Recommended by Steven G. Martin

O'Grady's wonderful character in "Invisible" is a three-year-old dog named Scout, endowed with a lot of energy and playfulness. But Scout also has been subjected to the world of the unknown, pain and danger, and being careful. The world of learning, of giving in to fear.

The irony is that the audience knows what Scout is wary of, but maybe this deceptive (in the best way) play leads them to question the unknown fears that stifle their own lives.

Dias compares and contrasts the difficulties of the Syrian civil war in Return to Aleppo: the blood-pulsing chaos of leaving home at a moment's notice, the numbing bureaucracy of waiting months or longer for a new home. Dias's visual and poetic interludes between these scenes also are evocative, further revealing the emotional state of Hasti, the protagonist, who is dependent upon others for survival.

Burbano's short play examines what it means to be in power as opposed to being empowered. It is a terrific fictional character study about the private life of one of the most recognized women in the world. Burbano trusts the audience to come to its own conclusions about the characters and their motivations.

Lawing's dry comedy centers on a couple that operates on the co-dependent side of the interpersonal relationship scale. Lawing's dry sense of humor shows the two men dressed the same -- even down to their skivvies -- until a crisis forces them to look at, and accept, one another as individuals. They're foolish, they're in love, they're a unique type of same-sex couple.

Hageman proves the adage that writers must have genuine affection for the subject they parody. She clearly knows and enjoys the characters and the stories she is spoofing here: there are levels of detail that a non-fan wouldn't recognize, and the humor is richer because of it.

Bavoso dramatizes how we lose out when our primary passion in life is our career. Felicity and Minerva push through huge obstacles to improve their lives through new jobs, but at the cost of losing a whole lot more. Bavoso has done his research: this is a finely plotted, strongly detailed script with terrific roles especially for women actors.

Jojo is aptly named because the character is filled with so much joy. Jojo sees so many opportunities, not only in finding fun, imaginative things to do during the thirty minutes allocated to recess, but also in connecting with playmates and teachers. Jojo's enthusiasm, optimism and friendliness are a delight.

Westfall recognizes that we're not the same people we were when we were younger. Aspirations and attitudes change, especially regarding career success. But even if Lilly feels disappointed with her work compared to what Manny, her friend, has achieved, she still shows pride in her abilities, especially at the end. "The Best Seller" features strong characters, natural dialogue, and a fine use of action at the climax.

Cohen's script is funny, earnest and pointed. It aims at how ridiculous fantasy and fairy-tale actions appear in the setting of the modern world. It skewers contemporary "what's-in-it-for-me" sensibilities. It dramatizes frustrating, funny, well-thought characters who are diametrically opposed to one another. And it may be an artistic Rorschach test, as an audience member's reaction to the ending may illuminate who she is and what she believes.

Schmidt's short comedy is funny seen through the lens of farce, damning through the lens of satire, and depressing through the lens of reality with its reminder of how the powerful use code and nonsense to get their way.