Recommended by Claudia Haas

Burbano covers a lot of ground in this short play. In the end, the battles of wills between two generations of women was riveting. Two sympathetic point of views caught me by surprise. And while Burbano certainly critiques many social ills, the characters remain nuanced and human. A wonderful exercise in "never assume," I found myself thinking about my own judgements. The play showcases our perceived reality versus a true, multi-dimensional one.

The play beautifully states the fears and anxieties of new parents: babies are flesh and blood, yes. But they are also tiny, super-delicate and maybe made of glass? Love is woven throughout. I loved the sly remarks about a man's strength versus a woman's. The fear of the mistakes that will be made parenting rings so true. So much happens in this short play and it all strikes home and to the heart.

This is one grand road trip that could only happen in the Midwest - and Canada. An unlikely buddy comedy, the play changes directions almost as many times as the car does. Jason's "Mind Map," the threat of getting eaten by polar bears, the looming of a solitary existence as the IT specialist ("a very hard job") in South Dakota kept me laughing and wondering, "what's next?" And Lord does not disappoint. The ending is unexpected but actually exactly as it should be. Two multifaceted characters add to the fun for the actors and the audience.

At the gym, connected to their electronics, two people are at a loss to make connections. I love how the honesty stays hidden at the beginning and slowly comes out because they feel safe. A sweet, thoughtful, poignant take on the romantic comedy - it offers more than attraction - it offers vulnerability, opening yourself up, the risk that is inherent when you take a chance. In an increasingly, supposedly "connected age, the play centers on a true connection. And it is lovely.

I was very interested to read this play after having lived a lot of it. It is documentary theatre at its best. Meticulously researched, all rings true. Orloff captures the fearlessness, the cynicism, the purity and the ugliness of the of the campus protests. Humor is inserted in unexpected places. The use of newscasters, music (classical and pop) slams home the widening chasm that existed then much as it exists today. I'd love to see this as part of the high school canon of plays to study.The parallels between then and now strike home.

This is a clever little ditty and a grand exercise in manipulation. Both roles are great fun - from the banker who starts out in charge and slowly gets put in his place - to the empowered young woman who has figured out how to get what she wants. It's survival of the fittest in the jungle world of business and this ten-minute is a table-turning, grand example.

A dramatic encounter between spouses leads to a clever act of revenge. It's gripping, believable and beautifully laid out as we go from minor griping and complaints to the climax. A short but pointed look at a marriage on the rocks. The characters have strong arcs resulting in some meaty roles for actors.

You have to love the odd bonding, quirky moments of mother and daughter throwing dad out of an airplane. People do the oddest? Remarkable? Things to honor their loved ones. Foster captures love in grief, sillyness in grief and maybe - closure in grief. Wacky fun with a shot of poignancy. Grief is like that.

This is a play fraught with danger. There’s a fine role for a young performer - complete with smarts and naïveté at the same time. I love how the play unfolds - in its own time and handing tidbits all by the way. You have just enough time to wonder about what’s going on before the worry starts in. Hodak perfectly captures the world of an eleven year old child and that of the drifter. The 1940’s backdrop adds dimension. There’s a wonderful adventure here for you to partake.

This is such a sweet, imaginative play for young performers. With most of the cast from another planet (and no, they’re not your typical sci-fi aliens), young actors can play with their sounds and movement. (Designers will have a merry old time.) The use of music as a commonality that spans the universe is a truism that young audiences know well. There are so many bright moments of friendship. If aliens are studying us, I hope they’re from Kannukah. A celebration of earth and beyond.