Recommended by Claudia Haas

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.

This play has so many twists and turns and crossroads and forks in the road - all while sitting in a movie theatre. Don't assume you know where it's going because it pauses and switches gears constantly - just as teens do. It's a delightful coming-of-age/slice of teen life filled with heart and honesty. Fun for the actors to do and equally delightful for their audiences.

"There's a little bit of magic in that moon." And there's a lot of magic in Moon in a Barrel. It combines the best of fairytales and even better - there is no message. Just pure zany fun. I'd love to see an anthology of Hermann and Faye stories.

New advertising brilliance: 18 holes of mini golf where the first nine are biblically-themed from the old testament and the last nine are from the new testament. And - if you get a hole in one - the whale vomits up Jonah. You have to love a play that combines putt-putt with the Bible. Silliness is everywhere, secrets are confessed and when you're done grinning with the play - it suddenly all seems plausible. It's a welcome addition to a short play festival.