Riant Theatre's Strawberry One-Act Festival Names 20 Finalists

The Riant Theatre has announced the 20 semi-finalists in the 28th Strawberry One-Act Festival competition, who will be presenting performances on Sunday, August 16 from 3:00pm - 11:00pm at the Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd Street. There is a ticket give-away on Facebook. The 28th Strawberry One-Act Festival is taking place at the Tato Laviera Theatre through August 23. In addition, there will be a special presentation at 1:00pm of the full length play "One Drop: A Period Piece" with book, lyrics and music by Andrea J. Fulton. It's a story about an African American man in the 1800s living in Louisiana who could "pass" for white, but does not.

"The audiences coming to see the semi-finals this Sunday are going to have a hard time picking a best play because they are all so good. The playwrights have really stepped up to the plate this season, pushing the envelope, tackling subjects that some people wouldn't dream of touching," said Van Dirk Fisher, founder and director of Riant Theatre and Strawberry One-Act Festival. "Check out the plays in the theatre and cast your votes. Follow the conversation on twitter at #StrawberryOneActFestival. Also, like our Strawberry One-Act Festival Facebook page and four people will win a pair of tickets to the semi-finals."

Semi Finals #1 Sunday, August 16th at 3:00 pm "Ben & Jess" written by Maria Concha and directed Mercedes Ilarraza--Featuring: Linda Alago, Laurel Caruso, Maria Concha, Mike Lockyeer and Marissa Jamie Schwartz--Ben and Jess are fun loving roommates and best-friends searching for meaning in life. In Jess' case much more. She's obsessed with finding the killer who murdered her young sister, whose spirit is watching "Onward Upward" written by Freddy Valle and directed by Katherine Guanche and Freddy Valle--Featuring: Michelle Berenice Bino, Dereck Bridgewater, Liz Falstreau, Katherine Guanche, Jennifer Mesa, Isaac Moran & Freddy Valle--Charlie must venture through the game that is life in order to save his dearly beloved, Valarie. He must face dragons, monsters and enemies. Will he make it? "The Unsalable Thing" written by Mark D. Tjarks and directed by Lacy Reily-Featuring : Carlotta Brentan, J. Dolan Byrnes, Anthony Castellano, Mary Orzano and Michael Perrie Jr.--Three contestants are in a bidding war for a mysterious storage locker. Who is the deceased owner and are there really some things that can't be bought? "It is Wrong to Eat People" written by Faith Sanders and directed By Faith Sanders & Marcela Biven --Featuring: James Boland, Cindy De La Cruz, Madalyn Pedone, Michael Ring and Faith Sanders--Song, poetry and movement are performed in this tale about a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been infected with the burning desire to consume one another. People are driven to have both the flesh and the essence of another human being inside of themselves. . i am so so so lonely, or, the omegle play written by Philip Anastassiou and directed by Eric Wimer--Featuring: Michael DeBartolo and Sarah Murdoch--In the world of internet dating, random strangers are connected for anonymous conversations. Two strangers find themselves sharing more about their pasts than originally anticipated. Their encounter becomes an exploration of depression, self-harm, and fidelity.

Semi Finals #2 Sunday, August 16th at 5:00 pm "Book Wench" written by Pat Hart and directed by Dennis Gleason--Featuring: Taylor J. Jopkins, Brenda Kuciemba, William E. Maher and Benjamin Manno--A young man bursts into Margie's home on a during a winter storm. She recognizes him as a boy who played on her son's little league team. Is he a cold and hungry traveler, waiting out the storm as he claims, or a violent boy turned murderous man? "Deadline Daters" written by Nikki Pope & Nicole Raviv and directed by Dominic DiFelice--Featuring: Jack Bailey, Adam Cavalieri, Tilly Heenehan, Nikki Pope, Nicole Raviv, Matt Samardge and Baba Taveres--Two undercover journalists are assigned the job of writing an article about the realities of dating in New York City. Going into the story they are unattached and stubborn but as the plan unfolds things start to go wrong. "The Old Gang" written and directed by Kyle Giller--Featuring: Mazin Akar, Kyle Giller, Kai Lovelace and Devra Seidel--A group of old friends revel in their worst traits while holding their ideals of the hipster culture. "Forgive Me, Brother" written by Barry Slater and directed by Dennis Gleason--Featuring: James Lentini and Zach Tuckness--A small time gambler dying of cancer asked his alienated brother, a priest, to help him die. The priest thinks it means Last Rites. The gambler has other ideas. "Closure" written & directed by Vic Cuenca--Featuring: Jolynn Carpenter, Victor Cuenca and Brenda Cullen--A Facebook reconnection with an old love show Daniel and Sarah that bitterness is brutal. .

