelove did in the 1960s, Oversight confronts the horrors of today's geopolitical landscape with a perfect blend of realism and absurdism. It locks the audience in the room to watch in real time as some of the most powerful men and women in the world determine the fate of humanity while showing their own human frailties. It's a theatrical thrill ride that will grab you by the collar and not let go until the end.

    As Dr. Strangelove did in the 1960s, Oversight confronts the horrors of today's geopolitical landscape with a perfect blend of realism and absurdism. It locks the audience in the room to watch in real time as some of the most powerful men and women in the world determine the fate of humanity while showing their own human frailties. It's a theatrical thrill ride that will grab you by the collar and not let go until the end.

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    I had the honor of seeing Apprehension twice, because once was not enough. It will stick with you long after the curtain is called. It's a tense, Hitchcockian psychological thriller that also knows when to lighten the mood with unexpected humor. Is Joe going crazy? Or is everyone really out to get him? You'll have to see it to find out.

    I had the honor of seeing Apprehension twice, because once was not enough. It will stick with you long after the curtain is called. It's a tense, Hitchcockian psychological thriller that also knows when to lighten the mood with unexpected humor. Is Joe going crazy? Or is everyone really out to get him? You'll have to see it to find out.

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    With characters morphing into new identities every 30 seconds, this play is an actor's dream. It's tautly written, with escalating absurdism, a joy from beginning to end. I would love to see this on stage.

    With characters morphing into new identities every 30 seconds, this play is an actor's dream. It's tautly written, with escalating absurdism, a joy from beginning to end. I would love to see this on stage.

  • Noah Masterson: The Elephant by Ava Love Hanna
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    If Ionesco's corpse was exhumed and reanimated and asked to write a short play about domestic life, it might look a lot like "The Elephant." Ava Love Hanna perfectly balances physical comedy (a literal elephant) with hilarious dialogue, and it ends with a twist that I did not see coming.

    If Ionesco's corpse was exhumed and reanimated and asked to write a short play about domestic life, it might look a lot like "The Elephant." Ava Love Hanna perfectly balances physical comedy (a literal elephant) with hilarious dialogue, and it ends with a twist that I did not see coming.

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