Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Brian Scanlan has heightened everything in this murder mystery/dark comedy.

Characters are over-the-top even in the best of circumstances (and circumstances turn bad, fast); the dialogue takes shots at toxic men and bad theatre in quickfire, hold-your-breath-succession; there are dance numbers and red herrings galore to tease an audience's tastes as well.

I watched a virtual reading of "Murder at a Callback: A Batshit Mystery" on April 9, 2021. Every character gets the opportunity to shine, and the audience loved every moment. Scanlan has written a terrific murder mystery/dark comedy.

Modern romantic relationships, murder for hire, sibling squabbles, an obsession for "Frasier," and a Thanksgiving meal are ingredients in this darkly comic one-act play.

The characters and their relationships with one another are so clearly set up by Andres Osorio. Everything in this terrific play is character based -- the conflicts, the comedy, the reversals.

I watched and loved a virtual reading of "Murder Me So Hard" April 9, 2021. The audience and the actors alike were loving every minute. This is high-quality dark comedy.

This short verse play celebrates the female gaze, the female sensation during intense, powerful sex.

Miranda Jonte has written a protagonist who is certain of herself throughout "the broad of your back" -- she celebrates her power and prowess, her passions and pleasures. There is no doubt she is the catalyst behind every action of this monologue; she is where she is by force of will, confidence, and skill.

"the broad of your back" is meant to be watched and heard. Read it now, yes, but also look forward to watching performances of this intense, detailed script.

What I especially love about this 10-minute play is the bonds forming, breaking, and re-forming -- moments that can impact the characters' lives forever -- in the casual environment of a grocery store.

Credit Miranda Jonte for showing all of these bonds, especially when those in the first part of "All in a White Trash Pie" could have easily been referred to rather than shown. We see these developments, we understand how rich they are ... which makes their unraveling all the more powerful.

Brother & sister, lovers, friends ... Jonte knows how people connect and shows that so well.

This warm, big-hearted monologue is a love letter to the process of writing and mailing a letter.

"A Letter is a Smile is a Laugh" is so clearly written by Lucy Wang, who delights and delivers details that resonate emotionally. But Wang doesn't let the richness in details -- handwriting, selecting a stamp -- deter from the central idea.

This is a beautiful monologue and should enjoy a robust, beautifully varied performance history.

An emotionally affecting short play about fears and fatherhood.

Maggie Gallant has beautifully provided subtle details to enrich her short play "Still Baking." Making the protagonists a loving male couple in their late 30s -- which means there may have been other additional difficulties to having their babies; setting the action in the early morning to add an extreme setting; contrasting the protagonists with their costumes; and adding further contrast through the actions of baking versus eating.

Along with being an emotional scene about fears and fatherhood, "Still Baking" is a wonderful snapshot characters in conflict.

A warm-hearted and generous portrayal of people longing during unusual times.

Hayley St. James again showcases their skill at developing character in "The Last Night of January." Audiences who enjoyed "A Godawful Small Affair" and "It's Confusing, These Days" will enjoy seeing how the trio continue to grow and connect and respond and evolve.

I also really enjoyed how St. James uses images of night skies, rooftops, the full moon, and more to support the emotional tone of their play.

Cassie M. Seinuk has written a play that gives voice to those women who are affected by breastfeeding issues. Seinuk's compassion and empathy shine through protagonist Tabby, who may finally have had enough.

What I found especially emotional in "No One Talks About It: A 10-Minute Lactation Play" is the final beat, and I saw just how much Tabby wants what she hasn't experienced. Clear, pure want shown through Seinuk's directness of action and dialogue.

This very dark comedy is like a cartoon snowball rolling down a cartoon mountain -- growing larger by the minute and picking up speed as it takes on subjects like homeowners associations and their rules, grief during the pandemic, gardening pride and prejudice, and even true crime shows and podcasts.

"The Garden Path to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions" is dark, oddly chipper, and would be so fun to stage and to perform. Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos makes audiences squirm from the start as well as guffaw.

This full-length drama is an exciting, surprising, refocused exploration of one of the most epic Greek myths and legends.

It's not only the content of "Clyt; or, The Bathtub Play" that is brilliant, but also how Elisabeth Giffin Speckman tells the story. She uses ravishing, expressionistic stage directions; direct address to the audience; chorus action; anachronisms; a cinematic-like montage and more to make an audience understand and sympathize with Clytemnestra.

I was fortunate to attend an early workshop of "Clyt" and a virtual reading of a more developed script. This is shining, brilliant, theatrical, exciting, and worthy of production.