Recommended by Claudia Haas

The play is an imagining of (formerly Saint) Valentine's turning points in his life. Epic in scope but not in production values, the play is easy to stage with delicious roles for all five characters. Set in ancient Rome, the play encompasses religious tolerance, history written (and rewritten) and the political games people play. The twists and turns offer surprises both in character development as well as humor in unexpected places. A theatre looking for a change from the kitchen sink dramas would do well to read this suspenseful, fast-paced play.

There is gutsiness here, sadness and feminism. Here's a woman who is primed for attacks - verbal and physical - because she is a female who participates in cosplay. Vulnerable and steely, Valerie is a role of many layers offering an actress a delicious role with many notes.

A devastating look at a family coping with a loss - a loss that is both quick and slow. The dealing with the "put on a happy face" syndrome in the hospital, the monologues from the family of wanting Liam to let go because coming back whole is not an option are arrows to the heart. They wound and they love. The humor surprises and you're glad for their coping mechanism. And you care - so very much.

Labor versus Management: A Christmas Story. There's a lot of sparkly tinsel to go around as Santa "with the round ears" has to deal with "little pointy-eared traitors" when his elves decide to open their own workshop. What goes around comes around and in the process there are words of wisdom intertwined with holiday silliness. It's Christmas candy and fair labor practice all tied up in a pretty bow.

What if all your decisions about your life - where you would live and what you would do - was decided for you at birth? What if this decision made for you was wrong? Four young people debate this on the Ark, a colony ship headed to a Goldilocks planet. The play is a lively debate of free-will versus fate. The outcome of the debate could mean life or death. A thoughtful discourse relevant for our times.

This is a sly, quirky comedy where "things are seldom what they seem" and "skim milk does indeed masquerade as cream." The premise is original, all roles have something meaty for the actors to play and this can be minimally staged. The stakes get higher as you get into the play and there's some pop culture fun. It's perfect for a festival.

Two Degrees is a thoughtful and passionate look into a scientist studying the effects of climate change. Brought to Washington to testify before a Senate Committee, Emma Phelps, a paleoclimatologist, finds herself trying to cut through politics while holding her fragile, personal life together. The play threads together the urgent danger of climate change, science, politics, grief and humanity. The ending is a skillful combination of the forces in Emma's life that interweave and offer hope.

Mason and Doris are on the cusp - the cusp of staying together, breaking up, going to museums, figuring out life. These two characters reflect the make-up of of American society that go unexplored. There is a sweet rhythm of reality and understanding of the confusions of what makes up a life. Inspired by William Inge, the characters are flawed, likable, confused, and yearning.

This is a fun tale of mix-ups, love and marriage. There is a gentle undercurrent of the difference between "acceptance" and "true acceptance" that adds some depth to the play. The play would work well in short play festivals focusing on love, marriage and gay marriage.

This is truly a delightful adventure tale for all ages. With characters borrowed from Shakespeare but re-imagined, the play is chock full of mischievous fairies and magic - both naughty and nice. The play examines grief and loss from the perspective of a child and brings together the notion of "family" - traditional and non-traditional and the power of love.