Semi Finals #3 - Sunday, August 16th at 7:00 pm "The Prophet" written by Lewis Payton Jr. and directed by Laurence Schwartz-- Featuring: Issac Dean and Harrison Lubel--In 1831South Hampton, Virginia, Nat Turner, America's most famous insurrectionists, killed over 60 white citizens in a rebellion against slavery. In his death cell, he meets with a white lawyer named Thomas R. Gray, who has been sent to document his confession. "Poor, Poor Eleanor" Written & Directed by Armando Santana with Stage Manager: Freddy Valle Featuring: Jean Louis Droulers, Armando Santana and Sheri Wieseman Horror faces poor Eleanor as she sits down to dinner with her husband. It's a story filled with the macabre. "Angel on the Yellow Couch" written by K.K. Gordon and directed by John Schugard--Featuring: Terri Matassov, Kevin Schwab& Jonathan Weirich-- Moving day with a couch, a crush, mischief and a little magic! "Whale" written by Ali Keller and directed by Jennifer Curfman--Featuring: Kristin Granade and Benton Guinness--Bobby, an athletic swim team captain and Maggie, a formerly overweight art student, were friends since freshman year. However, when Bobby agreed to be the subject of Maggie's senior thesis, he did not agree to public humiliation. "Same Time, Same Bench" written and directed by Joseph Lizardi--Featuring: Hollis Fox and Joseph Lizardi--Susan's battle with breast cancer left her no choice but to have a double mastectomy. Desire and trust could make the difference when living on the edge of hope and despair.

Semi Finals #4 - Sunday, August 16th at 9:00 "Haram" written by Regine Mont-Louis and directed by Christopher James Welhert--Featuring: Asra Arif, Becca Beberaggi, Alan Ceppos and Joe Laureiro-- Inspired by true events, Aminah, a young Muslim Iranian woman exchange student, returns home to Iran from an exciting period abroad in London. At home, she is confronted by tragedies including an ill mother and a father with business troubles. She finds herself in an uncontrollable situation with fatal results. "Casper the Not So Friendly Ghost" written by Domenic Servidlo and directed by Christopher Ferrer --Featuring: Chasity Hart, Christopher Michaels, Krystel Mills and Aflie Ramirez--This comedy is about a misunderstood spirit that's haunting a home recently purchased by a newlywed couple. The spirit, who just wants to hang out and watch TV, doesn't understand why his roommates want to kick him out. "Veal Cutlet and Pinot Noir" written and directd by Emma Marks--Featuring: Leila Cohen and ReSheda Terry--Sara and Michelle are an interracial lesbian couple living in New York City fighting to save their relationship. As Sara's professional star rises, Michelle is pushed further away from Sara. They must compromise or will lose everything. "CECI N'EST PAS UN MÉTAPHORE" written by Shannon McDavid and directed by Emma Skorepa--Featuring: Jen Beck and Jacob Betts--Art is fragile: A gallery-goer and a might-be artist have a tete-a-tete. "Mr. Invincible Explains it to the World" written & directed by Michael Hauschild--Featuring: Lucy Freyer, Karl Melbert, Andres Montejo and Zac Lee Wood--Harvey may seem like your typical high school punching bag, but below the surface he is much more than he seems. Now is the time to fulfill his destiny andlet his true nature shine through.

The audiences in the theatre and On Demand will be voting for favorites. There will be one winner for each performance schedule. The four finalists will compete on August 20. This year, the Strawberry One-Act Festival is also presenting five full-length plays. 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 - $35.00. 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.