Recommended by Claudia Haas

Magic and a first kiss bring enchantment. The magic doesn’t always go well and the kiss is an iffy proposition - at first. Bohannon captures the growing pains, the innocence and the wonder of this preteen couple. The addition of a younger sibling adds some chaos and conflict to both the kiss and the magic. It’s a charmer. I would love to see the different nuances between using adult actors versus young performers. Each cast would bring something different to the table.

This is a delightful revisit to Wonderland through the eyes of Allie (an older Alice obsessed with her technology). Faithful to the spirit of the novel, Robert has kept the nonsense and silliness of the Lewis's characters intact. Filled with chases, audience participation, squabbles, tea and cookies - there is something for every age to enjoy. The bonus is that during the course of the play, you root for everyone (including the Queen).

You are so going to want a hamster after reading/seeing this play. You are also going to want to be a basketball star, Russian Olympic track star, astronaut, artist... yes, this tale is that epic. Forget Stuart Little. Life is all about the hamster. Read it. Produce it.

Set in a little town with a park that maybe is a dragon forest, a young boy's imagination (maybe) springs to life in the form of a (maybe) dragon. Imagination and reality are side-by-side and there is the element of never being absolutely sure where one ends and the other begins. Young audiences will not only relate to the vegan dragon (of course) but with Travis's need for excitement in his self-proclaimed boring life. Especially loved the nuances in the mother/son relationship and Travis's delightful "smarts."

The innocence of the Winnie The Pooh tales is heightened against a backdrop of the World War II London blitz. You wouldn't think that the tales would co-exist with a soundscape of enemy aircraft and bombings but they do. As the 100 Acre Wood characters seek to comfort themselves by escaping their hospital surroundings into the Pooh stories, the heart of the stories are laid bare. Immersed in the stories, it struck me how important these characters and their mishaps/sweetnesses are in a world of chaos. Perfect for youth and adults alike.

This is a delightful romp through fairytale-land or Massachusetts or where-you-will. Rubber ducks that lay golden eggs? No problem. Evicting witches from gingerbread houses? That may be a problem. You find yourself rooting for heroes and pseudo-villains as the play races through tales leaving belly laughs in its wake. Sweet and sassy, it's a people pleaser for all ages.

This is a charming, fast-paced play that will enchant young performers and young audiences alike. Change (in the form of a move) is coming to Honey's life and she is not embracing it. Young audiences will certainly relate to Honey's fear of moving from all that she loves. A very strong, quirky ensemble cast of tropical island characters help Honey to think through her fears. Wise words, silly words, music, movement and color are deftly woven into the play which will be a treat for young theatre-goers.

This is a beautiful, poignant play about loss and coming-of-age at the tender age of ten. Ellie's struggles are everyone's struggles and young audiences will connect with her and root for her. Adams brings magic into the mix but it's not abracadabra - it's winter magic from the natural world. The blend of down-to-earth reality and winter enchantment drew me in. I never wanted to leave. I hope to see this on a stage soon.

This is a sweet riff on video games borrowing cleverly from the King Arthur tale. The play is geared at young performers and all roles offer young thespians a chance to develop character while having fun onstage. I could see this being very popular in middle schools. It could provoke some interesting discussions regarding the constant stereotyping of "nerd" and "cool" so rampant at that age.

"Nobody's safe till everyone is safe." Tackling a play about a hate crime for young audiences isn't easy. Hoke manages to bypass the easy-platitudes and preachy elements that sometimes pepper these plays. Instead, we have smartly-written dialogue and nuanced turnabouts that are unexpected. An added bonus is the ensemble of teen characters that all change and grow as they discover how to be friends. This would be a grand choice for the high school one-act circuit.