Playwright Steven Dietz once said playwrights have “the adaptability of cockroaches�—that they’re able to nimbly adjust to new circumstances and mediums. This was never in greater evidence than during the coronavirus pandemic, when—with theaters shuttered and stages darkened—writers and performers across the world scrambled to master the art of theater via remote video. Even as life haltingly returns to normal, it is clear that the experiences of 2020-21 have dramatically altered the landscape of theatermaking, as artists continue to refine and deploy the lessons learned during a period of seat-of-the-pants experimentation. This groundbreaking anthology brings together new works from both emerging and established playwrights to explore the rich opportunities afforded by streaming theater. They reveal a range of styles and approaches to storytelling: encompassing both traditional and experimental plays, from solo pieces to large-cast dramas, and taking place within single settings, multiple settings, or even in a utopian “nowhere.� Throughout, these selections all help to bring playwrighting fully into our new era, embodying the sense of magic that comes from simple moments of human connection, even when we cannot be together.

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel once said that theater helps us learn how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable with each other. Revolving around the theme of 'this is who we are," the one-act plays in this latest edition of the Best American Short Plays series (now in its ninth decade) explore the thoughtful ways in which playwrights are wrestling to make sense of our world today. The selected plays reflect how we perform our identities (private and public) and how we negotiate who we are with others who often have different perspectives, perspectives that make us uncomfortable. The theme of this collection is topical and apt-as our country continues to shore up its borders along party lines, from pride parades to strict abortion laws, from inclusivity in education curricula to children in detention centers at the US-Mexico border. Each of the plays presents a clear reflection of who we are (and who we aspire to be) as individuals and as a nation. The styles of the plays also reflect different approaches to storytelling: two characters, four characters, a single setting, multiple settings, or a utopian "nowhere." The rich and compelling characters try to work out their differences and overcome obstacles using humor and a sense of magic that comes with simple moments of human connection. This is who we are: people who are grappling with the desire to be understood, the hope to be loved and accepted, and to allow that hope to shape a larger sense of who we could be if we continue to work and listen.