Recommended by Claudia Haas

I’m with Riley - please send me across the river where I can rap The Declaration of Independence. Sometimes an addiction can save you. Riley’s smarts, her humor, her references show us that she is in more control of the games than her adults are of their lives. Interesting juxtaposition. It’s a wonderfully fresh point of view.

The themes in this monologue encompass huge truths about our educational system. But it doesn’t preach. Put in the perspective of a middle-schooler, Alyssa has observed and learned and is doing exactly what preteens are want to do - she is figuring out stuff for herself. Her conclusions are spot-on and believable. Wyndham’s ear for dialogue in this age group is pitch-perfect. A young actress could relate to this and shine in competition.

A simply splendid monologue for a budding actress who is carving her own way and her path does not include any Disney princesses. The monologue has wonderful opportunities for physicality, a unique homespun costume-visual and best of all an opportunity for an actress to try her own wings and talons and soar.

First, I would probably pay for a Scottish Party Guide. Daly has a nutso, fast-paced comedy where “real life” makes an occasional appearance. He mines humor from the improbable, the poignant and the ties of siblings - who will maybe, kind-of, probably do anything for each other. By the end of the play, you’ll be tempted to go into business with them.

There is a beauty in giving high school actors something that only they can do beautifully and this is such a play. Teens will relate and connect to their audiences with this play. Delicate and nuanced, Hageman shows us how truly hard answers are when things go wrong and the incredible strength it takes to leave a cage. Even a cage you never wanted to be in. Schools should stop with the dusty standards and take a look at Hageman’s plays.

Carnes had me grieving for the “lost” friend. Too many children giving too many tributes. To dead friends. Lost to them but not lost - murdered. In a scant page, Carnes crafts a story, poetry and longing for a life that should be.

What a wickedly funny love potion this is. It’s a classic “be careful what you wish for” taken to new heights. Chemists take note: not every discovery should be marketed. The ending is a gem.

What a delightful confection for the holidays. What starts out as a screwball comedy seamlessly shifts into a magical place of Christmas enchantment. The play is Christmas-silly and Christmas-sentimental. What’s more, it’s true family-fare - appropriate for all ages. Take a break from “A Christmas Carol” and try this instead.

What a beautiful play affirming all the good in humanity while accepting and even celebrating all of our imperfections. It’s sprawling in scope but the tiny details of love, care, relationships and the trials of everyman and everywoman touched my being. I cared on the first page and cared more when the play was done. And I want more.

Rituals can help in the unimaginable. A beautiful monologue where lighting a candle has meaning, lighting a candle is remembrance, lighting a candle is love. The hows and whys we honor a life give meaning to our emotions, our ties to loved ones and how we cope. Beautifully stated.