PS--the problem with starting with an appealing cast is that I might not keep up with it.

Well, that is what happened to me, so maybe you should ignore me. :) And I was also listening to the Arkangel ones; I'd seen a review of them and gotten really excited about the project. I may have to try them again when my life calms down.

The main problem with chronological is that I've never liked the early plays nearly as much; they feel like such a slog to go through. Which makes gwyneira's suggestion of chronologically by genre a good one: you won't have to wait quite as long to get to the best plays.