Recommended by Claudia Haas

An unexpected surprise (mildly put to not be a spoiler) that will leave you taking a few shallow breaths. Cole knows how to throw tension in what you think is a rom-com. Book covers deceive. Looks deceive. People deceive. A succinct, short play on the art of deception. Well done.

I want to see this onstage to experience the sound and the fury of paper folding. The visuals that Norkin concocts with the children and poor old (not too old but ahem.. old) Billy are priceless. It’s a wonderful quirky take on the art of origami. And a welcome relief from a spelling bee.

37 origami bees strategically placed on a male stripper leaves so much (or not enough?) to the imagination, that it’s worth exploring more. Talk about shock and awe - you will delight your audiences and have them coming back for more when you produce this. And when you do produce it, keep in mind The Flight of the Bumblebee.

Just a gorgeous allegory encompassing life, death and the power of bees to grant extra time. If you’re not sure how this blends together, read it, produce it and let the flowers bloom where they may.

Oh my, my preschooler and Alexa have had these same conversations. While Busser continually ups the ante, I am suddenly aware that a four-year-old is better equipped to deal with Alexa than me. Busser has way too much fun with technology gone rogue and I approve.

Just a perfect blending of cultures, family and love. Deb Cole has taken a quirky title and crafted a tale of light and love and honey. Poignant and a remembrance of how cultures can combine.

If you’re in the mood for some old-fashioned? New-fashioned? Fashionable? Fun. This is the place. A delightful take on the rom-com. Plus there’s tea and fancy cakes. A treat for the audience.

A beautiful ode to love and marriage - even if there were some questionable times here and there. Yarbrough manages to create a memory that both divides and heals. He creates a circle that brings a surprise and and a smile. No matter what, love is in the equation of a long marriage.

Sometimes a play comes at exactly the right time to be a force for thought and dare I say - change. This is that play. Malakhow tackles a lot of institutions with such nuance and care, that you can’t let the play go. And you shouldn’t. Let the characters wrap themselves around you and lead you into the world that is and the world they hope for. The world we all hope for. Read it. Better yet, produce it -again and again. The characters need to be seen. The play needs to be seen.

Leave it to the children, writers and artists to tell truths about gun control. These days, it seems so faraway but if it remains front and center - maybe one day we will have sensible laws. Bravo Scott Sickles for keeping this front and centerl