Thunderous. A perfectly paced premise gives way to a tense and charged thriller, where we discover to what lengths parents will go (or won't) for their children. I love how far into this script we get with uncertainty reigning in the air. Is the truth mixing with infallible memory? Intentionally or unintentionally? Who's wrong? Who's misremembering? Who's lying? This is a knockout ensemble cast populating an incredible (and uniquely American) script, and we should be producing it everywhere.

The Innkeepers is psychologically gnarly and deliciously theatrical. I adored its thoughtful use of doubling tracks, and the inescapable pressure cooker of the "cozy" setting. The dialogue has a terrific, natural tempo, as the hostages - and their flashbacks - jostle up against each other to find the final truth. Spice up your season with this clever, memorable horror.

I love it when a play takes advantage of being a play. The set evokes both a warm and comfortable inn and then shifts when it becomes an enclosed space. Characters embody others and old versions of themselves. And even the ending further engages the audience's imagination while also concluding the story. So many parts of this play exemplify theatricality.