Recommended by Claudia Haas

I am reading the Bear monologues slowly - one a day to savor each one. Like the fine chocolates I hide from family, Bear goes well with morning tea or evening wine (this one with wine). I may not be able to bear the suspense as Bear’s predicaments are not for toddlers and I am amazed that I am rooting for this fuzzy-stuffy who has unusual powers that frighten me. I am enthralled with this Scare-Bear. You will be, too.

What happens when your paths cross with others? Do you agree to connect, shy away, deny? Wagner’s Envision takes us to a place of discovery and reflection but then asks us if that’s what we want. The answer isn’t easy but gives us pause to think.

This play has my heart wrapped around it. The sights, noises, and smells that Bear experiences put me in the here and now of Bear’s existence. In a scant few minutes, Plumridge grants us access to a time that never should have been and a world we still need to atone for. I want every installment of Bear’s monologues - what a unique and theatrical way to grant us access to history through a child’s Bear.

You’re going to have a good time if you just read the stage directions. Sickles thumbs are magic. And a wee bit frightening if you know enough to beware of ants… and Brit comedy … and butlers ..and dashing Scotsman. I want to play all the parts but mostly I want to see this properly staged so we can find the theatrical glory in plays that don’t deliver an existential meaning but are pretty straight forward about ants. There’s not enough written on that subject.

As an Anglophile, an Agatha Christie reader, and a cook devoted to reading menus, Lermond checks all my boxes and has offered me the perfect theatrical treat. You don’t have to be any of those to enjoy this well-plotted murder mystery set in the English countryside. The dialogue and winter fire crackles. Your Yorkshire pudding is ready, and Lermond delivers a cast (with delicious secrets) and a script with a myriad of mysteries. Careful you don’t trip on those red herrings. Don’t wait until Christmas to enchant your audiences. There’s no time like the present.

There is a night sky of stars. A meeting of minds about love and all its possibilities. And ultimately a connection to love everlasting in all its poignancy and possibilities. Plumridge has fashioned an ode to love that you will carry in your heart. Always. He shows you that love is always. It’s what we all wish.

A remembrance of a tragic heroine who returns as a guidepost to young teens in the thrall of love … or lust. Filled with the pangs of youthful choices, Desdemona has some advice for young women. Would be fun to see Lermond do a collection of these pieces. Interesting how Desdemona’s fate is an indicator of so many of Shakespeare’s heroines. Shakespeare would especially love the last line.

Plastic surgery, move on. There’s a new kid in town to fix your non-chiseled jaw in half the price. A new look at something we don’t see enough of - the struggles of males to conform to Hollywood versions of masculinity. Lots of surprises here with a good dash of honesty.

Caveat: I am a sucker for time travel. That said, nothing is at it seems and yes, ‘skim milk masquerades as cream.’ Mullen has woven a tale that makes you investigate your own choices as you witness choices made by Beth. With humor, heart, and instinctive choices, Mullen delivers a play that keeps you guessing and wishing.

Bray bridges connections, relationships, and ideas into a beautiful braid. The yearnings of youth mixed with the brightness of untold possibilities and the fears of the possible make for a stirring combination. An engaging and original play ripe for productions.