1. The Tempest (Smith Center) This dazzling and romantic production still gives me goosebumps. I thought it was flawless when it debuted, and time has only burnished it brighter for me.

2. Foxfinder (A Public Fit) A thrilling show with powerful, claustrophobic performances that caught me up and wouldn’t let me go.

3. Red (Poor Richard’s Players) It kicked off the year back in January, and the performances and ideas from it still resonate and shimmer, just like a Rothko painting.

4. Jonestown (Table 8 Productions) Inventive and risky, Troy Heard’s exploration of the rise and fall of the People’s Temple delivered some harrowing moments, and Scott McAdam was electric as Jim Jones.

5. How I Learned to Drive (Ragtag Entertainment) The performances of Brenna Folger and Glenn Heath, along with the rest of the ensemble, gave this deeply unsettling piece crackling life. >