Riant Theatre's Strawberry One-Act Festival to Present LGBT Program This Week

The Riant Theatre's Strawberry One-Act Festival will host a special LGBT program spotlighting noted African American gay themed films "Love for Passion" by Nathan Hale Williams and"The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" by Ari Aster together with the play "Tricks" by Hispanic playwright Byrant Hernandez and directed by Van Dirk Fisher at Tato Laviera Theatre, 240 East 123rd St on Wednesday, August 19th at 9pm and at the Poet's Den Theatre, 309 East 108th Street on Saturday, August 22nd at 3pm.

"The films that we are screening both have gay themes and are very compelling. Both are acclaimed short films that deal with LGBT relationships in the African American community. I've decided to partner them with the play "Tricks," which deals with a married man who is on the down-low and is finally contemplating acting on his feelings by approaching a man he fancies in the park," said Van Dirk Fisher, founder and artistic director of the Riant Theatre, a multicultural and inclusive institution, and the Strawberry One Act Festival. "We have decided to expand our festival to also include films. Since we have discovered over the years that some of the outstanding plays and winners have been made into short films, adding films to our festival was a natural progression."

In "Love for Passion," Nathan Hale Williams, writer and director, tells the story of Jeffrey Love, a dancer on the eve of his New York City solo debut. Love discovers the power of forgiveness when his estranged father of ten years shows up seeking a reconciliation. Williams is an award-winning producer and author, director, entertainment attorney and television personality. Love for Passion premiered to a sold out audience at the Manhattan Film Festival. He is the executive producer and producer of the NAACP Image Award and GLAAD Award nominated film, "Dirty Laundry" (FOX/Codeblack), which won the awards for Best Picture and Best Actor (Loretta Devine) at the American Black Film Festival. He also produced: "The Ski Trip" (MTV Networks); "My Model Looks Better Than Your Model;" BET's "Leading Men and "Leading Women" (NAACP Image Award Nomination). Nathan has directed, "INSIDE: Black Culture" as well as commercials for Isabella Fiore Handbags, starring Veronica Webb; Jumpstart, starring LL Cool J and, the United States CDC's "Testing Makes Us Stronger" campaign starring the Real Housewives of Atlanta. As a producer and celebrity journalist, Nathan has had the pleasure of interviewing countless celebrities including, Oprah Winfrey, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, and John Legend, to name a few. As a personality/actor, Nathan has starred in Showtime's American Candidate, CBS' "Guiding Light," Centric's "My Two Cents" and "The Bev Smith Show." Nathan lives in Los Angeles and is an emeritus member of the board of directors of Harlem United Community AIDS Center and a mentor for the Fresh Air Fund's College Connections Program

Ari Aster's controversial "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" is a melodrama and satire about an upscale African American middle-class family. This short film tracks the family, which has a perverse little
secret. He has written and directed several short films including "Munchausen" starring Bonnie Bedelia and "Basically." His films have played the New York Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Slamdance, and many others. His novel Sammy Barthowe At Your Service! was a finalist for the Starcherone Prize for Innovative Fiction.

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 $20.00. 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.