Sex, Lust and Publishing: A Writing Couple's Dilemma now playing at Horizon Theatre with their c

Sex with Strangers, Horizon's latest production by Laura Eason and directed by Jeff Adler, is a sensuous, hilarious, poignant and very current view at the relationship between two writers who indulge in an erotic love-hate relationship taking a roller coaster ride in search for intellectual stimulation and a sexual connection yet reaching an uncomfortable semi dysfunctional symbiosis.

Ethan (played by the talented Michael Shenefelt) is a cocky, over-confident emerging writer building a career by elevating his club predator persona to a cult status by blogging his sexual gymnastics to a very receptive female audience who in turn share the observations of their mutual sexual encounters such as Ethan's pre-orgasmic facial expressions in the "Sex with Strangers" blog which is about to bring screen writing opportunities and book deals for Ethan.

Fate and mutual friends unite Ethan with Olivia (a steamy, nuanced performance by Megan Hayes)a fellow writer notoriously thin skinned to criticism and recovering from the poor reception to her first book although well written, catastrophically marketed to the wrong audience. Their attraction is almost instant and intense with both their intellectual and adrenal juices flowing abundantly until Megan intellectually clashes with Ethan's media projected personae: a woman-objectifying, thrill seeking lothario. Their relationship suffers from the modern cultural media-based enigmas: literary integrity versus commercial success; meaningful symbology versus shameless self promotion; personal tragedy versus free publicity. Do you stay with someone who metaphorically keeps all the "juices flowing" even though you deep down hate what they represent? Do not miss the most produced play in the U.S. for the 2015-2016 season: Sex with Strangers. The next productions at Little Five Point's Horizon Theatre Company (parking is free): Da King in my Hair and The City of Conversation (a family torn between conservative and liberal politics) both promise to be spectacular choices. For more information check Horizon's web site: www.horizontheatre.com or contact the box office at 404 584 8815.

Carl Llabres writes frequently for The Aquarius Magazine and is both a creative and metaphysical writer.

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