Recommended by Claudia Haas

Gonzalez offers us “magic time.” It’s a time you cannot get back but stays with you your entire life. If every child had this magic time, what a wonderful world it would be.

We finally got an alien rom-com! As well as some pseudo- science explanations of crop circles. And the knowledge that an alien could possibly smell of star-anise. What more do you need from a play? What a sweet addition this would be to any line-up about love … or aliens … or cornbread. Do not discount alien-poetry. It’s time has come.

Sickles grabs you with his intro and never lets go, You fall in love with the four characters. You want to nurture them. This is quite simply the most gorgeous play of kids knowing who they are and acceptance. Acceptance - so important as a child. Imagine if we all just accepted. Imagine if we taught acceptance. Sickles shows us what a wonderful world it would be. Theatre educators: read, include, perform.

Two teens fall in love and after a messy courtship that cost many lives manage to marry. And then what? When do you rethink youthful love? When do you say, “I wish….” And when do you wonder, “Is that all there is?” Marriages have stages and not every marriage is equipped for the challenge. Lawing gives these two a challenge and in the end … you are left to wonder.

Can Martineau make writing ‘I love you,” on post-it-notes a thing? Because I honestly think he could start a revolution. Hallmark, are you listening? We want post-it-notes for 89 cents.

This is just deliciously theatrical. O’Neill-Butler knows her fellow thespians and then some. An homage to all those who have done time with divas and have learned a thing or two about “how to handle a diva.” And a good time was had by all. Which lest we forget is one of the purposes of theatre.

The tension starts at the beginning and Bernadine never lets up. A look at a world that exists which we prefer not to see centering on young people that exist - that their families prefer not to see. It’s a devastating look at the mental health crisis affecting teens today and a look at their few options. Smartly written and highly theatrical, Bernadine sends us on a journey where the destination remains an unknown.

One might think this is the silliest reaction to a spider on the ceiling or - you might be me. From the assignments of ‘I Spy” to the stripping and then the saran wrapping, I was with the characters all the way - willing them to get rid of that ruthless spider. But the ending - oh my - Uhter takes arachnophobia to the highest level possible and I could not cope. If spiders creep you out, read at your own peril. (And then produce it. Come on, how many spider farces are out there?).

Confession: I am a fan of the Bard’s Midsummer play. So shoot me. New confession: this may be my favorite version of herbs, lovers, and what happens when we go into the woods. Silly alternates with clever and the 1600’s happily meld with the present to create delight. And no, you don’t need to know Midsummer to have a rollicking good time. Mansfield gives you all you need for a delightful rendition of summer loving.

Conversations can work. If both parties are listening. I’ve seen it firsthand and I am gratified to see it here. Ellen Davis Sullivan dishes up a confrontation that can go terribly wrong and then turns it around as some true listening begins. Want to find common ground? That play simple says, “talk to each other.” Maybe this should be on the evening news.