One reason behind Houston’s bustling theater scene is the number of talented playwrights who call the city home. Work by several of those gifted writers makes up Scriptwriters/Houston 21st Annual Ten by Ten, a production of ten ten-minute plays chosen by a panel of judges from across the country. These little gems include a variety of styles and subject matters. “We go from the laugh-out-loud comedies to the thoughtful dramas where the audience leaves with more questions than answers,” says Debra Schultz, who is in her second year as the artistic director of Scriptwriters/Houston.

The show includes A Discussion of the “L” Word, which, says Schultz, is “all about love without ever once using the word in the play.” One of the most unusual plays on the program is Montezuma and Me. “It’s about a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, and how their honeymoon does not go the way they had hoped,” says Schultz. “The whole thing takes place in a bathroom.” 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Country Playhouse, 12802 Queensbury. For information, call 713-467-4497 or visit www.countryplayhouse.org. $10 to $15.

Thursdays-Sundays. Starts: Aug. 21. Continues through Aug. 28, 2011

This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2011.