We grow up being taught that love is as simple as a fairytale romance. In reality, love is complex and hard to define. It’s made of these small moments in life — a mother’s healing hand, a stranger’s act of kindness, a partner’s goodnight kiss. Combined, they craft our lives with dashes of joy and a sprinkle of hope for the next time we have the honor of loving and feeling loved.
However, love isn’t only made up of sweet blessings. As Bell Hooks writes in “All About Love,” “The practice of love offers no place of safety. We risk loss, hurt, pain. We risk being acted upon by forces outside our control.” These short stories challenge preconceived notions of love and define it as more than just an emotion, but also a verb, home, and state of living.
A boy with six fingers on each hand goes through life ashamed of being different. When old-world magic fails to solve his problem, an unexpected solution appears. Performed by Richard Cabral.
A closeted young man in Los Angeles goes on a date with his boss, then prepares for his second date, while trying to keep it a secret from his family. Performed by Remy Ortiz.
A wife begins to doubt her marriage with her husband when a fairy tale of a handsome king makes her long for a more fulfilling romance. Performed by Maggie Siff.
A man surprises himself when he falls deeply in love with a woman who is not the woman he expected to meet. Performed by Mark Moses.
An American ornithologist working on the Shetland Islands in the United Kingdom is swept up in a romance with a local man. Performed by Martin Jarvis.
Childhood friends from the Canadian Cree tribe share earnest conversations and “pretend dinners” in an escape from some of life’s hardships. Performed by Noah Watts.
A young man is matched by a dating app with a vivacious Neanderthal woman, and the date goes surprisingly well. Performed by Andrew Borba.
The awkward intricacies of a first kiss highlight the universal experience of navigating uncharted romantic territory. Performed by Edi Gathegi.
A young man waiting for his sister ends up on a blind date with a woman by pretending to be the man she’s looking for. Performed by Christopher Gorham.