The Best Plays of 2014

Harbison, once in charge of new play acquisition for Samuel French, claims these are the best plays of 2014. So what do we have here? Donald Margulies's The Country House is absolute catnip for any actor because all of the characters are actors and the writing is brisk and witty. The challenge will be designing and dressing the well-furnished New England country house in which the action takes place. Three middle-aged or older actors are needed for Dan Lauria's mob comedy Dinner with the Boys, a real treat. Mala Hierba by Tanya Saracho calls for four Latin American actors in their 20s and 30s. It is as intricate in its maneuverings as a chess game and the setting will demand a major thrift store budget. Katori Hall's Our Lady of Kibeho is reminiscent of George Bernard Shaw's St. Joan or Arthur Miller's The Crucible. It's set in Rwanda and requires outstanding young actors. Eric Dufault's Year of the Rooster is a comic romp on the surface, but it will leave audiences breathless with its bite. One of the five characters is a rooster, giving some lucky actor a chance for unbridled, over-the-top acting. Cori Thomas's When January Feels Like Summer is the least of the bunch.