(NEW YORK, NY) -- ARE WE IN LOVE Productions presents the TWO IN LOVE: A Two-Hander Festival, a curated evening of intimate, actor-driven storytelling. Featuring three acclaimed two-person plays: Cindy Lou Johnson's Brilliant Traces directed by Shira Behore, Johnna Adams' World Builders directed by Klara Eales, and David Ives' Venus In Fur directed by Cnaan Lavkovich. The festival will play a three-week limited engagement at Theater Lab weekends from April 9-26, 2026.
Together, these works explore love in its many forms – romantic, platonic, fractured, obsessive, tender, and transformative. Each piece asks, in its own way, the central question that guides the company's work: Are we in love?
Brilliant Traces - The place is Alaska. In the middle of a raging blizzard is a cabin and inside that cabin HENRY HARRY lies sleeping. His remote and hermit-like existence is interrupted by ROSANNAH DELUCE, an agitated young woman fleeing the storm and an impending wedding.
Both running and hiding from life, these two scarred individuals draw closer to each other through a shared feeling of isolation and their desire to find connection.
The production stars Klara Eales (Off-Bway: Brilliant Traces) as Rosannah, and David Stakston (Netflix: Ragnarok, Skam) as Henry Harry.
Venus In Fur - What begins as an unconventional casting session between a promising playwright/director and a magnetic yet unpredictable actress quickly transforms into a charged battle in which the lines between rehearsal and reality blur. As they read the text, authority shifts, roles reverse, and control over the narrative becomes the ultimate weapon. In this intimate theatrical duel, desire, intellect, and storytelling collide, raising the question: Who is really in control?
The production stars Robert L. Bradvica* (Hunger Artist at the New York Theater Festival) as Thomas Novachek, and Mia Jurkunas (Home Sweet Home at the Theater for the New City) as Vanda Jordan. *appears courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association.
World Builders - Max and Whitney do not simply escape reality. They rebuild it. When they enroll in an experimental study designed to dismantle their delusions, the elaborate inner worlds that once protected them begin to collapse. In the rubble of fantasy, something fragile and startlingly real begins to form between them.
As the medication takes hold and imagination gives way to clarity, they are forced to confront a devastating question: When the worlds that kept you alive disappear, what — or who — do you choose to live for?
World Builders explores love and the imagination as both sanctuary and risk. It is a play about survival, connection, and the terrifying beauty of being truly seen.
The production stars Hannah Rose Doherty (Off-Bway: The Glitch) as Whitney, and Patrick Eckland (Little Women at The Actors Temple) as Max.
ARE WE IN LOVE PRODUCTIONS is a female-driven theatre and film company dedicated to bridging divides through story. The company champions young and emerging artists and creates work that prioritizes connection, empathy, and emotional truth. Two In Love highlights close collaborations between actors, directors, and playwrights who are deeply invested in craft and intention, offering audiences a night of stripped-down, powerful performances where language, presence, and relationship take center stage.
The festival features scenic design by Hannah Rose Dohery, costume design by Danny Colon, and lighting design by Andrew LaPointe. Jandre Van Heerden and Cnaan Levkovich are the sound designers and Tanya Agarwal and Erin Flanagan are the stage managers. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.
TWO IN LOVE: A Two-Hander Festival plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, April 25:
Brilliant Traces | Thursday, April 9 @ 7:30pm; Thursday, April 16 @ 7:30pm; Saturday, April 18 @ 2:00pm; Friday, April 24 @ 7:30pm; and Sunday, April 26 @ 3:00pm
Venus In Fur | Friday, April 10 @7:30pm; Saturday, April 11 @ 2:00pm; Saturday, April 18 @7:30pm; Sunday, April 19 @ 3:00pm; and Saturday, April 25 @7:30pm
World Builders | Saturday, April 11 @ 7:30pm; Sunday, April 12 @ 3:00pm; Friday, April 17 @ 7:30pm; Thursday, April 23 @ 7:30pm; andSaturday, April 25 @ 2:00pm
Tickets are $38 for single show admission, $80 for a festival pass and available for purchase online or by calling (212) 929.2545. Running Time: 90 minutes. Theater Lab is located at 357 W 36th St, 3rd floor in New York, NY
