Recommended by Claudia Haas

There are some big themes running through this play: loss, memory suppression, sibling rivalry. Burdick uses them to maximum effect. Can you go home again? Should you? What happens when what you remember is not accurate? There are three compelling characters - all flawed and all worthy of love. The play is a journey of coming home and letting go. The revitalization of Monessen Falls underlies the hope for the family. All through the play, the visuals enhance the plot.

A tense 911 call between a scared teen and a dispatcher is interrupted regularly with Facebook comments (all taken from Facebook) is all you need to know about the way we process information today. While the teen is seeking help, the comments judge him, and add their personal histories. It's chilling to recognize that social media carries a lot of sanctimonious "what about's" and little true discussion. In a short amount of time, Carnes manages to address gun control, mental health and community in pointed manner. Now to have a true discussion: listening is mandatory.

Mating for life, cheating, killing swans (no swans are hurt in the creation of the play), and acceptance are all interwoven in this short play. The plot unfolds beautifully as Ellie, newly jilted, is rescued by Violet. You are kept off-kilter even at the end and you are left wanting more. There are two strong roles for actresses and a fun payoff for the audiences.

A man and his duck - should be simple, no? You have to get drawn into this sweet comedy where a duck hatches, falls in love with Andy and they do everything together - until. There always has to be an "until." It's funny and silly and unexpectedly poignant. All I have to say after reading this is, "Quack." And I mean it in the best possible way.

This is a delightful romp through the past. I love how Gabridge intertwines Beatrix Potter with American farmer Sam McGregor and how this meeting even makes sense (in a far-off galaxy). It's clever, witty, packed with action and has a great turnabout at the end. A grand addition to a play festival.

There are three beautifully realized characters here and they're caught in circumstances that turn their lives into chaos. They each have their own personal webs whether they are formed by genetics, family, ambition or sometimes imaginary ones that are hard to escape. Minigan covers a lot of ground: feminism, academia, race, and Alzheimer's to great effect. All are affected by the "mischance" in the title. You very much want these characters to succeed and appreciate the small triumphs that make these three all so human. It's a smartly-written play that I would love to see staged.

This is an intricate and beautiful melding of history, theatre, it's people and the Great Globe Itself. Past meets present and there will be a future. Three time periods are carefully delineated and each have their own energy and reason to be. The characters drift in and out of time (not unlike Doctor Who - who is cleverly inserted into the play). Hansen pays homage to the early greats but is not afraid to satirize with sly dialogue adding to the fun. The choices of the Bard's plays sing and highlight the conflict in the scenes. A must read.

This is the unlikeliest romantic comedy. The opening grabs you and you think you know where you're going. When you don't go there, you assume something else and finally you stop assuming because these characters are unpredictable. They're human, funny/not funny, angst-ridden and well-meaning. Just a beautifully written two-hander. I'd love to meet Caroline and Guy again.

This is delightful for teens. It's all light and fluffy on the outside but the ending gives you something to think about. Haunt is no ordinary ghost - which has its downside - maybe - and he is being molded into the scariest ghost - we think. The audience participation and movement are perfect for young audiences. There's a lot of room to play in this play.

"Even the people you think fit in, they don't fit in" and so it goes in high school. But this isn't any old high school ... play. It's a crazy dance with dream sequences, steampunk, Morp (yeah, Morp), pie fights and the worse matchmaking in the history of the art. Stubbles characters are all smarter than they think and they are all a hoot and a holler. The character names are inspired. Even the design elements are packed with humor. The play's a treasure trove of wonderful roles for young performers and a good time is guaranteed for all.