Riant Theatre Sets Winter Strawberry One-Act Festival & Summer 2016 Festival at Theatre at St. Clement's

The Riant Theatre is not only focusing on live theatre, but is taking theatrical productions virtual with its first Winter Online On-Demand Strawberry One-Act Festival competition. The deadline for submissions of videotaped plays is March 15. There is no fee.

"This is the first time that the Riant Theatre is holding an online play competition. We are very excited about using social media to bring theatre to the world," says Van Dirk Fisher, founder and artistic director of the Riant Theatre. "During the last couple of years, we have been very successful in showcasing plays online. It's created a wonderful platform for playwrights to present new works and opened up one-act plays to new audiences."

Submissions of videotaped plays must be 15-30 minutes or 40-90 minutes in length. The Winter Online On-Demand Strawberry Theatre Festival will have two categories: new productions and revival of a play from the book anthology series (Volume 1-8) The Best Plays from the Strawberry One-Act Festival. On May 1, finalists will be announced and May 15 winners will be announced for Best New Play and the Best Revival of a Play. Each winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000.

The top six video plays from the Winter Online On-Demand Strawberry Theatre Festival will receive an invitation to perform in the 2016 summer's Strawberry One-Act Festival to be held at the Theatre at St. Clement's, on 46th Street in Manhattan, from July 14 - July 30. The Best Play winner will win $1,500 and a development deal to have a play produced by the Riant Theatre. The deadline for submissions to the 2016 Summer Strawberry One-Act Festival competition is March 15.

To obtain a play competition application email RiantTheatre@gmail.com. There is no fee for play submissions.

At this summer's Strawberry One-Act Festival, Fisher will direct a special presentation of "In Mysterious Ways," a new Christian play by Nejla K. Hubbard. The play opens July 16 at the Theatre at St. Clement's. "'In Mysterious Ways' is a compelling drama with humor and heart that explores the power of forgiveness and faith," explained Fisher. "The play explores the challenges we face every day. Whether it's with relationships, friendships, marriages, family, careers or parenting, challenges are in every other aspect of our lives."

Riant Theatre is giving the public the opportunity to view over 75 plays that have been produced at the New York Strawberry One-Act Festival. Subscriptions are available Online ON DEMAND - HD for $14.99/month. Currently there are 46 films of plays, interviews and documentaries from the festival being streamed. By the end of February, another 28 films of plays from the Winter Festival 2015 will be added. Here's the link to our Strawberry Theatre Festival On Demand on Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/strawberryoneactfestival

The eighth anthology series, The Best Plays by the Strawberry One-Act Festival, contains 25 award-winning one-act plays. For more information, check out www.therianttheatre.com or contact RiantTheatre@gmail.com.