Recommended by Claudia Haas

"America divided themselves enough where American could be America." An indictment on the upheaval of our times - extremists in race, religion and sexuality have their own lands - complete with borders and never the twain shall meet. All are accepted within their borders. Separatism rules the day. It's as if the differing comment sections on online news outlets each have their own country. There are two meaty roles for actors with twists and turns for the audience. Intriguing political theatre for these tenuous days.

This is an insightful imagining of the "Club 27," a club no aspiring musician hopes to join. As seven iconic musicians wait (and wait) to play their concert (most have been waiting for decades), hope walks in the door. The play touches on the state of rock 'n roll both "then" and now," the life of the musician who's "made it," the absence of hope and the need to keep hoping. It's a perfect match for universities (all the actors are 27) and ideal for multi-generational audiences. Everyone knows their music. Researching the play would be a joy.

This is such an active monologue - perfect for an audition. It grows and sputters and purrs and shouts. There is so much at play. I loved that there were surprises along the way and how the ending grabs you.

This is a delightful, quirky romantic comedy using science as its base. The play manages to braid together salmon, superheroes and Ronald Reagan and have it all make sense. The dialogue is smart, the characters grab you and in the end, you want to learn more about everyone in the play including the salmon.

The sounds of beating wings. A college student who writes all the things she did wrong on the night she was raped. The imagery of stars in the sky and the dark below all underscore Ana's journey after a rape she know happened but can't remember. The play addresses with heart and thought our problem of rape on college campuses: the difficulty of prosecution, the somewhat complicity of the university to shield the perpetrator and the conflicts within the witnesses. It's a play that should be widely produced by colleges and high schools.

The play is an imagining of (formerly Saint) Valentine's turning points in his life. Epic in scope but not in production values, the play is easy to stage with delicious roles for all five characters. Set in ancient Rome, the play encompasses religious tolerance, history written (and rewritten) and the political games people play. The twists and turns offer surprises both in character development as well as humor in unexpected places. A theatre looking for a change from the kitchen sink dramas would do well to read this suspenseful, fast-paced play.

There is gutsiness here, sadness and feminism. Here's a woman who is primed for attacks - verbal and physical - because she is a female who participates in cosplay. Vulnerable and steely, Valerie is a role of many layers offering an actress a delicious role with many notes.

A devastating look at a family coping with a loss - a loss that is both quick and slow. The dealing with the "put on a happy face" syndrome in the hospital, the monologues from the family of wanting Liam to let go because coming back whole is not an option are arrows to the heart. They wound and they love. The humor surprises and you're glad for their coping mechanism. And you care - so very much.

Labor versus Management: A Christmas Story. There's a lot of sparkly tinsel to go around as Santa "with the round ears" has to deal with "little pointy-eared traitors" when his elves decide to open their own workshop. What goes around comes around and in the process there are words of wisdom intertwined with holiday silliness. It's Christmas candy and fair labor practice all tied up in a pretty bow.

What if all your decisions about your life - where you would live and what you would do - was decided for you at birth? What if this decision made for you was wrong? Four young people debate this on the Ark, a colony ship headed to a Goldilocks planet. The play is a lively debate of free-will versus fate. The outcome of the debate could mean life or death. A thoughtful discourse relevant for our times.