Recommended by Claudia Haas

Truths, half-truths,stories, reality - all is blurred in Gill’s American Divided. The play moves quickly through reveals, bluffs, and hope when there is no hope. Our internet gives us a lot of black and white. Gill eschews heroes and villains and offers us instead people with challenging lives trying to keep their humanity. It’s a rare play where you root for everyone but Gill makes it happen. It’s a meaningful play for our times.

Maybe because I am a Twins fan (an impossible situation), maybe because the boys of summer were always the perfect date. Or maybe this is just one of the funniest, impossible rom-coms to come my way in a long time but yeah, LOVE this play. And I’ll declare it on the scoreboard. Higbee has found the perfect proposal. Who wouldn’t choose a bobble-head over the diamond ring? And wait! What’s more important than scoring in the bottom of the ninth? Baseball and love: heaven. (Disclaimer: saw this at Lakeshore Players where the actors were manic Twins fans.)

Often what you want is in front of you but you don’t see it. And so it is with Lionel who is enamored with the “new girl” but has yet to see Didi. Sweet and engaging, this romantic comedy for seniors does not fall into any stereotypical traps of “love in the elder years.” Rather it focuses on what we see, what we hear and when preconceived notions get in the way of our senses. Plus - oh my, I had fun picturing the boom box and cassette tapes as Lionel sees himself as the epitome of cool.

What happens at a funeral stays at the funeral. You have to love how uncomplicated this bereavement turns out to be. Self-sacrifice is complicated and there are times - when release is welcome. Sickles deliciously combines loss and sex with truths and action. There is definitely a celebration of life at this funeral.

You’ll find layers of love in this multi-facet short piece: lovers of the planet, a lover of pretend, and lovers of each other. You may think you know what the play is about but as it unfolds it takes a turn. A turn that strengthens their relationship and a turn that gives them a reason to get up in the morning. And that turn is everything.

It’s a rare play that makes you feel as though you can hear the heartbeats of the actors onstage. Martin accomplishes this with a play that has simple but heightened action and virtually no dialogue. A “love at first sight” story, Martin builds tension by giving you the body language of the characters (narrated) complete with furtive glances and nervous gestures. It’s a gift basket of possibilities for both actors and director. And the audience will be leaning forward in their seats willing them to connect. Original, fun and sweet.

In a world where supposedly “coming out” has never been easier, Rinkel puts a period on that. He gives us two vastly different but vulnerable teens looking for acceptance. Unexpectedly, they find it in each other. There’s humor, hard truths, and a wish for a more accepting world for all wrapped up in this poignant play. One way to create this new world would be to produce this play. Again and again.

There is so much sweetness in watching two nerdy wallflowers get a little confidence “with a little help from their friends” (and hors d’oeuvres). We have all been Isabel and Paul sometime in our life. We just needed better waiters (and more food). Levine’s quirky romantic-comedy speaks volumes of how we perceive ourselves and our perception of others. Maybe we should all strive for better hors d’oeuvres.

You’re never too old for Pickle-Ball ... or other delightful activities. Carnes offers us a champagne-sparkle of a comedy for “people of a certain age” without a whiff of elder-stereotypying. If it takes a clothing-optional wedding to give older actors dream roles, let’s have more of that: more love, more spice, more pickle-ball. You can find it all in the play.

I love romantic comedies with twists and turns and some shadows. This has it all in spades. Mavromatis takes us on a sweet journey into the romantic unknown. Where it will stop - nobody knows - but you will have a lovely trip. The perfect play for heart-day. Especially when heart-day is every day. Throw some light into your life and read it/produce it.