Recommended by Steven G. Martin

Wait a minute, did I read/hear/see what I thought I just read/heard/saw? I re-read several parts of this play multiple times in awe because ... did Steven Hayet just go there? And again?

Hayet's short comedy "The Pineapple Line" is gasp-worthy, laugh-worthy, and binge-worthy. And it isn't just one-note. Everything in this play lends to the twisted humor: characters wear blinders to their own foibles, plotting and tempo accelerate, and visuals provide the comic punch line. Bravo!

Busser builds an apocalyptic world in just a few moments in "Guardian," but is also able to provide the most intimate view of the horrors, pain, and anxiety during that same span of time.

"Guardian" is tense, upsetting, and unforgettable.

What I love most about "Hey," Vince Gatton's coming-of-age short comedy -- and there is a LOT to love -- is that, at its core, it's about a mother who loves her son. Cheryl ultimately knows Wade will not be like most boys, and she supports him and his interests entirely. Cheryl may be a practical, direct, blue-collar mom, but she may know more about Wade than Wade may know about himself.

I also love that "Hey" takes place in a rural setting, eastern Kentucky. We need more of these stories.

"Pep Talk" is so funny, so winning. Lauren's combination of insecurity, horniness, over-analysis, and enthusiasm made me root for her throughout this monologue. A wonderful character piece.

Heart-rending drama. "40 Questions" is like pulling your heart out of your chest and laying it bare on the table.

I watched a video of Miranda Jonte of Back Porch Theatre performing "40 Questions." She performed in two ways, both equally pulling emotions from me showing just how much an actor can make a play sing in any number of ways.

It's difficult to write friendship, and Malakhow does it very well in "Thrasher" -- there are plenty of moments of light teasing, anger, begging, genuine insults, forgiveness, and camaraderie in these few pages. Gabby and Taj feel entirely real as they negotiate the evening, and maybe even the future of their friendship.

I became so agitated reading Robert Weibezahl's one-minute drama. The change in tone from start to finish is astounding, completely plausible and -- based on how my heart rate picked up -- incredibly effective.

"The Boy Who Cried Dragon" is a feel-good play that has humor, adventure, stakes, and imagination to satisfy its audiences.

What's especially nice is that Inda Craig-Galván wants her protagonist, Travis, to be a positive influence on the life of his family and community, instead of a belligerent brat in the folk tale that inspired this play. This is marvelous Theatre for Young Audiences: colorful, bold, imaginative, emotional, funny, and true.

"Growth in Isolation" is absurd in the best ways possible.

The story itself is strange, but familiar -- the ups and downs of modern romantic relationships. The dialogue offers opportunities for humor, anger, and heartbreak for the actors and moments for the audience to feel genuine empathy -- and give Monica Cross credit because neither character is a villain or a martyr.

I watched a wonderful performance of "Growth in Isolation" by the Quarantine Players in September 2020.

Hayley St. James has written a truly feel-good and heartwarming play of its time.

We all crave connection and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult than usual to find and enjoy it. What makes "A Godawful Small Affair" even stronger than that is that the characters start off well, having what they need, but when the positive becomes mundane, that need to connect is still strong.

Credit St. James. They have written well-rounded, humane characters; joyful, sex-positive scenarios ... and the ending seems like it was destined from the beginning. A lovely full-length play.