Marathon of One-Act Plays

The Ensemble Studio Theater presents its 32nd annual buffet of one-acts, including new work from Amy Fox, Jacquelyn Reingold and David Auburn. Two series of performances are on offer, so check ensemblestudiotheatre.org for specific shows. Series A manages more hits than misses. The five pieces mostly focus on personal redemption while combining humor with a few unexpected emotional jolts. The evening’s standout, Robert Askins’s Matthew and the Pastor’s Wife (deftly directed by John Giampietro), is a tightly constructed tale of biblical comeuppance for a small-town philanderer.—Paul Menard