'LOVERS, STRANGERS & WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL FAMILY' One-Act Lineup Comes to Riant Theatre, 7/15

The Riant Theatre gives audiences a look at plays presented at the August 2015 Strawberry One-Act Festival with an evening of nine excerpts of love themed plays from the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival (iUniverse) on Wednesday, July 15th at 6:30pm at 440 Studios, 440 Lafayette Street, 4th Floor, Black Box Theatre. Admission is FREE. Seating is limited. RSVP to reserve a seat at RiantTheatre@gmail.com.

The love series, entitled "Lovers, Strangers & What Some People Call Family", is produced and directed by Van Dirk Fisher, founder & artistic director the Riant Theatre and the Strawberry One-Act Festival.

"I was inspired to produce this love themed theatr program using plays published in the book series The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival because you're never too young or too old to fall in love. Each of these plays deal with some form of love. I believe love has no limitations and sees with the purest heart," said Fisher. "We are fortunate if we are able to experience unconditional love in our lives, whether it is with a mate, with family or through the kindness of a stranger. In the end, we know we are all a little happier if we have experienced it."

The actors in Lovers, Strangers & What Some People Call Family are: Lauren Marie Callen, Keith B. Manning, Sarah Murdoch, Anthony Roberts, Joseph Bartolotta, Nicole Javier, Daniel Prado, Zach Tucknes, Virginia Quinn, Tim Schuebel, Harrison Lubel, Christopher R. Marshall, Joe Laureiro, Melissa Caminneci, Brenda Kuciemba, Marc Gettis, Sylke Jackson and Andrew R. Cooksey.

They will be performing excerpts from these one-act plays:

Destinations by Robert Scott Sullivan

A comedy about two relationships being test while both couples are separated due to a business trip.

Negotiating the Elusive One Night Stand byJason Parker Green.

A man and woman meet in a bar, but what are the rules of engagement if you are interested in hooking up? This play is bound to raise a few eye brows as the audience learns "who's on top?"

The Parking Lot by Holly Hunt

A on and off again couple must come to terms with the harsh reality that you can't always get what you want.

Tricks by Bryant Hernandez

A married man decides to have lunch in a secluded area of the park. And eating his hero is not the only thing he wants.

Monkey Rhythms by John Baldi

A son has the task of persuading his elderly father to sell his home and move in with his family. This play deals with the painful choices with have to make for our loved ones when they are dealing with early signs of dementia.

You're Never Gone by Jay D. Hanagan

A mother and daughter come to terms with facing a broken relationship between a father and daughter.

Prescriptions by Ellen Orchid

A psychiatrist invites her patient to come to her house to do her a favor.

Make Her Happen by L.E. McCullough

A waitress with dreams of being famous finds the perfect opportunity to make them come true.

The Harlequin Maneuver by Don Nguyen

Do we all wish our relationships could be like a Harlequin Romance novel?

Each of the plays will be performed in its entirety at the 28th Strawberry One-Act Festival on August 13, August 18 and August 23 at 8:30pm . The 28th Season of the Strawberry One-Act Festival will be happening in Harlem fromAugust 5 - 23 at the Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd St.

The festival kicks off with launch party on Sunday, July 26 at the Poet's Den Theatre, 309 East 108th Street with special play screenings and the Pioneer of the Arts Awards presentation to award-winning theatre director, Liesl Tommy, who was born in South Africa and Peter Anthony Andrews, president and CEO of Global PrimeVision and former vice president of NBC Entertainment.

The winners of the 28th Season of Strawberry One-Act Festival Awards will be announced at a special ceremony on Monday, August 24 at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.

For more information and tickets to the Strawberry One-Act Festival, check out the Riant Theatre at www.therianttheatre.com.