Riant Theatre's LOVERS, STRANGERS AND WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL FAMILY Begins Tonight

The Riant Theatre presents the premiere of Lovers, Strangers & What Some People Call Family, a group of nine plays in three acts that explore intimate and mysterious relationships, during the 28th Strawberry One-Act Festival on August 13, August 18 and August 23 at 8:30pm at the Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd Street.

The 28th Strawberry One-Act Festival is taking place at the Tato Laviera Theatre through August 23.

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. Each play is featured in the anthology The Best Plays From The Strawberry One-Act Festival (iUniverse)

"I was inspired to develop this production from themes that I found central to many of the top plays produced by the Strawberry One-Act Festival. "With 'Lovers,' the relationships between couples have had comic, fantasy and dramatic effects. 'Strangers' have provided a conflict in dealing with the unfamiliar," said Fisher. The inter-dynamics of 'Family' is filled with emotion and makes great theatre."

The program in Lovers, Strangers & What Some People Call Family is:

LOVERS

Destinations by Robert Scott Sullivan
Featuring: Lauren Marie Callen, Keith B. Manning, Sarah Murdoch and Anthony Roberts-- A comedy about two relationships being tested while both couples are separated due to a business trip.

The Parking Lot by Holly Hunt

Featuring: Joseph Bartolotta and Nicole Javier--An on and off again couple must come to terms with the harsh reality that you can't always get what you want.

The Harlequin Maneuver by Don Nguyen

Featuring: Daniel Prado, Zach Tucknes, Jessica Dickson and Sarah Murdoch-- Do we all wish our relationships could be like a Harlequin Romance novel?

STRANGERS

Make Her Happen by L.E. McCullough

Featuring: Virginia Quinn and Tim Schuebel--A waitress with dreams of being famous finds the perfect opportunity to make them come true.

Tricks by Bryant Hernandez

Featuring: Harrison Lubel and Christopher R. Marshall--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.

Negotiating the Elusive One Night Stand byJason Parker Green

Featuring: Jessica Dickson and Joe Laureiro--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?"

AND WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL FAMILY

You're Never Gone by Jay D. Hanagan

Featuring: Marc Gettis, Sylke Jackson and Sarah Murdoch--A mother and daughter come to terms with facing a broken relationship between a father and daughter.

Prescriptions by Ellen Orchid

Featuring: Melissa Caminneci and Brenda Kuciemba--A psychiatrist invites her patient to come to her house to do her a favor.

Monkey Rhythms by John Baldi

Featuring: Andrew R. Cooksey, Anthony Roberts II, Amir William Fisher and Solomon Omari Fisher--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 we have to make for our loved ones when they are dealing with early signs of dementia.

Fisher has produced over 1,500 one act plays at the Strawberry One-Act Festival, which was established in 1995. There are seven published anthologies of The Best Plays from the Strawberry One-Act Festival. The winners of the 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. The Riant Theatre's Awards Ceremony & Performance for the Strawberry One-Act Festival will feature performances from the four best plays from the festival and present awards for Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Short Film.

Tickets are $25.00 - $32.00. For more information on the Strawberry One-Act Festival's 28th Season, please check out the website at www.therianttheatre.com or call 646-623- 3488.

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