Recommended by Steven G. Martin

"IOU" dramatizes that moment of recognition that makes the stomach drop, fills the heart, and actively turns a person's world an abrupt 180 degrees. It's the moment when people reconsider everything they thought they knew about family and love.

Gamal ElSawah creates an elegant, theatrical premise in this short romantic play. Reading "Do You Speak My Language?" I have a new lens through which to understand the joy finding a new romantic relationship and what it means to flourish in it.

ElSawah is so confident in his storytelling skills, too. Not only is the premise wonderful, but the play employs direct address and leaps of time in the narrative. This is a play your audiences will long remember after experiencing it.

A fun, literary "what if?" of a short play.

The stakes are high, there's strong dialogue and a nice bit of action, and more than a few twists and turns. "Beatrix Potter Must Die!" would be wonderful fun for performer, director, and audience alike.

The premise of "Minor Deviations" will make an audience cringe, and Osgood's talents push the tone and atmosphere even darker and more deplorable.

But then comes the twist that I never saw coming. The ending is still dark, but it's satisfying. "Minor Deviations" had a rich and varied production history, and it's clear why upon reading the script.

This short play nicely dramatizes the exact moment when a person's life changes.

The characters are distinct, the dialogue is quite good -- there's even a monologue that would do well as a standalone piece. Additionally, Starina Johnson's use of details nicely add a real-lived-in-world feel.

An intense ghost story/haunting fully developed in 10 minutes.

The plot may last only 10 minutes, but I love that Bridgette Dutta Portman has created a detailed history between Cara and Brian, and refers to it throughout. This backstory helps the audience understand the transgressions between the characters as well as the symbolic conclusion.

Mature female actors will greatly enjoy playing Dominique and Maria -- The Sensational Sisters superhero duo.

I love that the play focuses on the human side of these heroes. There's just enough action and superhero style in the script, but John Mabey provides another satisfying layer with sincere and heartfelt explorations of sibling rivalry and of varying degrees of contentedness while growing older.

This is an intense, naturalistic, domestic relationship drama with dimensional characters.

Gretchen Suarez-Pena's 10-minute play is direct and unsparing. It's clear why it's already been produced and received workshops, and will doubtless be produced more.

A funny, yet bittersweet, yet funny short play about taking action against the disappointments and diminishing opportunities in life.

Grijalva creates a pretty direct scene that opens up theatrically into different key events of Anna's life. And I love Anna's spirit, her sense of adventure and play ignited when it feels like she's up against the wall. This is a fun, thoughtful script.

"We take risks for the art and we lose shit we love telling our truth." - Franky Gonzalez

Gonzalez takes risks and tells the truth in this (almost) one-man play. And it is electrifying. He shows his flaws and strengths as they relate to experiences with his father and his son. You will believe in and feel such empathy for Franky Gonzalez.