The Strawberry One-Act Festival, founded by Riant Theatre Artistic Director Van Dirk Fisher in 1995, will feature 29 one-acts, as well as five full-length plays. We caught up with six of the playwrights about their work.

John Ronan - "The Early Bird Special"

Tell us about your show.

The old folks are getting forgetful, achy; what better way to fight nagging age than to celebrate a wedding anniversary with the two grown ‘kids’ and their spouses? The seniors don’t mention dementia, cancer, or the fact that neither intends to suffer through a long, drawn-out illness. The children, riding home, wrapped tightly in their own problems and egos, take a while to realize they’d attended a going away party, a farewell, a send off.

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

It is a wonderful rush to see characters you created become those characters and the envisioned creations of the director (in this case the formidable Dennis Gleason) and actors - that mutual mix and swim of creativity is a wonderful surprise. My character becomes our character in the wonderful, co-creative way of theater.

What playwrights (or composers, for musical one-acts) are you most influenced by, past and present?

The usual suspects, I suppose: Friel, Mamet, Ruhl, McDonagh, Bean...and Tena Sivicic, whose Three Winters I saw not long ago and is a marvel.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

Whew! What a monster question! Can't write a book here on corporate control or shrinking audiences, so I am distilling all possible answers down to two (huge) suggestions, both stolen from Britain. First, introduce the panto and other seasonal play traditions to families so youngsters are exposed early to live theater. (Since most young adults have never seen live theater, unless dragged to a high school production by a girlfriend or boyfriend, theater will be DOA in a few decades unless we get to families.) Second, lobby for a national theater based on the thriving South Bank British model - but with better architecture.

Sonia Cordoves - "Reality Sucks"

Tell us about your show.

The show is a hilarious piece about the realities of online dating, it explores how people fabricate and exaggerate what their lifestyle is really like in order to find love. Online dating gets totally real!

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

It was surreal and emotional at the same time to hear an actor speak the words that I wrote onstage. A truly indescribable feeling! It's an unforgettable experience that I will treasure the rest of my life.

What playwrights are you most influenced by, past and present?

I would definitely say that my inspiration was playwright/actor Ricky J, Martinez, of New Theatre. His vitality, charisma, and love for theater as well as his support for the artists who submit their work to the Miami One-Act Festival for the world to see inspired me to fulfill a lifelong dream of not only writing plays but continue performing in them as well.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

I would love to see more schools continue or initiate theater programs to empower our youth to express their passion for the arts. There is so much talent in the world and so many greats artists waiting to be discovered.

Michael Selditch - "Express Train"

Tell us about your show.

My play explores the universal theme of self-worthiness. Two very different men are trapped late at night between stops on a subway train. As they reluctantly converse, one inadvertently reveals a dark secret and they both gain valuable perspective on their own lives.

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

Watching skilled and talented actors bring your words to life is a captivating experience. The collaboration of all the artists required to put up a play is a rush.

What playwrights are you most influenced by, past and present?

There's something very appealing to me about simplicity in all art forms. The phrase "less is more" was coined by the architect Mies van Der Rohe, and I believe it applies to much more than architecture. I've always loved a great two- or three-character play, like Zoo Story by Edward Albee, or Art by Yasmina Reza. To me, a play should be first and foremost an experience about human interaction — the visuals serve second to the words.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

I wish there were more opportunities in theater (as in film) for smaller, unknown artists to get funding to put up their work. I know it's a issue of risk, but the movie trend of "blockbusters" has infiltrated the theater world, as we see more and more plays coming from blockbuster films — creating a lot of very expensive duds. Sadly, there are many wonderful scripts and plays that will never see an audience. Cheers to all the writers and artists out there with persistence and perseverance!

Yi Shi - "A View From the Back"

Tell us about your show.

A mosquito in a taxi reveals stories of love, death, and violence.

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

I am incredibly fortunate and honored to have a super-talented actor Chris Petrovsky and a brilliant, seasoned director Milton Justice to turn this play into a reality. I can't wait to share my perspective with my audience. My play touches on some of the neglected but deeply relevant issues in our relationships, our families, and our society. What excites me the most is that hopefully, bits and pieces of my play will be seeded in my audience's memory, burgeon into strength, and serve them in time of need or justice.

What playwrights are you most influenced by, past and present?

This is tough. I'm certainly influenced by Shakespeare's tales of love and death. They have given me the power of imagination. My past rendezvous with the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and my earlier experience at the Fury Factory in San Francisco helped to mold my impression of the stage as an instrument of human power. My theater work at Berkeley and at Yale has taught me how to use that instrument to make positive social changes. I've never really been a fan of just one particular person. There's something wonderful in every playwright's work. My favorites are those that hold the force of life, give us the keys to our inner selves, and compel us to cherish, to care, and to protect.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

My play is a salute to the countless interactions between people of different backgrounds -- interactions that are always near us, that are often neglected. I hope to contribute to a theater world of heterogeneity, a world of many centers of gravity.

Neil Wolfe - "The Elevator"

Tell us about your show.

A woman confronts her imaginary sister in the confines of an elevator.

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

It has been exciting to see the interpretation of my words acted out by this young woman.

What playwrights are you most influenced by, past and present?

Eugene O'Neill.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

The lowering on the pricing of tickets to allow more young people to be involved in seeing shows.

Faina Vitebsky - "The Ticking Clock"

Tell us about your show.

Four women challenge the stereotype of what it means to be fulfilled in a world where women are placed on a fast track to family life and motherhood. In a unique collaborative writing and acting effort, four separate lives join together to create one holistic female voice that is alternately funny, somber and poignant.

Reflecting on their different life experiences – from upbringing to dating to career goals – they traverse the gaps between ages, cultures, religions and professions while painting a picture of global womanhood.

Join them as they protest the expectations set upon them by family, friends, and a male-dominated society in defense of their autonomy.

What have been the most exciting things about seeing your show jump from the page to the stage?

We have been absolutely humbled by how much we have touched and inspired our audience. These are our personal stories, so to watch them impact others is immeasurable.

What playwrights (or composers, for musical one-acts) are you most influenced by, past and present?

We are big fans of Samuel Beckett and Erwin Piscator.

What would you change about the current state of theater?

We are very inspired by devised and experimental theater and would love to see more collaborative pieces at the forefront.