Leopoldstadt By: Tom Stoppard

WOW. Just WOW! I don't know what else to say. Reading this piece is amazingly powerful-I can only imagine what seeing a production of it would be like. WOW!

 

Prima Facie By: Suzie Miller

Oof-This is a powerful piece that should anger and move the reader! Brilliantly structured, deeply moving, anger inducing and simple yet effective language makes this a stunning addition to the theatrical canon and should be coveted by actresses for generations to come. Just WOW!

Shadows in Death By: J.D. Robb

This one raised my blood pressure!  Pulse pounding cat and mouse action keep Eve and Roarke on their toes from beginning to an oh so satisfying end!!  Great read!

The Thanksgiving Play By: Larissa FastHorse

I thoroughly enjoyed this play.  I laughed out loud and snorted my way through this brilliantly written, farcical look at white folks being too woke for there own good.  I can't recommend this one enough!

Ohio State Murders By: Adrienne Kennedy

A simple, yet powerful story. Told in a mostly expository manner with, it seems at first glance to be detached, but it's that detachment that packs the punch! Don't know why Adrienne Kennedy's work isn't more well know!

The Lehman Trilogy By: Stefano Massini/Adapted By: Ben Power

 

I'm sure seeing a production of this would be amazing, however as far as the script itself goes, it's molding interesting, but there's no dramatic tension. With so little dialogue it reads more like a lecture than a play. I did find it interesting because I knew nothing about the history of Lehman Brothers, so I don't regret reading it, but is it a play? Meh.

Simple Genius By: David Baldacci

It's been ages since I've read a Baldacci book, and I don't know why-they are so good!  Simple Genius starts off with a bang and takes off like a rocket and the reader just has to hang on for a thrilling, twisted ride! Great thriller, great plotting, great read!

 

Topdog/Underdog By: Suzan-Lori Parks

 

An unflinching look at family-who's on top, who's on the bottom.  The whole play is a game of the 3-Card Monte: which brother is the winning card, which the losing.  It can change at any moment, you have to keep you're eyes on the players.  An ending that will leave you breathless.  Suzan-Lori Parks' work is astonishing!

Divided in Death By: J.D. Robb

Having not read the previous 17 books in this series, I had no idea what I was getting myself into...but what a ride!  Set int he future Eve Dallas is a Lt. in the homicide division of the NYSPD. Her husband is an Irish mogul/computer genius. Dallas is surrounded by brilliant and snarky colleagues, friends and professionals, all of whom I was happy to meet in this book.  The plot is seriously twisted (in the best of ways), and what I really loved-despite all the new technology within the story-is that a lot of the work done figuring out the who, what, where, when, why and how was done with good old fashion brain power.  Lots of thinking and discussion within this sublime thriller.  A really great read!

 

Life of Pi Based on the Book by Yann Martel/Adapted by Lotlita Chakrabati

I was hoping to be wowed by this, as I was with the book and with the film, but there was something about the abruptness and blatantness of the ending that didn't sit right with me.  I also wish that more of the descriptions of the technical aspects of the show were included in the script so that more of a visual was created.  With that said, it's still a great read, and does justice to the original source material.