Recommended by Claudia Haas

Daphne’s right - the only thing to save this tea-party is a slap-battle. And who better to lead the siege than Daphne? Sickles knows that kids do know themselves. Kids are observant and kids are resourceful. We’d all be lucky to have Daphne in our life.

Even serial killers need some chill time with friends. Danley offers us a feast of prezel-shaped-lawyers and oil-based petroleum-barons. Who could resist such a treat? Not I. I chomped on the bit for more.

Icebox speaks to all of us - wherever we are - and indeed some of may feel as if we’re stuck in Antarctica. We all have a wishlist of what we want to see or do “after Covid.” Hugh’s wishlist of what he wants to see and smell is so simple and succinct, you will feel some gratitude welling in your heart for what you still have.

As the pandemic rages and we continue to communicate via screens, Bartleby & Bess delivers an in-person, hoped-for romance. It’s nuanced. It’s poignant. It’s clever. And the end gives the audience one of the loveliest moments in time.

During these disconnecting time, Durkee has fashioned a play about connecting. Building connections - even small ones - can be scary. It's both a sweet and real look at the perceived safety of distance coupled with the fears of misinterpretation because a font won't give you clues as to humor, sarcasm, self-deprecation, etc. For anyone who has given a thought as to how you sign off - with Sincerely, Best Wishes or Regards - this play is for you.

What a poignant look at three women who have lived, three women who are still trying to live, and three women who recognize that life happens. And then you cope. While the story seems focused on Elma, there is enough meat to all the characters to give three actresses a beauty of a scene. A treat for audiences who knew these times and for those who are visiting their parents/grandparents era.

Leaping into the unknown is scary. And the future is the unknown and always frightening. Chaney weaves a tale of life, death, fear, and hope - something all audiences grapple with. I related to all the characters on the page and would love to see it live. And the ending is a gorgeous payoff for everyone.

We Need a Little Christmas and Minigan supplies it. Dust off your Christmas (gum)Shoes and make merry with Jack Frost as he tries to save Christmas. Nobody has more fun with Christmas lyrics than Minigan. I, for one, want to hear a sultry sax play a mournful "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." I can see Bogart and Bacall swooning in these roles. A must-do for those theatres that produce holiday shows but want to go light on the sweet. There's no Hard-Candy Christmas here. Just a whole lot of merry.

Can love survive a lockdown? Can two non-bakers bake cookies? A fun and sweet glimpse into the small irritants that make up a day during Covid. Is it "absence makes the heart grow fonder" or "too much of a good thing spoils the broth?" There's a lot of charm and a bit of wisdom in this slice-of-life-Covid play. It would play well both onstage and via Zoom.

If you need a laugh (if you need a whole bunch of laughs), read this now. My first chuckle started with the stage directions and it never ended. The premise is just wacky nuts and the beauty of it is - you don't need to know Weaver's plays. You can be as in the dark as Prillaman about Weaver's work to enjoy it. I now await Prillaman's next monologue after he reads Matthew Weaver. Or better yet - a duet between the two playwrights?